Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area

I came here for a winter hike and even if the terrain was very muddy from the previous rain it was still very pretty. The trails are very well marked so it’s easy to keep track of your hike and not get lost.
There weren’t that many people hiking but I’m guessing it had to do with the prior rain.

This is one of my favorite local places to hike and snowshoe. During the winter months they have snow shoes available to rent for $ 10 for the day on a first come first serve basis. They also require to hold a form of ID which is returned to you when you bring back the snow shoes.
They always keep their maps up to day and available in a slot by the parking lot.
These trails accommodate those just starting to hike to those more experienced. Tripod rock is one of their main attractions and worth the hike. They also have a very nice path along the lake front.

I am really glad I stumbled upon Pyramid Mountain! My husband and I stopped for a hike here before heading to Conklin Farm. There are a few different (clearly marked) trails you can hike to different parts of the mountain. We hiked up the blue trail which had a bit of an incline, but nothing too difficult. There are many rocks and exposed roots so be careful where you step. There are some overlook spots on the blue trail that are beautiful to see. You can even see the NYC skyline. If you take the blue trail to the white trail you’ll come across Tripod Rock. Tripod Rock is a large rock that balances on 3 smaller rocks. It’s pretty cool to see. When we arrived at the rock there was a crowd of people but everyone took turns taking pictures and enjoying the sight.
For our journey back, we walked further up the white trail which met up with the orange trail. The orange trail is parallel with the reservoir and it’s beautiful to see, especially in the fall! The orange trail meets up with the yellow, then the blue, and then you are back at the visitor center parking lot. Our hike was a leisurely 2 hours and there were so many different sights to see. I can’t wait to go back and check out the other trails and see Bear Rock!

Went for a nice hike to see tripod rock with my husband and our dog on Labor Day weekend. The visitors center was open and the guide helped me plan a hike and told me what to expect. Don’t be fooled, there is an impressive hill to climb on the way to tripod rock. Sneakers or hiking boots are highly recommended. Hiking poles would be helpful as well. Lots of rocks to avoid tripping over. The reservoir trail is lovely there are a few overlook area which are serene and beautiful. Snacks and adequate water is a must.

Pyramid Mountain is my favorite place to hike in the area. It’s easy to get to, never overly crowded, and obviously provides beautiful scenery. It’s not too difficult of a hike (maybe a 2.5 on a scale of 1 – 5) and takes me about 90 minutes to complete the loop.
They provide maps of the hiking trails at the entrance, but I have to mention that my first time hiking here I got lost. Like, all the way in the middle of the woods lost. I was eventually able to find my way back to the road, and then walk Boonton Avenue the 2 miles back to the parking area, but it’s still worth mentioning. Now, I hike the blue trail to Tripod Rock, then I take the yellow, then onto the white before getting back on the blue trail and going pack to the parking lot.
I’d recommend Pyramid Mountain to anyone looking for a relaxing, fun hike of moderate difficulty.

Nice trails and a great area to visit. Some of the trails are a bit strenuous but the trails are easy to find and brightly marked. Also there trail paper maps at the parking lot are useful.
Plus there is tripod rock which is very cool.

Great place to hike, with well marked trails and excellent trail maps. Come during the week and you’ll have the trails to yourself.
If you’re visiting on a weekend and opt to hike to Pyramid Rock, be prepared to have a bit of company along the way. This place can get some trail traffic (hikers) on weekends and the parking lot fills up quickly.
The staff in the visitor center are extremely knowledgeable, friendly & helpful. The displays inside are great for kids of all ages. There is also a restroom here, which is great for before or after your hike.
I prefer hiking on the Turkey Mountain side of the park — solitude, quiet and nature awaits.
Please leave no trace, the beauty of this hidden gem so close to NYC needs to be preserved in its natural state for others to enjoy.

Great trails. Well marked so you can’t get lost if you grab one of the maps in the parking lot. You may see the occasional snake.

Great place to day hike. It’s not strenuous, suitable for beginner hikers, but still a good workout. I’ve come here during all seasons and it’s safe and fun all year round. Parking fills up quickly on the weekends, so come early, before 9 am. After the hike if you’re hungry and didn’t pack a lunch there are charming restaurants on Boonton’s main street.

Very enjoyable hike.
1) Must visit if you live in NJ. For us New Jerseyans, this is one of our 7 natural wonders.
2) The hike is relatively easy. But if you want to reach the tripod rock, the distance MIGHT be SOMEWHAT of a challenge for the average person. However, trust me, I found it easy.
3) Use the blue trail to reach the tripod rock. Personally, I found it to be the best trail. But you have to use the little section of the white trail to see the tripod rock.
4) Use the orange trail to turn it into a loop, then the yellow and blue to come back to your car.
Come and enjoy.

There are great hikes in this park. When you finally get to tripod rock you feel like you’ve accomplished something. Wonderful views especially in the fall. I’m glad to live so close to it

I almost didn’t make it to this park because I couldn’t find it. My GPS did not get me to the park using the address above. The start of the trail is actually located around 73 Boonton Ave. I’m not sure if that’s the main parking lot though, because it’s pretty small. I actually had to park on the shoulder of the road across the street because there was no space (and it was raining on the day I went).
Make sure you stop by the Visitor’s Center because the workers are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They’ll even recommend trails and tell you if there is anything you should be mindful of (like the steep decline on the Yellow trail).
I went with the intention of only hiking for a hour, but ended up liking the trails and spending 3 or 4 hours out there. Tripod rock was a bit of a let down because it’s not much better than the pictures posted on here, but I did get some funny photos next to it. It you’re up for a bit of a hike I’d recommend the Orange trail, so you can see the reservoir.

Really nice park with good, mostly well-​marked trails. It is clean and pretty well maintained. Our group found the odd bottle or 3 or granola bar wrappers to pick up, but it is mostly pretty pristine. Hazy day so no view of the city, but the reservoir was pretty and the views of the rolling hills as you ascend the mountain are very nice. So peaceful at the top. Tripod rock is a cool formation and a good photo op as well. We got a little lost heading out bc the park map seemed to be old. Saw an egret, some swans, a few teeny tiny frogs, some small orange butterflies, an array of pretty flowers some of which I had never seen before, and thankfully no yellow jackets – though there are warnings that you may step in their grounds nests so STAY ON THE TRAIL… I will go back to try other trails like Bear Rock. No facilities so bring water and snacks. Dog owners, bring water for them too; I saw too many thirsty dogs I felt bad for.

Another weekend back in June, a group of friends and I got together for yet another hike. There was a nifty cabin visitor center with a restroom and free trail maps. We’ve done a relatively short one, but maybe because we had too much fun taking pictures and resting that it became a long hike.
We came across the Tripod Rock and took massive pictures. My group were doing all these poses and planking on the nearby rocks. We’ve also left a witty sign by the Tripod Rock for fun. We made it up to a higher elevation and we were able to see the Manhattan skyline and that was by far the best thing I saw on this hike. Maybe it was the trail we had taken, but comparing this hike to the others I’ve done previously, I didn’t favor this one as much. I know it’s a hike and you’re suppose to walk. However, I felt it was a lot walking up and down and more walking, but not so much other changes along the trail. There were a lot of little rocks, not pebbles, but rocks embedded all over the trail. Which to me it made it a little difficult because it’s easy to trip on them since they were all over the place.
We came across these colorful dragonflies and a snake, so it was pretty cool to be seeing more of nature on this trail. Perhaps, the other trails at Pyramid Mountain would be more interesting than the one my group has taken.

Pyramid Mountain is about an hour drive from Manhattan. Lots of marked trails to explore and everyone that I came across on the trail were friendly. I would say the terrain is pretty easy to navigate over if you’re in decent physical shape. I walked the red, white, yellow, and green trails. Definitely a good place to come and go for a hike if you’re looking to get out of the city for the day. There were plenty of trail maps and it was very detailed.

It’s a good place for hiking, there are a variety of trails, some scenic overlooks and interesting rock formations. Took us about an hour to get here from Jersey city.
The hike offers some decent elevation. Experienced hikers might find it a little boring. We finished a 4.3 mile loop covering Lucy’s overlook, Tripod rock, whale rock, Bear rock, Power lines and back to parking lot in 2.5 hours.

The folks in the office at the park are helpful and knowledgable.
I like doing tripod rock, then down to bear rock, then the montville butler trail, past the reservoir to the sand quarry («Sand pit»)… I’ve been swimming there believe it or not. Nice place with earth dam.
Coming off the ridge from tripod rock is a bit rugged, but that is good if you are looking for a workout, both side of the ridge going up are a challenge. Some nice beaver dams. Some nice reservoirs but stay out of those… Most are visible from the roads, and swimming in reservoirs… Illegal! The Turkey mountain side features the «100 steps» which are actually 140 and counting… a ruin at the top. A waterfall and quarry on the other side. And who doesn’t like looking at strange metamorphic minerals in the quarry area? BTW. Dip your feet at the waterfall, but don’t wade around in there, broken glass everywhere.

I come here for quick hikes. They have guided nature hikes. A great place to whip out snowshoes and wander around, when it’s a snowy winter…

Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area in Boonton, NJ (
) features more than 1,500 acres of open space — including fields, forests, streams and ponds — and nearly 30 miles of marked hiking trails with moderate trail surface and elevation gain in the rugged New Jersey Highlands. Pyramid Mountain rises as high as 920 feet above sea level.
To get to the park, take I80 West to I287 North. Take Exit 45 (Wootton St). From the ramp, take the first LEFT TURN onto Wootton St. Take Wootton St uphill and make a RIGHT TURN onto Boonton Ave (County Road 511). Follow Boonton Ave for approximately 4 miles. Pyramid Mountain Visitor Center and parking on the LEFT.
Don’t forget to take a free map at the visitor’s center. Although the trails are well-​marked, the map (
) is one of the more detailed trail maps available in the Morris County parks.
I recommend the following 2-​hour, ~3.5 mile hike. From the parking lot, follow the Blue trail which crosses a stream via wooden bridge and begins a short, but moderate climb to the top of the Pyramid Mountain. On a clear day, there are beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline in the distance to the east. Continue on the Blue trail as it flattens out and passes through a mixed hardwood forest until you come to the junction with the White trail. Take the White trail to see Tripod Rock — an enormous 11 – 12 foot high boulder resting on three smaller rocks, each in a 3 – 4 feet in diameter. Continue past Tripod Rock on the White trail, until it intersects with the Orange trail. Take the Orange Trail. You’ll quickly find yourself at a large flat rock with a fantastic view of the Reservoir — which is a terrific spot for a brief rest. The Orange trail then descends quickly through a series of steps to the shoreline of the Reservoir. The Orange trail follows the shoreline — from being right at the waterline to finding yourself fifteen feet above the lake on a rocky ledge — and eventually intersects with the Yellow trail. Make a right onto the Yellow trail and follow the Yellow trail back to the Blue trail which you can follow back to the parking lot.