Pyramid Mtn. & Tripod Rock via Green/Orange (Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area)

Pyramid Mtn. & Tripod Rock via Green/Orange (Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area)

Distance: 5.03 miles
Elevation: 673 feet

Time: 1 hour, 40 mintues
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge

The Hike

Time to hike off the Christmas cookies! I had a few ideas for this day - I wanted to hit the water gap, but I did not wake up early enough to do so without insane crowds (grateful for Google's feature where it tells you how busy a certain location is in real time), so I decided to go for another classic and hit Pyramid Mountain from the Boonton Ave field, so at least part of my hike would be in solitude. It was a cloudy day, temperatures in the low 40s, I was in shorts and a long sleeve base layer (a lesson I learned after my last jaunt in the Blue Hills), and forgot my camera - classic! I was the only one in the parking lot, and got right to it!

The Green Trail was covered in packed leaves with a few washed out spots from the crazy rain storm of recent. I was very happy with my decision to take this route - I only saw one mountain biker and a few squirrels the whole stretch. I would also like to note - this was the last day I had my iPhone 8, who's camera violently shook whenever I tried to take a photo, hence the blurry photos.

Once on the Orange Trail I noticed the air smelled like a cloud. There were very small patches of blue sky peeking through the cloud cover. The temperature was nice for exercisse. I enjoyed the lovely views of the Taylortown Reservoir and passed a small amount of people, including six swans flying around the water! I was grateful for how dry the trail was (minus one wet patch).

Once Orange terminated, I continued onto Blue where I started power hiking to get past the crowds of people - most of which took the hint and let me pass without too much awkward close-hiking. The stretch of the Blue Trail from the sharp turn to the summit is a nice workout, especially while power hiking, and I enjoyed the view from the lookout.

From the summit to Tripod Rock I passed a few more handfuls of people which thankfully dissipated after I passed Tripod Rock. I admittedly was on my phone a bunch during this hike so I needed to break out the trusty power bank. The rest of my return trip was peaceful and lonely in the good way (is there a word for this?). 

Step-By-Step

- Park at Boonton Ave Field.

- Follow Green Trail along north side of the field area.

- Enter park at trail kiosk, continuing on Green.

- At terminus, turn left onto Orange Trail.

- At terminus, continue straight/left on Blue.

- At next junction, turn sharply right to conitnue on Blue.

- At next junction, turn right to continue on Blue.

- Summit Pyramid Mountain, continue on Blue. 

- At next junction, continue left onto Blue-Dot.

- At Tripod Rock, continue on Blue-Dot.

- At terminus, continue straight/right onto Orange.

- At next junction, turn left onto Green.

- Return to car.

Photo Album