Recently, a friend asked why I love hiking and mountain climbing. I’ll be the first to admit, slogging upward on a rocky, muddy trail is not everyone’s definition of fun. However, after giving it some thought, I gave my reply and I thought I would share it here as well.
First, I love the peacefulness of a trail, especially that moment when you have gone far enough into the woods that the sounds of civilization have disappeared. Second, any worries that I may be carrying with me tend to quickly recede into the back corners of my mind.
Mountain climbing is a more recent development for me. I only began that hobby during the pandemic when I would visit the Adirondacks in upstate New York. The sense of accomplishment as I reached the top of my first peak was a thrill like no other. Growing up, I was not the most athletic kid – I tried to be in shape, but I didn’t excel at any sport. Mountain climbing feels like something my body was built for, and that I have been able to learn and develop new skills. I’m comfortable now reading a trail map, finding my way when the trail is unmarked, and understanding how best to approach different terrain. However, I’m certainly no expert – I enjoy when I learn a new technique and can add it to my repertoire, or when I get a cool tip from another hiker.
With all of this in mind, I recently set off to climb my second New Jersey mountain. Earlier this month I ascended High Point, the tallest peak in New Jersey. On a Saturday morning in mid-October, with beautiful weather, I set my sights on Mount Tammany, the fourth-tallest mountain in the state.
So come along, then, as we climb an unexpectedly challenging trail! Along the way, we’ll check out some great views, and then celebrate with a fun dinner with a dear family member at a new favorite local spot.
Let’s begin:
Mt. Tammany
My destination: the Delaware Water Gap, one of the most beautiful spots along the Delaware River.My day began with my alarm ringing at 3:15 am – my wife had an early flight to the Midwest to see family and needed to be to Newark International Airport by 4:30 am.Once I’ve woken up and have been active, I typically can’t fall back asleep. Knowing this, I had a quick breakfast at home, threw my hiking gear in the car, and headed out of the house as the sun began to rise.The Delaware Water Gap is a stretch of forested mountains that straddle the Delaware River on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides. Since 1965, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area has been managed by the National Park Service and offers opportunities for paddling, hunting, fishing… and hiking! My destination was the Mount Tammany trailhead, located about a mile away from the Delaware River.Despite arriving at the trailhead before 7:30 am, the parking lot was already filled. Fortunately, during my planning for the hike I had read that this could happen, so I already had a backup option prepared.About a half mile away from the trailhead is the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center. Offering ample parking, I had my choice of spots to leave the Acura. The trail up Mount Tammany begins climbing steeply almost immediately, so the walk from my car provided a nice warm-up.After dousing myself with bug spray (it is tick season, after all), I began my hike. A set of stairs carved into the side of the mountain offers some immediate elevation gain. I resisted the temptation to add a Honda or Acura sticker to the trailhead sign…After the stairs, the trail levels out into a wide, well-maintained dirt path. If you haven’t read the map before coming, you might be lulled into a false sense of security by the flat, smooth initial trail.The flat, easy path quickly disappeared, replaced by a trail that was rocky and steep! The Red Dot Trail is a popular ascent, and is quite the challenge.When I say steep, I mean steep! The trail gains over 1,200 feet of elevation in a little over a mile. I’d compare it to some stretches of my climb up Cascade and Porter Mountains this past summer.The trail offers some lovely scenic vantage points as you climb. It makes for a pleasant spot to stop for a break, drink some water, and catch your breath.Fortunately, the trail is not all vertical climbing, as it offers several flat sections where you can relax and walk easily. In addition, the trail is clearly marked, with red dots indicating the path forward.One lesson I’ve learned from Adirondack hiking – trail blazes might not be solely on trees. I’ll admit that I had to look around for a moment before I realized the turn I needed to make.And that’s Mount Tammany (1,527′), done! The summit was busy, but I still found a quiet spot to sit, drink water, eat an energy bar, and take some photos.The rocky outcropping was steep, but navigable. Swallowing my fear of heights, I climbed down to get some better photos.The view of the Delaware River and the surrounding mountains was worth the sweaty palms.With a view this lovely, why not take some more photos?And that’s New Jersey summit #2 for my trusty walking stick!I would be taking the longer, but far less steep, Blue Trail back to the parking lot. Mount Tammany reminded me of hiking Black Bear Mountain in the Adirondacks – a steep hike to the top, and then a longer, gentler descent.“Hey, this is so easy!” I said out loud. And then I realized that, lost in thought, I had wandered off-trail. This grassy, well-groomed path? It led to another scenic lookout, not back to the parking lot. I had to backtrack far further than I’d care to admit.Now THIS is more like it! A rocky downhill path was less steep than the Red Dot Trail, but walking through a sea of loose rocks meant care had to be taken with each step. Fortunately, I ended up chatting with another hiker named Sebastian, and as we compared hiking experiences, it took our mind off the slog.A small waterfall made for a nice stopping point for a break.We made it to the parking lot – Sebastian and I said our goodbyes and wished each other well. I was about to head back to my car when I spotted this sign… glad I didn’t see it on the way up! “Snakes… why did it have to be snakes?”By the time I returned to the parking lot at 10:45 am, traffic had completely filled up every legal parking space and people were leaving their vehicles wherever they could find room. Police had shown up to direct traffic away from the trailhead parking lots. Pictured here is a grassy embankment on the side of I-80. Note: this is not an appropriate parking spot.As I headed back to my car I checked my AllTrails report – talk about an excellent workout!I stopped into the Visitor Center to pick up some souvenirs and chatted with the park rangers on duty. Apparently, beautiful weather and the beginning of leaf-peeping season meant that the park was being overrun by visitors. A fleet of tow trucks were on the way to begin removing vehicles that were parked illegally. Given that some people had parked in the lanes of various access roads, the vehicles were becoming a safety concern. One of the best Adirondack lessons? If you want to hike a popular mountain, get to the trail early.After guzzling some water, swapping my hiking boots for sneakers, and changing my shirt, I hopped into my car and began the drive home. As I left the park, I saw cars parked everywhere!According to my watch, I burned over 1,500 calories, so I treated myself to a Starbucks stop for an iced oat milk latte on the way home.Later that night I met up for dinner with a dear relative at the Chimney Rock Inn in Bridgewater, NJ. Built in 1863 as a hotel, the Chimney Rock Inn is an institution in central New Jersey.I have yet to have a bad meal at the Chimney Rock Inn. Best of all, about 75% of their menu either is gluten-free or can be made gluten-free, and there are numerous vegan options as well.Years ago, when visiting friends in Europe, they took me to the Hofbrauhuas, one of the oldest beer halls and breweries in Munich. While I’m not a huge beer drinker, I do enjoy Hofbrau’s products. Since Chimney Rock Inn is celebrating Oktoberfest, they had Hofbrau specially on tap! I ordered one to celebrate my successful hike – it was just as good as I remembered it.While my relative had a chicken pot pie (which she said was absolutely delicious), I positively destroyed this burger and fries. Remember… on climbing days, calories don’t count – it’s a scientific fact. It was a fantastic meal, and a lovely time with family.It felt good to pull into the garage at the end of a long day. I was tired, but absolutely satisfied with how the day went. Side note – after hiking nearly four miles, my TLX’s drivers seat felt like a Barcalounger. Ah… so comfortable.
Wrapping Up
The Delaware Water Gap is a beautiful region, and one that I’ll admit I have not spent nearly enough time exploring. Each time I visit I discover something new, and this trip was certainly no different! Mt. Tammany was a fantastic climb and offered tremendous views from the summit. If you enjoy hiking, grab your boots, your trekking poles, and your backpack, and enjoy the trail!
Thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead!
