Green-Orange-Blue Loop (Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area)
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Distance: 5.21 miles
Elevation: 699 feet
Time: 1 hour, 51 minutes
Hiking Challenges: N/A
The Hike
My final hike in New Jersey before flying to Florida to visit my dad at his new place! I had a few hours to kill in the morning, so I drove to an old favorite - Pyramid Mountain. I had hiked here for a field trip in the 2nd grade to the famous Tripod Rock, and then again with cub scouts, and a few more times as I got older and started exploring the area more. I decided to go with a loop that I know I enjoy that parallels the Tarrytown Reservoir, then climbs up Pyramid Mountain and returns via Lucy’s Overlook and Tripod Rock. I made it out the trailhead at the Boonton Avenue field just before 8:00am, and got started hiking in the cool, misty air.
The very first stretch of the hike is along an access road which parallels multiple sports areas before continuing into the woods. The green trail is a gentle meander through the woods in view of the reservoir, passing over a few footbridges and skirting some private property. At some point in the past there was a trail that connected Pyramid Mountain with a local street in Kinnelon, and then further to the Kakeout (sp?) Reservoir, but that appears to have been since abandoned. The final stretch of the green trail is a bit steeper up a slippery rock slab, but thankfully I didn’t fall. Finally, the trail terminates at a new (new to me at least) kiosk, with the option to turn left or right to join the orange trail.
I turned left which immediately led to a nice viewpoint over the Taylortown Reservoir. There wasn’t much distance to the views due to the foggy, misty conditions, but it was still nice. The orange trail scrambles down and then slowly descends through open woods and impressive rock formations to the shoreline of the reservoir, which is where I infamously took a picture with my friend Marissa in high school, posted it on Facebook, and then my aunt commented “is that where you go to make out?” - which Marissa was not a fan of. We have not been facebook friends since. The orange trail continues to meander around the reservoir area until it turns away from the dam in a rooty area, and eventually comes to its terminus after following what appears to be a summer camp/corporate picnic area.
Next up is the blue trail, which has clearly been rerouted since my last visit years ago. I have a vague memory of a very steep yellow trail jutting off at some point during this first stretch of blue, but I’m not entirely sure. The blue trail in this section is very gentle, and eventually passes through a power cut with a classic power cut view. Soon after the trail turns sharply right and begins to climb Pyramid Mountain, first gently up to cross the power cut again, and then steeply up to the summit area, which seems freshly manicured. There is a large cairn and two viewpoints up at the summit, both offering the same nice view. Nothing breathtaking, but lovely nonetheless. The blue trail then gently descends off the summit to a junction with the blue-dot trail, which is the next leg of my morning adventure.
The blue dot trail is lovely, slightly rugged, and very green. Lots of rhododendron and lichen… and rocks. I took the purple trail to Lucy’s Overlook, which has a lackluster view but a nice, rugged trail. Purple rejoins blue-dot, and then it leads to the classic Tripod Rock, which is a glacial erratic that is truly impressive how it manages to balance. The blue-dot trial leads away from Tripod Rock, I realize how hysterically sweaty I am for a 36-degree day, and it meanders through the ridge line until its terminus at the orange trail.
The final stretch of the hike followed the orange trail back to the junction with the green trail, trying very hard to not slip down the wet rock slab on the green trail, and questioning what the very loud sound was coming from in the distance from the direction of my car. I would later realize that my car was fine, but they were taking down multiple trees right next to my car, and they were parked along the access road that the trail follows. Instead of risking a falling limb, I walked through the baseball field before eventually making it back to my car, getting back to Mom’s house, realizing there’s no bread for grilled cheeses, and then ordering bagels instead.
Step-by-Step
Park at Boonton Ave. field and start hike following green blazes.
Follow green blazes to terminus at the orange trail.
Turn left onto the orange trail.
Follow orange trail to terminus.
At terminus, continue left onto blue trail.
At cairn, turn right to continue on blue trail.
Follow blue trail to the summit area of Pyramid Mountain, then continue on.
At terminus of blue trail, turn left onto blue-dot trail.
At junction with purple trail, turn left onto purple trail to Lucy’s Overlook.
At terminus of purple trail, turn left to continue on blue dot trail.
Follow blue dot trail to its terminus, with a side trip to tripod rock.
At terminus, turn right onto orange trail.
At next junction, turn left back onto green trail to complete the loop and return to car.
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