Watchung Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Watchung Mountains are a group of three long low ridges of volcanic
origin, between 400 ft. (122 m) and 500 ft. (152 m) high, lying parallel to each other in northern New Jersey
in the United States
. The Watchung Mountains are known for their numerous scenic vistas overlooking the New York City and New Jersey skylines, as well as their isolated ecosystems containing rare plants, endangered wildlife, rich minerals, and globally imperiled trap rock
glade communities. The ridges traditionally contained the westward spread of urbanization, forming a significant geologic barrier beyond the piedmont west of the Hudson River. In many places, however, the mountains have become sinuous islands of natural landscape within the suburban sprawl covering much of contemporary northeastern New Jersey. Parks, preserves, and numerous historical sites dot the valleys and slopes of the mountains, providing recreational and cultural activities to one of the most densely populated regions of the nation.
(in Somerset County
) in the southwest through Morris County
, Union County
, Essex County
, and Passaic County
to Mahwah
(in Bergen County
) in the northeast. The less prominent and discontinuous ridge formed by Long Hill, Riker Hill, Hook Mountain, and Packanack Mountain is sometimes referred to as Third Watchung Mountain and lies on the northwestern side of Second Watchung Mountain.
It should be noted that the entireties of First Watchung Mountain and Second Watchung Mountain are often erroneously referred to as Orange Mountain and Preakness Mountain. Historically, the names ‘Orange’ and ‘Preakness’ have only been applied to specific sections of these ridges. The confusion appears to have arisen from the fact that First Watchung Mountain is said to be composed of Orange Mountain basalt
, while Second Watchung Mountain is composed of Preakness Mountain basalt. The names applied to the basalts are actually geologic type localities
, that is to say, the type of rock found at Orange Mountain is exclusive to all of First Watchung Mountain, while the type of rock found at Preakness Mountain is exclusive to all of Second Watchung Mountain. Like First and Second Watchung Mountain, Third Watchung Mountain is sometimes confused with its type locality, as its entire length is erroneously referred to as Hook Mountain on some occasions.
In addition to the three main ridges of the Watchungs, a smaller fourth ridge exists south of Morristown
and west of Third Watchung Mountain. While attaining elevations over 400 ft (121.9 m), the ridge lacks topographic prominence, only rising to about 100 ft (30.5 m) above the surrounding terrain. Only one portion of the ridge is named, a southern section underlying Harding Township
known as Lees Hill.
All of the ridges lie to the east of the higher Appalachian Mountains
, which in northern New Jersey are often referred to as the New York - New Jersey Highlands
. Together with the Appalachian Mountains to the west, the Watchungs pen in an area formerly occupied by the prehistoric Glacial Lake Passaic
. The Great Swamp, a large portion of which is designated as the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
, is a remnant of this lake, presently retained by Third Watchung Mountain.
Although the Watchungs commonly are described in terms of their east-west ridge arrangement (First, Second, and Third Watchung Mountain), they also are divided into smaller mountain ranges, as well as various named ridges.
Following is a list describing the notable ranges and ridges of the Watchungs from north to south.
Noteworthy summits of the Watchungs include High Mountain, Beech Mountain, and Mount Cecchino in Wayne
, which stand at 879 ft (268m), 869 ft (265m) and 755 ft (230m) above sea level. Another notable summit is The Hilltop in Verona
, Cedar Grove
, and North Caldwell
, which peaks at 675 feet (205.7 m) just east of the water sphere.
, referred to the mountains as the Wach Unks, or ‘high hills’. Evidence of the Lenape presence in the Watchungs can be seen in numerous camps sites that have been uncovered, mainly along the rivers coursing through mountains and in the small caves abundant in the volcanic rock. It is thought the Lenape favored the Watchungs for their profusion of natural resources, including abundant freshwater rivers and streams, a variety of forests, and plentiful fish and game. They also took advantage of the rich soils and maintained many farm areas where they raised a variety of seasonal crops.
With the arrival of Europeans, the same resources that sustained the indigenous peoples served settlers. Trade in furs to European markets, a bounty of game and fish, and native garden produce for the traders was important during the Dutch colonial period when few settlements occurred. Perhaps most importantly with the settlements established during the English colonial period, the rivers and streams of the Watchungs also supported grain, grist, and saw mills. Later, the energy of these rivers would be harnessed for industry, most notably at the Great Falls of the Passaic River
, where mechanical and hydroelectric systems exploited the energy of water falling over the face of First Watchung Mountain.
Outside of providing gradation to rivers and streams, the height of the Watchungs has proven useful for other reasons.
, then an active rift basin associated with the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea
. The magma was initially contained within the sedimentary strata of the basin, forming large intrusions like the Palisades Sill
, but it ultimately broke out to the surface through large, episodic eruptions. The Watchung Mountains were originally formed from these eruptions, consisting of three separate flood basalt
s that may have filled nearly the entire Newark Basin. Each time the basin filled with basalt
, which cooled into blocky trap rock
, a period of limited volcanic activity followed, allowing sediment to be deposited on top of the previously erupted layer of basalt. In this way, the Newark Basin became layered with alternating strata of Watchung basalt and Jurassic sedimentary rock.
Throughout the early Jurassic, the Newark Basin underwent extensive dipping and folding. The western side of the basin plunged deeper into the crust, tilting the basin’s strata to an angle of between 5 and 25 degrees. Localized deformation of the western edge of the basin along the Ramapo Fault System
formed alternating syncline
s and anticline
s that warped the layers of basalt and sedimentary rock.
Erosion began to attack the basin as rifting failed and deposition of new sediments ceased. Over millions of years, erosion ate downward through the tilted rock of the basin, eventually encountering the basalt layers, which are significantly more erosion resistant than the surrounding sedimentary rock. The result of this has been that the exposed edges of the eroding basalt layers have managed to persist longer than the exposed edges of the sedimentary layers, causing them to project prominently above the surrounding surface terrain as high ridges.
Today, the flood basalts are preserved in the synclines adjacent to the Ramapo Fault system. It is in these synclines that the basalt layers are thick and warped into downward dipping trap rock sheets, descending below the current erosional surface of the basin. Notably, the synclines preserve not only the basalt layers, but also some overlying Jurassic sedimentary rock. The largest syncline in the basin, the Watchung syncline, contains the greater portion of the Watchung flood basalts as they appear today. The projecting, eroding edges of the flood basalts preserved in the syncline form the three ridges of the Watchung Mountains. Jurassic sedimentary rock layers between and above the ridges form the Feltville
, Towaco
and Boonton
formations. Elsewhere in the Newark Basin, smaller synclines preserve the Watchung Outliers
, additional fragments of the flood basalts and associated overlying sediments that have survived into the modern era.
Because the majority of the Watchung Mountains are composed of extrusive
igneous trap rock, they display characteristic columnar jointing and stacked lava flows. These features are readily noted along the eastern faces of the ridges, which often present mural precipices, or vertical escarpment
s. Similar features can also be seen in the Palisades Sill
, although these were formed within the Earth's crust. Additionally, the Watchungs feature not only blocky aa lava, but also ropey and billowing pahoehoe flows.
The magma which generated the Watchungs and the Palisades also formed the intrusive igneous Sourland Mountain
in Central New Jersey, as well as a series of smaller outlying volcanic ridges in the region. Cushetunk Mountain
, a ring-shaped volcanic mountain between Sourland Mountain and the Watchungs, is of the same geologic lineage.
The Metacomet Mountains
in the Connecticut River Basin, another aborted rift valley, came into existence around the same time as the Watchungs, also through extrusive eruptions. While non-contiguous, the two ranges may be considered geologic cousins, having formed under similar circumstances during the rifting of Pangaea. The same erosive and tectonic forces which elevated the Watchungs also served to raise the Metacomets.
, which historically has been used in railroad beds and road construction. In addition to this, in many places the mountains are underlain by red and white sandstone which has at times been used in building construction. Mica and calcareous spar often accompany these sandstone beds.
Due to the volcanic nature of the Watchungs, zeolites, including prehnite
, analcime, and stilbite
, which form from a reaction of mafic rocks in alkaline environments, can be found along exposed ridge lines. Agate
, primarily in the form of chalcedony
, and crystalline quartz (sometimes in the form of amethyst
), are prominent in the ancient lava flows of the Watchungs and are typically seen as embedded nodules along exposed fronts. Datolite
, another nodular mineral, has been found embedded in the volcanic rock around the Great Falls
. Additionally, jasper
and satin spar are known to exist within the northwestern Preakness Range.
Copper
also can be found in the Watchungs. Near Belleville
, ore containing 8% copper was discovered, and a copper mine once operated in the area. Other copper bearing ores have been noted near Paterson
. These ores typically contain cuprite
(red copper oxide) and/or copper carbonate in a matrix of red or gray sandstone. Pyritous copper, also known as chalcopyrite
, is not known to exist in ores found in the Watchungs.
, I-280
, and I-78
, were sliced through the Watchungs, allowing suburbia to invade its inner valleys and slopes. Near the end of the century, I-287
, a great semi-circular beltway enclosed the Watchungs within the bulge of suburbia radiating out from New York City. Many pathways of safe passage through the mountains, retained from the time of the Lenapes, were severed and blocked by the highways.
Today, along the summits of the Watchungs, talus slope environs as well as globally rare trap rock glade/outcrop communities and their unique species have become threatened by development. As a response, efforts to conserve the unique landscapes of the Watchungs have been undertaken. The largest of the conservation efforts so far is High Mountain Park Preserve
, which at 1153.7 acres (4.7 km²) sets aside one of the largest tracts of wilderness in the New Jersey Piedmont. The park is known to contain at least one globally imperiled plant, Torrey's mountain mint
(Pycnanthemum torrei), as well as three other plants endangered within New Jersey.
Other large areas of preserved land lie within the valleys of the Watchungs. The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
, retained within the embrace of Third Watchung Mountain, now consists of 7,600 acres (31 km2) or almost 12 square miles (30.4 km²) of varied habitats. The refuge was created through the efforts and donations of a small group of local residents in 1959, the Jersey Jetport Site Association, and a Great Swamp Committee later formed within the North American Wildlife Foundation. It is championed by many organizations among the contemporary communities adjacent to the refuge. The Great Swamp, as well as other swamps retained by the Watchungs, including Great Piece Meadows
, constitute the remains of Glacial Lake Passaic
. The lake existed during the last ice age, eventually draining as a glacier in the northern Watchungs receded and allowed the lake's water to empty out via a gap in the ridges of First and Second Watchung Mountain currently occupied by the Passaic River.
General awareness of the history and natural environment of Watchungs has been increased through efforts such as the construction and designation of the Lenape Trail
. The trail traverses rugged sections of the mountains while at the same time connecting various historical sites pertinent to the history of New Jersey.
Parks and reservations from north to south:
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
origin, between 400 ft. (122 m) and 500 ft. (152 m) high, lying parallel to each other in northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Watchung Mountains are known for their numerous scenic vistas overlooking the New York City and New Jersey skylines, as well as their isolated ecosystems containing rare plants, endangered wildlife, rich minerals, and globally imperiled trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
glade communities. The ridges traditionally contained the westward spread of urbanization, forming a significant geologic barrier beyond the piedmont west of the Hudson River. In many places, however, the mountains have become sinuous islands of natural landscape within the suburban sprawl covering much of contemporary northeastern New Jersey. Parks, preserves, and numerous historical sites dot the valleys and slopes of the mountains, providing recreational and cultural activities to one of the most densely populated regions of the nation.
Geography
The two most prominent ridges, known as First Watchung Mountain (the southeastern ridge) and Second Watchung Mountain (the northwestern ridge), stretch for over forty miles (64 km) from SomervilleSomerville, New Jersey
Somerville is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,098. It is the county seat of Somerset County....
(in Somerset County
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
) in the southwest through Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
, Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
, Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, and Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
to Mahwah
Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
(in Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
) in the northeast. The less prominent and discontinuous ridge formed by Long Hill, Riker Hill, Hook Mountain, and Packanack Mountain is sometimes referred to as Third Watchung Mountain and lies on the northwestern side of Second Watchung Mountain.
It should be noted that the entireties of First Watchung Mountain and Second Watchung Mountain are often erroneously referred to as Orange Mountain and Preakness Mountain. Historically, the names ‘Orange’ and ‘Preakness’ have only been applied to specific sections of these ridges. The confusion appears to have arisen from the fact that First Watchung Mountain is said to be composed of Orange Mountain basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
, while Second Watchung Mountain is composed of Preakness Mountain basalt. The names applied to the basalts are actually geologic type localities
Type locality (geology)
Type locality , also called type area or type locale, is the where a particular rock type, stratigraphic unit, fossil or mineral species is first identified....
, that is to say, the type of rock found at Orange Mountain is exclusive to all of First Watchung Mountain, while the type of rock found at Preakness Mountain is exclusive to all of Second Watchung Mountain. Like First and Second Watchung Mountain, Third Watchung Mountain is sometimes confused with its type locality, as its entire length is erroneously referred to as Hook Mountain on some occasions.
In addition to the three main ridges of the Watchungs, a smaller fourth ridge exists south of Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
and west of Third Watchung Mountain. While attaining elevations over 400 ft (121.9 m), the ridge lacks topographic prominence, only rising to about 100 ft (30.5 m) above the surrounding terrain. Only one portion of the ridge is named, a southern section underlying Harding Township
Harding Township, New Jersey
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 3,180 people, 1,180 households, and 940 families residing in the township. The population density was 155.6 people per square mile . There were 1,243 housing units at an average density of 60.8 per square mile...
known as Lees Hill.
All of the ridges lie to the east of the higher Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, which in northern New Jersey are often referred to as the New York - New Jersey Highlands
New York - New Jersey Highlands
The New York – New Jersey Highlands is a geological formation composed primarily of precambrian igneous and metamorphic rock running from the Delaware River near Musconetcong Mountain, northeast through the Skylands Region of New Jersey along the Bearfort Ridge and the Ramapo Mountains, Sterling...
. Together with the Appalachian Mountains to the west, the Watchungs pen in an area formerly occupied by the prehistoric Glacial Lake Passaic
Glacial Lake Passaic
Glacial Lake Passaic was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed in northern New Jersey in the United States at the end of the last ice age approximately 19,000-14,000 years ago...
. The Great Swamp, a large portion of which is designated as the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located in Morris County, New Jersey. Established in 1960, it is one of more than 550 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System.The refuge was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1966...
, is a remnant of this lake, presently retained by Third Watchung Mountain.
Although the Watchungs commonly are described in terms of their east-west ridge arrangement (First, Second, and Third Watchung Mountain), they also are divided into smaller mountain ranges, as well as various named ridges.
Following is a list describing the notable ranges and ridges of the Watchungs from north to south.
- Campgaw MountainCampgaw MountainCampgaw Mountain is the northernmost ridge of the volcanically formed Watchung Mountains, straddling the border of Franklin Lakes, Oakland, and Mahwah in Bergen County, New Jersey. Located almost entirely within the bounds of Campgaw Mountain Reservation, the mountain offers numerous outdoor...
is the northernmost ridge of the Watchungs, formed by a combination of First and Second Watchung Mountain. Its northern terminus is the Ramapo MountainsRamapo MountainsThe Ramapo Mountains are a forested chain of the Appalachian mountains in northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York in the United States...
, near the New York border. A shallow gap separates its southern end from Preakness Mountain and Goffle Hill.
- Preakness Mountain comprises part of the northern extent of Second Watchung Mountain between the Passaic RiverPassaic RiverThe Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
and Campgaw Mountain. Along with Packanack Mountain (part of Third Watchung Mountain) to the west, Preakness Mountain forms the Preakness RangePreakness RangeThe Preakness Range is a range of the trap rock Watchung Mountains on the western edge of the Newark Basin in northern New Jersey. A large portion of this range is included in High Mountain Park Preserve, offering miles of hiking trails with vistas overlooking New Jersey and New York City...
. The three highest peaks of the Watchungs are located in this range.
- Goffle HillGoffle HillGoffle Hill, also referred to as Goffle Mountain and historically known as Totoway Mountain and Wagaraw Mountain, is a range of the trap rock Watchung Mountains on the western edge of the Newark Basin in northern New Jersey. The hill straddles part of the border of Bergen County and Passaic...
(Totoway Mountain hist.), part of First Watchung Mountain, flanks the eastern side of Preakness Mountain. Its northern end is broken by a shallow gap separating it from Campgaw Mountain, while its southern end is divided from Garret Mountain by the Passaic River in PatersonPaterson, New JerseyPaterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
.
- The Newark Mountains are a historical range, encompassing the ridges of First and Second Watchung Mountain south of the Passaic River. First Watchung Mountain in this range begins in the north as Garret Mountain. South of Garret Mountain is Orange Mountain, which is separated from Garret Mountain by a gap known as the Great Notch. The Hobart GapHobart GapThe Hobart Gap is a strategic pass and road through the Watchung Mountains in Northern New Jersey. The confluence of the two branches of the Rahway River is located here...
(or Millburn Gap), near Springfield, then divides Orange Mountain from the remaining southern part of First Watchung Mountain, which stretches south and then west before terminating near Far HillsFar Hills, New JerseyFar Hills is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 919.Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results...
. Second Watchung Mountain begins in the north of the Newark Mountains as what is historically known as Caldwell Mountain. The northern terminus of Caldwell Mountain is the Passaic River, while the southern terminus is at the Hobart/Millburn Gap. South of the gap, Second Watchung Mountain parallels First Watchung Mountain to Far Hills. There, a gap known as Moggy Hollow incises the ridge before it makes a turn to the north. The remaining section of Second Watchung Mountain, known as Pill Hill, then continues a short distance before terminating along the Ramapo Mountains.
Noteworthy summits of the Watchungs include High Mountain, Beech Mountain, and Mount Cecchino in Wayne
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
, which stand at 879 ft (268m), 869 ft (265m) and 755 ft (230m) above sea level. Another notable summit is The Hilltop in Verona
Verona, New Jersey
Verona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,332.In 2008, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Verona #1 in Essex County and #3 in New Jersey as "Top Places to Live in New Jersey".-History:Verona and several...
, Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove, New Jersey
-Climate:Cedar Grove has a humid subtropical climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly colder overall during the summer than in New York City because there is no urban heat island effect....
, and North Caldwell
North Caldwell, New Jersey
-Local government:North Caldwell is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
, which peaks at 675 feet (205.7 m) just east of the water sphere.
History
The original inhabitants of the Watchungs, the LenapeLenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
, referred to the mountains as the Wach Unks, or ‘high hills’. Evidence of the Lenape presence in the Watchungs can be seen in numerous camps sites that have been uncovered, mainly along the rivers coursing through mountains and in the small caves abundant in the volcanic rock. It is thought the Lenape favored the Watchungs for their profusion of natural resources, including abundant freshwater rivers and streams, a variety of forests, and plentiful fish and game. They also took advantage of the rich soils and maintained many farm areas where they raised a variety of seasonal crops.
With the arrival of Europeans, the same resources that sustained the indigenous peoples served settlers. Trade in furs to European markets, a bounty of game and fish, and native garden produce for the traders was important during the Dutch colonial period when few settlements occurred. Perhaps most importantly with the settlements established during the English colonial period, the rivers and streams of the Watchungs also supported grain, grist, and saw mills. Later, the energy of these rivers would be harnessed for industry, most notably at the Great Falls of the Passaic River
Great Falls of the Passaic River
The Great Falls of the Passaic River is a prominent waterfall, high, on the Passaic River in the city of Paterson in Passaic County in northern New Jersey in the United States. The Congress authorized its establishment as a National Historical Park in 2009...
, where mechanical and hydroelectric systems exploited the energy of water falling over the face of First Watchung Mountain.
Outside of providing gradation to rivers and streams, the height of the Watchungs has proven useful for other reasons.
- During the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, General George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
used the protection of the Watchung mountains to erect the first and second Middlebrook encampmentMiddlebrook encampmentThe Middlebrook encampment refers to the seasonal encampment of the Continental Army during the American War for Independence near Middle Brook in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey . The site includes part of the ridge of the First Watchung Mountain...
. This position on the high ground also allowed him to monitor the area between Perth AmboyPerth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
and New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
as well as to identify and disturb British movements between ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. - In the twentieth century, the Hilltop in VeronaVerona, New JerseyVerona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,332.In 2008, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Verona #1 in Essex County and #3 in New Jersey as "Top Places to Live in New Jersey".-History:Verona and several...
, the highest point in Essex CountyEssex County, New JerseyEssex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, served as the site of a sanatoriumSanatoriumA sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
for tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
patients. The county hospital was built there because the high elevation provided clean, mountain air away from the cities to the east. - At the height of the Cold WarCold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Campgaw MountainCampgaw MountainCampgaw Mountain is the northernmost ridge of the volcanically formed Watchung Mountains, straddling the border of Franklin Lakes, Oakland, and Mahwah in Bergen County, New Jersey. Located almost entirely within the bounds of Campgaw Mountain Reservation, the mountain offers numerous outdoor...
was selected to house a Nike missile base. Installed on the mountain between 1955 and 1971, the base’s missiles served to guard New York City air space, standing by to intercept nuclear armed Soviet bombers. The facility ultimately was abandoned with the advent of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Two other missile sites were nestled into the forests atop peaks in MountainsideMountainside, New JerseyIf you are looking for the community in Ontario, see Mountainside, Ontario.Mountainside is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States...
and Morris TownshipMorris Township, New JerseyMorris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area...
, creating a triangle of redundant sites.
Geology
200 million years ago, magma intruded into the Newark BasinNewark Basin
The Newark Basin is a sediment-filled rift basin located mainly in northern New Jersey but also stretching into south-eastern Pennsylvania and southern New York. It is part of the system of Eastern North America Rift Basins.-Geology:...
, then an active rift basin associated with the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea
Pangaea
Pangaea, Pangæa, or Pangea is hypothesized as a supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras about 250 million years ago, before the component continents were separated into their current configuration....
. The magma was initially contained within the sedimentary strata of the basin, forming large intrusions like the Palisades Sill
Palisades Sill
The Palisades Sill is a Triassic, 200 Ma diabase intrusion. It extends through portions of New York and New Jersey. It is most noteworthy for The Palisades, the cliffs that rise steeply above the western bank of the Hudson River...
, but it ultimately broke out to the surface through large, episodic eruptions. The Watchung Mountains were originally formed from these eruptions, consisting of three separate flood basalt
Flood basalt
A flood basalt or trap basalt is the result of a giant volcanic eruption or series of eruptions that coats large stretches of land or the ocean floor with basalt lava. Flood basalts have occurred on continental scales in prehistory, creating great plateaus and mountain ranges...
s that may have filled nearly the entire Newark Basin. Each time the basin filled with basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
, which cooled into blocky trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
, a period of limited volcanic activity followed, allowing sediment to be deposited on top of the previously erupted layer of basalt. In this way, the Newark Basin became layered with alternating strata of Watchung basalt and Jurassic sedimentary rock.
Throughout the early Jurassic, the Newark Basin underwent extensive dipping and folding. The western side of the basin plunged deeper into the crust, tilting the basin’s strata to an angle of between 5 and 25 degrees. Localized deformation of the western edge of the basin along the Ramapo Fault System
Ramapo Fault
The Ramapo Fault zone, spanning more than 185 miles in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, is a system of faults between the northern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont areas to the east. This fault is perhaps the best known fault zone in the Mid-Atlantic region, and some small earthquakes...
formed alternating syncline
Syncline
In structural geology, a syncline is a fold, with younger layers closer to the center of the structure. A synclinorium is a large syncline with superimposed smaller folds. Synclines are typically a downward fold, termed a synformal syncline In structural geology, a syncline is a fold, with younger...
s and anticline
Anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
s that warped the layers of basalt and sedimentary rock.
Erosion began to attack the basin as rifting failed and deposition of new sediments ceased. Over millions of years, erosion ate downward through the tilted rock of the basin, eventually encountering the basalt layers, which are significantly more erosion resistant than the surrounding sedimentary rock. The result of this has been that the exposed edges of the eroding basalt layers have managed to persist longer than the exposed edges of the sedimentary layers, causing them to project prominently above the surrounding surface terrain as high ridges.
Today, the flood basalts are preserved in the synclines adjacent to the Ramapo Fault system. It is in these synclines that the basalt layers are thick and warped into downward dipping trap rock sheets, descending below the current erosional surface of the basin. Notably, the synclines preserve not only the basalt layers, but also some overlying Jurassic sedimentary rock. The largest syncline in the basin, the Watchung syncline, contains the greater portion of the Watchung flood basalts as they appear today. The projecting, eroding edges of the flood basalts preserved in the syncline form the three ridges of the Watchung Mountains. Jurassic sedimentary rock layers between and above the ridges form the Feltville
Feltville Formation
The Feltville Formation is a mapped bedrock unit primarily in New Jersey, with one known outlier in Pennsylvania. It is named for the Deserted Village of Feltville in Watchung Reservation, New Jersey, which is near where its type section was described by paleontologist Paul E...
, Towaco
Towaco Formation
The Towaco Formation is a mapped bedrock unit in New Jersey. It is named for the unincorporated village of Towaco, which is near the place its type section was described by paleontologist Paul E...
and Boonton
Boonton Formation
The Boonton Formation is a mapped bedrock unit in New Jersey, formerly divided between the Boonton and Whitehall beds of the defunct Brunswick Formation. It is named for the town of Boonton, New Jersey, which is near where its type section was described by paleontologist Paul E...
formations. Elsewhere in the Newark Basin, smaller synclines preserve the Watchung Outliers
Watchung Outliers
The Watchung Outliers include six areas of isolated low hills and rock outcrops of volcanic origin in the U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These geologic outliers are primarily diminutive and detached remnants of the Triassic/Jurassic age Watchung Mountain basalt flows...
, additional fragments of the flood basalts and associated overlying sediments that have survived into the modern era.
Because the majority of the Watchung Mountains are composed of extrusive
Extrusive (geology)
Extrusive refers to the mode of igneous volcanic rock formation in which hot magma from inside the Earth flows out onto the surface as lava or explodes violently into the atmosphere to fall back as pyroclastics or tuff...
igneous trap rock, they display characteristic columnar jointing and stacked lava flows. These features are readily noted along the eastern faces of the ridges, which often present mural precipices, or vertical escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
s. Similar features can also be seen in the Palisades Sill
Palisades Sill
The Palisades Sill is a Triassic, 200 Ma diabase intrusion. It extends through portions of New York and New Jersey. It is most noteworthy for The Palisades, the cliffs that rise steeply above the western bank of the Hudson River...
, although these were formed within the Earth's crust. Additionally, the Watchungs feature not only blocky aa lava, but also ropey and billowing pahoehoe flows.
The magma which generated the Watchungs and the Palisades also formed the intrusive igneous Sourland Mountain
Sourland Mountain
Sourland Mountain is a long ridge in central New Jersey, extending from the Delaware River at Lambertville to the western end of Hillsborough Township near the community of Neshanic , through Montgomery Township and into Hopewell Township in Mercer County. It comprises the largest contiguous...
in Central New Jersey, as well as a series of smaller outlying volcanic ridges in the region. Cushetunk Mountain
Cushetunk Mountain
Cushetunk Mountain is a ring shaped mountain in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located in Readington and Clinton Township. The Lenape called the mountain "Cushetunk" meaning "place of hogs" after the wild hogs found there...
, a ring-shaped volcanic mountain between Sourland Mountain and the Watchungs, is of the same geologic lineage.
The Metacomet Mountains
Metacomet Ridge
The Metacomet Ridge, Metacomet Ridge Mountains, or Metacomet Range of southern New England, United States, is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and communities of plants considered rare or endangered...
in the Connecticut River Basin, another aborted rift valley, came into existence around the same time as the Watchungs, also through extrusive eruptions. While non-contiguous, the two ranges may be considered geologic cousins, having formed under similar circumstances during the rifting of Pangaea. The same erosive and tectonic forces which elevated the Watchungs also served to raise the Metacomets.
Mineralogy
The Watchungs are composed principally of volcanic basaltBasalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
, which historically has been used in railroad beds and road construction. In addition to this, in many places the mountains are underlain by red and white sandstone which has at times been used in building construction. Mica and calcareous spar often accompany these sandstone beds.
Due to the volcanic nature of the Watchungs, zeolites, including prehnite
Prehnite
Prehnite is a phyllosilicate of calcium and aluminium with the formula: Ca2Al2. Limited Fe3+ substitutes for aluminium in the structure. Prehnite crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system, and most oftens forms as stalactitic or botryoidal aggregates, with only just the crests of small...
, analcime, and stilbite
Stilbite
Stilbite is the name of a series of tectosilicate minerals of the zeolite group. Prior to 1997, stilbite was recognized as a mineral species, but a reclassification in 1997 by the International Mineralogical Association changed it to a series name, with the mineral species being named:*...
, which form from a reaction of mafic rocks in alkaline environments, can be found along exposed ridge lines. Agate
Agate
Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.-Etymology...
, primarily in the form of chalcedony
Chalcedony
Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline form of silica, composed of very fine intergrowths of the minerals quartz and moganite. These are both silica minerals, but they differ in that quartz has a trigonal crystal structure, while moganite is monoclinic...
, and crystalline quartz (sometimes in the form of amethyst
Amethyst
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used in jewelry. The name comes from the Ancient Greek ἀ a- and μέθυστος methustos , a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness; the ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief...
), are prominent in the ancient lava flows of the Watchungs and are typically seen as embedded nodules along exposed fronts. Datolite
Datolite
Datolite is a calcium boron hydroxide nesosilicate, CaBSiO4. It was first observed by Jens Esmark in 1806, and named by him from δατεῖσθαι, "to divide," and λίθος, "stone," in allusion to the granular structureof the massive mineral....
, another nodular mineral, has been found embedded in the volcanic rock around the Great Falls
Great Falls of the Passaic River
The Great Falls of the Passaic River is a prominent waterfall, high, on the Passaic River in the city of Paterson in Passaic County in northern New Jersey in the United States. The Congress authorized its establishment as a National Historical Park in 2009...
. Additionally, jasper
Jasper
Jasper, a form of chalcedony, is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color; and rarely blue. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for...
and satin spar are known to exist within the northwestern Preakness Range.
Copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
also can be found in the Watchungs. Near Belleville
Belleville, New Jersey
Belleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:...
, ore containing 8% copper was discovered, and a copper mine once operated in the area. Other copper bearing ores have been noted near Paterson
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
. These ores typically contain cuprite
Cuprite
Cuprite is an oxide mineral composed of copper oxide Cu2O, and is a minor ore of copper.Its dark crystals with red internal reflections are in the isometric system hexoctahedral class, appearing as cubic, octahedral, or dodecahedral forms, or in combinations. Penetration twins frequently occur...
(red copper oxide) and/or copper carbonate in a matrix of red or gray sandstone. Pyritous copper, also known as chalcopyrite
Chalcopyrite
Chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that crystallizes in the tetragonal system. It has the chemical composition CuFeS2. It has a brassy to golden yellow color and a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale. Its streak is diagnostic as green tinged black.On exposure to air, chalcopyrite...
, is not known to exist in ores found in the Watchungs.
Conservation
In the mid-twentieth century, the ability of the Watchungs to hold back the spread of urbanization was greatly reduced with the development of the interstate highway system. Three interstate highways, I-80Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, I-280
Interstate 280 (New Jersey)
Interstate 280 is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris County to Newark, and I-95 Interstate 280 (abbreviated I-280) is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in...
, and I-78
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...
, were sliced through the Watchungs, allowing suburbia to invade its inner valleys and slopes. Near the end of the century, I-287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
, a great semi-circular beltway enclosed the Watchungs within the bulge of suburbia radiating out from New York City. Many pathways of safe passage through the mountains, retained from the time of the Lenapes, were severed and blocked by the highways.
Today, along the summits of the Watchungs, talus slope environs as well as globally rare trap rock glade/outcrop communities and their unique species have become threatened by development. As a response, efforts to conserve the unique landscapes of the Watchungs have been undertaken. The largest of the conservation efforts so far is High Mountain Park Preserve
High Mountain Park Preserve
High Mountain Park Preserve is a protected area of the Preakness Range of the Watchung Mountains in Wayne, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1993, it comprises of woodlands and wetlands owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy....
, which at 1153.7 acres (4.7 km²) sets aside one of the largest tracts of wilderness in the New Jersey Piedmont. The park is known to contain at least one globally imperiled plant, Torrey's mountain mint
Pycnanthemum
Pycnanthemum is a genus of plants in the mint family . They are commonly known as mountain mints , though "the Mountain Mint" may also be any locally common species in particular. Some are known as koellias, after an obsolete genus name.All of the approximately 20 species in this genus are native...
(Pycnanthemum torrei), as well as three other plants endangered within New Jersey.
Other large areas of preserved land lie within the valleys of the Watchungs. The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located in Morris County, New Jersey. Established in 1960, it is one of more than 550 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System.The refuge was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1966...
, retained within the embrace of Third Watchung Mountain, now consists of 7,600 acres (31 km2) or almost 12 square miles (30.4 km²) of varied habitats. The refuge was created through the efforts and donations of a small group of local residents in 1959, the Jersey Jetport Site Association, and a Great Swamp Committee later formed within the North American Wildlife Foundation. It is championed by many organizations among the contemporary communities adjacent to the refuge. The Great Swamp, as well as other swamps retained by the Watchungs, including Great Piece Meadows
Great Piece Meadows
Great Piece Meadows is a fresh water swamp located in Morris and Essex Counties, New Jersey. The wooded swamp is mostly inside the bow of the Passaic River which floods during the year from heavy rain or heavy snow melt.-Geology:...
, constitute the remains of Glacial Lake Passaic
Glacial Lake Passaic
Glacial Lake Passaic was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed in northern New Jersey in the United States at the end of the last ice age approximately 19,000-14,000 years ago...
. The lake existed during the last ice age, eventually draining as a glacier in the northern Watchungs receded and allowed the lake's water to empty out via a gap in the ridges of First and Second Watchung Mountain currently occupied by the Passaic River.
General awareness of the history and natural environment of Watchungs has been increased through efforts such as the construction and designation of the Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
The Lenape Trail is a trail connecting Newark, New Jersey with Roseland, New Jersey. It was established in 1982. It is the fifth longest trail in the state behind the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail, the Appalachian Trail, the completed section of the Highlands Trail in the state and the Batona...
. The trail traverses rugged sections of the mountains while at the same time connecting various historical sites pertinent to the history of New Jersey.
Recreation
- Campgaw Mountain ReservationCampgaw Mountain ReservationCampgaw Mountain Reservation is a 1351 acre county park of Bergen County, New Jersey. It is located mostly within Mahwah, but includes some areas of Oakland and Franklin Lakes. The park includes a ski area and the peak of Campgaw Mountain at a elevation.The ski area has two 2-person chairlifts...
, Campgaw Mountain (First and Second Watchung Mountain) - Franklin Lakes Nature PreserveFranklin Lakes Nature PreserveFranklin Lakes Nature Preserve is a 147 acre public nature reserve located mostly within Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, with a tiny portion extending into North Haledon, New Jersey...
, Goffle Hill (First Watchung Mountain) - High Mountain Park PreserveHigh Mountain Park PreserveHigh Mountain Park Preserve is a protected area of the Preakness Range of the Watchung Mountains in Wayne, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1993, it comprises of woodlands and wetlands owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy....
, Preakness Range (Second Watchung Mountain) - Great Falls State Park Under Development, First Watchung Mountain
- Garret Mountain ReservationGarret Mountain ReservationGarret Mountain Reservation is 568 acre park located in southern Passaic County, New Jersey, United States and one of several National Natural Landmarks in New Jersey...
, First Watchung Mountain - Mills ReservationMills ReservationMills Reservation is a county park, consisting of a protected wooded area located in Cedar Grove and Montclair, New Jersey, United States. The reservation is maintained by the Essex County Park Commission. The reservation has several walking/jogging trails, including four major trails and numerous...
, First Watchung Mountain - Hilltop ReservationHilltop ReservationThe Hilltop Reservation is a nature preserve located in Essex County, New Jersey, in the host communities of Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona. It has over , and is the most recent addition to the Essex County Parks System...
, Second Watchung Mountain - Eagle Rock ReservationEagle Rock ReservationEagle Rock Reservation is a 408.33-acre forest reserve and recreational park in the First Watchung Mountain of New Jersey , primarily in the communities of West Orange, Montclair, and Verona...
, First Watchung Mountain - Riker Hill Park, Riker Hill (Third Watchung Mountain)
- Lenape TrailLenape TrailThe Lenape Trail is a trail connecting Newark, New Jersey with Roseland, New Jersey. It was established in 1982. It is the fifth longest trail in the state behind the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail, the Appalachian Trail, the completed section of the Highlands Trail in the state and the Batona...
, First, Second, and Third Watchung Mountain - South Mountain ReservationSouth Mountain ReservationSouth Mountain Reservation covers 2,047.14 acres in central Essex County, New Jersey, in portions of Maplewood, and Millburn and West Orange, bordering South Orange, between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountains....
, First and Second Watchung Mountain - Watchung ReservationWatchung ReservationWatchung Reservation is the largest park in Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is bounded by the city of Summit, the borough of Mountainside, the townships of Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, and Springfield. The reservation consists mainly of the upper valley of Blue Brook, between the...
, First and Second Watchung Mountain - Washington Rock State ParkWashington Rock State ParkWashington Rock State Park is a scenic state park on top the first Watchung Mountain in Green Brook Township, New Jersey. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry....
, First Watchung Mountain - Washington Valley ParkWashington Valley ParkWashington Valley Park is a public park between the first and second Watchung mountain ridge in the Martinsville section of Bridgewater Township, New Jersey that is administered by the Somerset County Park Commission...
, First Watchung Mountain - Leonard J. Buck GardenLeonard J. Buck GardenThe Leonard J. Buck Garden is a public botanical garden operated by the Somerset County Park Commission, and located at 11 Layton Road, Far Hills, New Jersey. The garden is one of the premier rock gardens in the United States. It features native and exotic plants displayed in a naturalistic...
/Moggy Hollow Natural AreaMoggy Hollow Natural AreaThe Moggy Hollow Natural Area is a nature preserve near Far Hills, Somerset County, New Jersey. As the Wisconsin Glacier advanced, Glacial Lake Passaic formed eventually rising until it found an outlet at Moggy Hollow, draining to the Raritan River...
, Second Watchung Mountain
See also
- Cushetunk MountainCushetunk MountainCushetunk Mountain is a ring shaped mountain in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located in Readington and Clinton Township. The Lenape called the mountain "Cushetunk" meaning "place of hogs" after the wild hogs found there...
, an igneous intrusion south of the Watchungs which also formed during the Mesozoic - Glacial Lake PassaicGlacial Lake PassaicGlacial Lake Passaic was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed in northern New Jersey in the United States at the end of the last ice age approximately 19,000-14,000 years ago...
, a prehistoric proglacial lakeProglacial lakeIn geology, a proglacial lake is a lake formed either by the damming action of a moraine or ice dam during the retreat of a melting glacier, or by meltwater trapped against an ice sheet due to isostatic depression of the crust around the ice...
held back by the Watchungs - Metacomet RidgeMetacomet RidgeThe Metacomet Ridge, Metacomet Ridge Mountains, or Metacomet Range of southern New England, United States, is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and communities of plants considered rare or endangered...
, a volcanic mountain range in southern New England which formed around the same time as the Watchungs - Snake HillSnake HillSnake Hill is an igneous rock intrusion jutting some 150 feet up from the floor of the Meadowlands in Secaucus, New Jersey, USA. It was largely obliterated by quarrying in the 1960s that reduced its height by one-quarter and its base area by four fifths...
, an igneous rock intrusion, probably a volcanic plugVolcanic plugA volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
, jutting up in the middle of the New Jersey MeadowlandsNew Jersey MeadowlandsNew Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of... - Sourland MountainSourland MountainSourland Mountain is a long ridge in central New Jersey, extending from the Delaware River at Lambertville to the western end of Hillsborough Township near the community of Neshanic , through Montgomery Township and into Hopewell Township in Mercer County. It comprises the largest contiguous...
, a diabase sill and possible continuation of the Watchungs in Hunterdon CountyHunterdon County, New JerseyHunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington.... - The Palisades, a nearby volcanic sillPalisades SillThe Palisades Sill is a Triassic, 200 Ma diabase intrusion. It extends through portions of New York and New Jersey. It is most noteworthy for The Palisades, the cliffs that rise steeply above the western bank of the Hudson River...
that may have formed at the same time as the Watchungs