Description
A 1200-acre natural oasis amid urban sprawl, High Mountain Park Preserve features rolling and sometimes steep terrain that winds through woodlands and wetlands. Its 11.5 miles of trails in the Watchung Mountains reward visitors with vigorous hikes, panoramic summit views of New York City and northern New Jersey, and peaceful waterfalls. The nature preserve is the largest tract of forested land east of the Highlands.
The preserve is home to rare and threatened plants and wildlife, including mountain mint and northern long-eared bats, as well as common local species like flying squirrels, wild turkeys, chipmunks and white-tailed deer. The mountain's bedrock, of volcanic origin, dates back over 130 million years.
