Take a Hike!

Some of Morris County’s best trails are right in our own backyard.

BY SHEREEN AND BILL SAYRE

There are many reasons Pompton Plains and Pequannock are wonderful places to live, but Pequannock Township’s Mountainside Park trails are an often undervalued, but significant, asset of the town. Scout troops, trail runners, hikers, dog walkers and nature lovers take advantage of this resource. Cedar Crest’s Senior Living Community has several entry points at the top of the red trail’s boardwalk and near Pequannock Knob, often referred to as the Knob. There are a few benches for resting and observing nature near the top. In addition, volunteers attempt to keep the trails accessible in winter for our Cedar Crest friends.

A few short loop hikes or combinations can each be completed in no longer than two hours from the end of the Mountain Road parking lot. The red and blue loop trails each are slightly more than two miles round trip. The blue trail climbs to the top of the Knob, with outstanding views of northern New Jersey and the New York City skyline. There is a wide variety of wildlife and wildflowers to view. Handy “tools” to bring along include binoculars, a map of the park and mobile phone resources such as the Picture This application for plant identification, and Cornell Ornithology’s Merlin application for identification of bird species.

The hiking difficulty level is moderate because of rocks, roots and steepness. Access to the park is from dawn to dusk.

Hikers are asked to leave no trace by carrying out what they carry in.

The township manages overnight registration for use of picnic sites and shelters built by the Boy Scouts of America. Volunteers for the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference maintain and reroute trails as needed, clear downed trees and branches, work to eradicate invasive plants and refresh trail “blazes.” The Trail Conference is always looking for volunteers for trail maintenance, both locally and further afield.

Shereen and Bill Sayre have been residents of Pequannock Township for 30 years. They are on the team of NY-NJ Trail Conference trail maintainers for Mountainside Park and thoroughly enjoy their time on the trail.