Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area
Tripod Rock and 17 miles of trails through glacial erratics.
Pyramid Mountain is the Morris County Park Commission’s most iconic hiking spot northwest of Morristown. About 1,500 acres of forested ridge in Boonton Township and Kinnelon, with 17 miles of trails that climb the eastern slope of the New Jersey Highlands.
The marquee feature is Tripod Rock, a 200-ton glacial erratic balanced on three smaller boulders. The arrangement is natural, left behind by the receding Wisconsin glacier roughly 18,000 years ago. Some interpretations connect it to Lenape ceremonial sites in the area; the rock aligns with the summer solstice sunset behind a nearby ridge.
What’s there:
- Tripod Rock itself, a moderate 3-mile round-trip hike from the main parking lot;
- Bear Rock, the largest glacial erratic in New Jersey, on a longer loop;
- A visitor center with exhibits on the geology and human history;
- Steep, rocky trails throughout (this is real hiking, not a stroll);
- A connection to the Patriots’ Path on the southern boundary.
Free parking and admission. About 25 minutes from Morristown via Route 287 north. Bring water and sturdy shoes; trails are rocky and unforgiving on flat-soled sneakers.