Description:

From the parking lot, climb the embankment and cross College Road. Opposite the entrance to the parking lot, a wooden sign marks the beginning of the red-blazed trail. Bear right and begin to climb on a woods road, briefly paralleling the road below, then bear left into the woods. There are many intersecting woods roads in the area, so pay careful attention to the red blazes. After about half a mile, turn right onto a yellow-blazed trail. This trail proceeds east, soon crossing a small stream and wet area. It then curves north, passing just west of the ridge known as Mt. Cecchino. Three-quarters of a mile along the yellow trail, you will cross a small stream. From here the trail begins a steady climb to the summit of High Mountain. Halfway up, the trail bears left, bypassing a very eroded section of the road, and soon rejoins the road.

The summit of High Mountain is a thrill, even though it has suffered from abuse by dirt bikes, ATVs and four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is not a typical North Jersey summit of rock outcrop framed by trees; it is more like a southern bald, grassy with a few large exposures of basaltic bedrock. To the east, one can see the immense suburban sprawl of northeastern New Jersey. On the horizon is the entire New York City skyline, the bridges and even a corner of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south are the Watchung ridges, to the north the Ramapos.

After taking some time to enjoy the view, cross the broad summit, heading northwest and following the yellow blazes on rocks, and continue downhill on the yellow trail. Be sure to look for the yellow blazes, as several paths and woods roads lead down the mountain. The yellow trail crosses a secondary summit, levels off, and then descends for about 200 vertical feet on an eroded woods road. Soon, you will notice a sharp left turn where the yellow blazes leave the woods road and enter the woods on a footpath. This section of the trail is a refreshing change from the worn woods roads that you have followed up to now. Follow the yellow blazes as they gradually descend to a stream and begin to parallel the stream. Soon, the yellow trail crosses the stream and, in another 250 feet, reaches a red-blazed woods road. Turn left here and follow the red blazes southward. (Ignore the crudely painted white blazes which appear on some trees along the way.) You will pass through an area which is often wet, but after passing a woods road which branches off to the left, the trail becomes drier.

Further down the road, you will go by several clusters of cedar trees. The red trail continues on downhill over slabs of exposed basalt and around some large puddles. After about a mile on the red trail, a white trail goes off to the right. Then, in another 500 feet, you will reach the junction with the yellow trail that you followed earlier in the hike. Continue straight ahead on the red trail (now retracing your steps), and in another half a mile you will arrive back at Parking Lot #6.