Mount Tammany, NJ

Quick Facts

Trail Rating: Intermediate

Distance: 3.6 Mile

Route Type: Loop

Elevation Gain: 1,213 ft

Mount Tammany located in Knowlton Township, New Jersey is one of the more challenging in the area, with absolutely breathtaking views that makes the challenge very rewarding.

We were greeted by the mountains as we drove closer to the parking lot, in awe of this magnificent sight. The road followed along the river that cut between the two mountains, with Mount Minsi on our left and Mount Tammany on our right. Before we even hit the ground with our boots, I knew that this place was downright magical, and excited to experience what it had in store for us.

We were greeted by the mountains as we drove closer to the parking lot, in awe of this magnificent sight. The road followed along the river that cut between the two mountains, with Mount Minsi on our left and Mount Tammany on our right. Before we even hit the ground with our boots, I knew that this place was downright magical, and excited to experience what it had in store for us.

We arrived to a crowded parking lot around 11:30am on the warmest day of the year. We advise to arrive as early as possible to find an actual parking space for your car.

We noticed a tow truck and police nearby, ready to tow any car not in parking space.

We started on the red dot trail, that starts with stairs made from rock that climbed up the steep mountainside. Starting from the bottom looking up, it was a daunting sight indeed, but we trekked onward.

The first scenic viewpoint is about 10-15 minutes of steady hiking, and I was captivated at how elevated we were in such a short amount of time.

We continued onward to a very precipitous trail, at some moments hopping from rock to rock. We recommend durable hiking boots for this hike, which would make this climb much easier.

I hibernated this winter, which made this trail very difficult but I was devoted to see the end to this magnificent trail!

The anticipation was high, after climbing each section and turning a corner, there presented more upward rocky trail. The best way is keeping that determination high knowing there is a gift awaiting at the very top. Take as much breaks as needed, slow and steady wins the race. There is so much elevation to cover in just that one mile.

Then finally we beheld a truly unforgettable view, just eye level with the clouds. Purely stunning sight to see and made me thankful to be human, to witness this masterpiece created by mother earth. Once you catch the view from the top, there is some room to walk down the rocks to come face to face to the precipice. Watch your step, it is very easy to slide based on how steep the rocks are. I noticed some hikers getting on all fours to get down to a grander view.

We sat for a good 20 minutes to hydrate, eat some trail snacks and reap the benefits of the hard work we put in. After that, we started on the blue dot trail.

This trail is a less difficult and noticeably quieter, away from the busy streets down below. There are some camping section along this trail.

After about 30 minutes down this trail, we arrived at the “watering hole.” It seemed like a nice spot to swim, and a great addition to the overall hiker/camper experience.

Overall this hike is definitely a challenging intermediate trail. We saw people of all ages and physical levels attempt this trail and with enough determination, I wouldn’t doubt that you can do this hike too!