Stonetown Circular Trail - Northern Loop

Long Pond Ironworks State Park

Windbeam Mountain from the Highlands Connector Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin Windbeam Mountain from the Highlands Connector Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin Monks Mountain and Monksville Reservoir from the Stonetown Circular Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin Monks Mountain and Monksville Reservoir from the Stonetown Circular Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin

This loop hike climbs steeply to the summit of Harrison Mountain, with panoramic views, descends to the Monksville Reservoir, and returns via pleasant woods roads and footpaths.

41.112938, -74.305494

This hike follows a section of the Stonetown Circular Trail (also the route of the Highlands Trail) which traverses Long Pond Ironworks State Park and watershed lands of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission (NJDWSC). The hike begins and ends with fairly steep climbs, but for most of the way, the route you will be following is either level or downhill. On the second half of the...

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Trip Reports

rate experience
June 07, 2020
0
Hike has been updated
<p>Today, June 21, 2020, I rehiked the route of this hike and updated the hike description to take into account the items mentioned in the comments below, as well as several other changes.&nbsp; The hike description is now up-to-date.</p>
Daniel Chazin
June 07, 2020
2
Directions Need Upate - Follow Black on Blue at Start
As others have noted previously, the hike directions are in need of update as the hike begins with a black diamond on blue diamond blaze - not white. And the blazes are on a tree also marked with a Highlands Trail blaze. We also noted that hikers parking along the lakeside should pay attention to the "Fire Lane" signs that provide a firefighting route to the lakeshore - we would not want NYNJTC members to get towed. We enjoyed the hike, but overall can only rate the loop as two stars due to the less pleasant experiences of the high-voltage power line and the road walking at the end of the route. There was much evidence of ATV and motorcycle traffic on and crossing the trails. luckily we did not encounter motorized riders, but we did see a group head into the woods at the trailhead as we returned to our car in the mid-afternoon. We also believed that the hike description needs an update regarding the proximity to the reservoir - seems that the trail might have been moved back from the shoreline in recent years. We encountered the somewhat mysterious looking red blazes mentioned in other posts - quite curious who or what put them there.
glennagrube
December 02, 2017
0
I wish I had read the prior comments!
The blazes at the start of the trail are black on teal diamond - same as the Highland Trail Connector at the end of the trail. At the end of the walk, a newly marked trail comes in from the left. This hike continues to the right. This new trail has an unusual, red trail marker on the tree. About 50' up this new trail is an unusual red stamping out of steel of a waterfowl cemented to the top of a rock. The cement appears new. I suspect someone is designing a new trail near the end of White Road. This was a nice hike except for the 3/4 mile walk back to the car. including 1/3 mile on Stonetown Road. Otherwise a nice hike The beginning is rather strenuous up Harrison Mountain ("I thought this was supposed to be a Moderate hike!"), but the rest was lovely. I didn't stay on the trail much - the down leaves obscured the trail - but the trail was well-marked, including the Highland Trail Connector near the end.
jwrushman
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