This hike traverses two preserved tracts on the western slope of the Palisades - the 84-acre Rockleigh Woods Sanctuary, located in the Borough of Rockleigh, which purchased it in 1975, and the 134-acre Lamont Reserve, located in the Borough of Alpine, and purchased jointly by the County of Bergen, the Borough of Alpine and the Borough of Rockleigh in 1996. Both tracts were formerly part of...
Hike Description:
This hike traverses two preserved tracts on the western slope of the Palisades - the 84-acre Rockleigh Woods Sanctuary, located in the Borough of Rockleigh, which purchased it in 1975, and the 134-acre Lamont Reserve, located in the Borough of Alpine, and purchased jointly by the County of Bergen, the Borough of Alpine and the Borough of Rockleigh in 1996. Both tracts were formerly part of Camp Alpine of the Greater New York Councils, Boy Scouts of America. A map is available at www.nynjtc.org/map/rockleigh-woods-lamont-reserve-trail-map.
From the parking area, follow a handicapped-accessible path past a playground to a kiosk, which marks the start of the blue-blazed Hutcheon Trail. Follow this trail into the woods. In a short distance, you'll notice two sets of triple yellow blazes. These mark the start of the yellow-blazed Sneden-Haring-Lamont Trail. Continue ahead, now following both yellow and blue blazes.
When the two trails diverge, turn left to continue on the yellow trail, which immediately crosses a wet area on rocks and begins to climb along an old woods road. After crossing a brook on rocks, the road becomes deeply eroded, and the trail has been relocated to a parallel route.
After rejoining the old road, the yellow trail passes the upper end of the red-on-white-blazed Roaring Ravine Trail and crosses Roaring Brook on a log bridge. Just beyond, at a junction with the white-blazed Lamont Rock Trail, follow the yellow trail as it turns right, leaving the road. The white and yellow trails are coaligned for about 50 feet. When the trails diverge, bear left to continue along the white trail, which follows a footpath through the woods, climbing gradually.
Near the crest of the rise, the white trail turns sharply right at a T-intersection and climbs rather steeply to the highest point in the preserve (480 feet), from where there is a northeast-facing view through the trees. Here, the trail turns left and begins to descend. After passing Lamont Rock (a huge boulder) on the right, the white trail descends steadily.
Further down the hill, the white trail passes between two old stone cisterns. Just beyond the second cistern, the trail turns sharply right and descends to a T-intersection. Here, the white trail turns right, but you should turn left onto the yellow-blazed Sneden-Haring-Lamont Trail, which soon approaches the southern boundary of the sanctuary. The yellow trail now curves to the right and descends gradually, crossing a brook along the way. In a short distance, it bears right again and begins to head north.
The yellow trail parallels the sanctuary's boundary, crossing several small brooks on rocks. When it reaches the wider Roaring Brook, it turns right, parallels the brook for a short distance, then turns left and crosses the brook on rocks. The blue trail briefly joins here, but you should continue ahead on the yellow trail, which makes several turns. When the yellow trail ends at a triple blaze, turn left and follow the blue trail back to the parking area where the hike began.
To view a photo collection for this hike, click here.
Publication: Submitted by Daniel Chazin on 12/09/2010 updated/verified on 04/09/2023This loop hike climbs to the highest point in the sanctuary, passing the interesting Lamont Rock and two old stone cisterns on the way down.