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| Watchung Mountains | |
|---|---|
| Wach Unks; (formerly) Blue Mountains; Blue Hills | |
 Garret Mountain and Mount Cecchino seen from High Mountain in Wayne, New Jersey | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | High Mountain (Preakness Range) |
| Elevation | 879 ft (268 m) |
| Coordinates | 40°58′12.26″N 74°11′54.08″W / 40.9700722°N 74.1983556°W |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 40 mi (64 km) north–south |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States of America |
| State | New Jersey |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Triassic and Jurassic |
| Type of rock | extrusive igneous and trap rock |
The Watchung Mountains are a group of three long low ridges of volcanic origin, between 400 and 500 feet (120 and 150 m) high, lying parallel to each other in northern New Jersey in the United States. The name is derived from the American Native Lenape name for them, Wach Unks (High Hills). In the 18th century, the Euro-American settlers also called them the Blue Mountains[Notes 1] or Blue Hills[Notes 2] (not to be confused with Blue Mountain in Sussex County). The Watchung Mountains are known for their numerous scenic vistas overlooking the skylines of New York City and Newark, New Jersey, as well as their isolated ecosystems containing rare plants, endangered wildlife, rich minerals, and globally imperiled trap rock glade communities.[1][2] The ridges traditionally contained the westward spread of urbanization, forming a significant geologic barrier beyond the piedmont west of the Hudson River; the town of Newark, for example, once included lands from the Hudson to the base of the mountains. Later treaties moved the boundary to the top of the mountain, to include the springs.
The Watchungs are basalt uplifts, geologically similar to the Palisades along 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.
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- ^ Joseph Dowhan et al. Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes of the New York Bight Watershed. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1997. Available via the US FWS National Conservation Training Center.
- ^ Glenn, Steven. Field trip reports – Garret Mountain Reservation. The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 135(1):149–153. Jan/Feb 2008. Available via BNET