ABOUT POINT MOUNTAIN NORTH SECTION

Point Mountain North Section is part of the Musconetcong Mountain Range. The top of the mountain is the second highest point managed by the Hunterdon County Parks& Recreation Division, at 1006 feet above sea level. The park consists of 220 acres of forest and fields. The Parks Division acquired the property in smaller lots between 1997 and 2003. The area was once logged, and old logging roads are incorporated into some of the current trails. Stone walls in the park show former divisions of property lines, or the edges of animal pastures, indicating that the forest was once cleared for farming.

The trail system was established with the aid of volunteers during Trails Day in May 2009. An additional trail was created in the summer of that year by a crew from the Student Conservation Association, a group of volunteer high school students. In the summer of 2010, they connected the trails of the North section to the main trails of the Central and South sections of the Point Mountain Reservation.

There are four private lots along Hermits Lane, so please be respectful and stay on the trails. Hermits Lane was once a farm road that connected to Old Turnpike Road, and two stone walls that bordered the road are
visible near the parking area. Today, Hermits Lane simply dead-ends.

The Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation Division is dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources, providing safe parks and facilities, and offering educational and recreational opportunities, all contributing to an enhanced quality of life for present and future generations.

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LOCATION

PHYSICAL LOCATIONS:

NORTH SECTION: 219 OLD TURNPIKE ROAD, PORT MURRAY, NJ 07865

CENTRAL SECTION: 402 PENWELL ROAD, PORT MURRAY 07865
80 POINT MOUNTAIN ROAD, WASHINGTON, NJ 07882

SOUTH SECTION: 132 MOUNTAIN TOP ROAD, WASHINGTON, NJ 07882

Location: Point Mountain North Section is located in the northern tip of Lebanon Township between Morris and Warren Counties. The parking area is on Old Turnpike Road. No restroom facilities are available.

Directions from the Clinton Area:

Take Route 31 North past Glen Gardner and Hampton until the junction with Warren County Route 632, across from the A&P. Turn right onto 632/Asbury-Anderson Road. At the end of 632, turn right onto NJ-57. Proceed 1.7 miles and turn right onto Old Turnpike Road. Cross a stone bridge and pass a farm, and the gravel parking area will be on the right.

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TRAIL MAPS & GUIDES

Trail Guides are set up as foldable brochures. Please print and fold in half vertically to view in proper order. Additionally, you may have to rearrange pages. Maps should be printed on Legal Size Paper.

• Park Brochure and North Area Trail Guide
• Trail Map
• Trail Map for North, Central and South Areas

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RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Point Mountain North Section is designed for hiking. The climb is fairly strenuous, but there is a flatter loop that can be walked through the fields and the lower wooded area. Mountain biking and horseback riding are two other options, although the trails are very rocky in certain sections. Crosscountry skiing is permitted where appropriate.

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HABITAT

This preserve is located on the southern slope of the Musconetcong Ridge within the Highlands Region of New Jersey, and is part of the Delaware River drainage basin. Much of the park is forested, but there are four fields near the parking lot. The fields are planted and harvested by a local farmer, so please stay on the edges when crops are growing. In the forest, beech trees dominate in many areas, but other species include: maples, oaks, hickories, and black birches. An Eastern red cedar grove is located near the bottom of the mountain. The forest has a sparse understory, but there are several blueberry plants and Jack-in-the-pulpits in the park. Closer to the base of the mountain are a number of invasive species, including multiflora rose, oriental bittersweet, and Japanese stilt grass. White-tailed Deer are prevalent in the park, and the stone walls create excellent habitat for Eastern Chipmunks. Bird species include several types of woodpeckers, breeding songbirds, and migrating warblers.

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HUNTING

In order to control the deer population, hunting is allowed (by Parks Division permit only) in some sections of this park. Please wear blaze orange during hunting season or confine your visits to Sundays. See additional information on the Hunterdon County Park System Controlled Hunting Program.

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