Eagle Rock Reservation — Attraction in Montclair

I can walk to Eagle Rock pretty easily from my house. As a result it has a special place in my heart but there are some problems. One problem is that people are always speed upwards of 25 35 miles ABOVE the speed limit. This issue is exacerbated by insufficient walk ways and cross walks around the reservation. I think one part of the solution might be to start with speed bumps and making better pedestrian walkways.

The 9/11 memorial and look out is good but over the years I’ve been somewhat conflicted about how it has expanded. Some of the additions seem excessive or just plain ugly. The biggest offender is the guady golden statue of a goofy golden retriever perched above what we can only is real rubble that crushed people to death. It is one of the biggest statues at the memorial and all only to say that the search dogs failed to find a single living body but that they were still good boys. Maybe it’s just that I dont get it cause I’m not a dog person.

What I do get is the need for public restrooms. I would really like it if money could be spent on reopening the public restroom building. This building is some what near the Highlawn and recently had a water fountain installed on the exterior of the building(however the water doesnt taste very good). Another new addition is porta potties. These are positioned quite close to the gazebo and the memorial and are quite the eye sore, not to mention the smell. To me these are a subpar bathroom option but at least if they could be put somewhere more out of the way.

Perhaps the Highlawn could help with the bathroom situation by offering its bathrooms to the public or by agreeing to maintain the public bathrooms if they ever open again. As it is now I do not believe the highlawn does enough for the community to earn its place in a public park. If I had it my way perhaps a library or a local business with affordable food would take the Highlawn’s place. As it is not there is no affordable food in walking distance. There used to be a restaurant called the Eagle Rock Diner across the street, while not the fanciest it was affordable and suitable for a meal with family or firends. The Eagle Rock Diner went out of buisness some number of years ago and has bow been replaced by The Chit Chat Diner. The Chit Chat Diner seems almost universally hated with its high prices and creepy fun house aesthetic. Although people evidently still get food there cause it’s stuck around.

Across the street there is also a bowling alley. You can get food there but I think you need to be bowling. There is no good way to get to the other side of the street. Even if you walk all the way to intersection by the gas station and whole foods you are still required to cross the street three times because there isnt a direct way to cross. I think this harms our community.

If you go to Eagle Rock make sure to explore more than the just the memories and the lawn theres so much to see in eagle rock. Including many abandoned buildings, the jersey devil geo cash and more signs of human life(although soooo much of that is trash :(

I really hope they bring this park to life for the people of West Orange but I doubt it. They put a huge road through the middle of town and now they’re putting the public library in a strip mall that is only accessible by car. Someone also told star bucks who has promptly errected one of their establishments in...

I first hiked the loop trail around Eagle Rock Reservation about six months ago and have returned to do it again whenever I can.

The loop trail is about three miles in length. It’s an easy to moderately easy woodland hike. The parking area is near the southeast corner of the reservation, across from the September 11 Memorial. Hiking clockwise around the loop, the trail is first paved with asphalt and concrete. It winds west past a picnic area and shelter, before putting you onto the sidewalk along Eagle Rock Avenue.

The southwest corner of the reservation is at the intersection with Prospect Avenue, where a decomposed granite trail leads north into the woods inside the fence that runs along Prospect Avenue. The decomposed granite trail eventually transitions to a dirt track that winds past an open field, before turning east.

The trail gets a little bit less well-defined at this point, but if you keep heading straight ahead or to the left, you won’t get off trail. You’ll see some houses to your left, before coming to an intersection with a dirt access road that runs north along the back of a neighborhood. At the last house, the trail will turn back to the east.

This is where the trail transitions from easy to moderately easy. It runs past more houses, before there’s a small Boy Scout-maintained climb up to the North Lookout on the ridge at the northeast corner of the reservation.

I usually sit on the bench at the lookout and soak in the view of Manhattan for a while, before heading south down the trail along the ridge. You’ll cross Crest Road before emerging from the woods at the road next to Highlawn Pavilion. You’ll be able to see the parking...

It is a well known fact that you can get a view of the Manhattan skyline from many places in NJ. But in this location the view is simply the best. It's the highest elevation in the area and the view is not obstructed by trees. You see everything, from Fort Lee towers and Bronx buildings on the North, and down to the Staten Island bridge on the South. The whole unobstructed city skyline is there to your viewing pleasure. The observation plaza has plenty of parking, and there is a memorial with a nice eagle sculpture. Great spot to take photos. On the other side of the parking lot - a park with hiking trails, not very large but decent - you can hike there for a few miles. Montclair, which is an eclectic upscale town, is in close proximity where you can visit a local museum (large collection of classic and modern art), walk downtown, do some shopping and eat out in some of the best well known restaurants. All together it might make an absolutely...