Spring Hill

[Boyd]

For years I thought a favorite spot of mine was called Spring Hill, but today I went out with my GPS and learned that it's actually the next hill to the south! Anyone know whether this place has a name? It seems to be an abandoned gravel pit: https://boydsmaps.com/tz/#lat=39.7667666666667&lon=-74.4487833333333&datum=nad83&u=7

Since it was so beautiful today I wanted to go to a "big sky" place and take some photos. Just uploaded a few to a new gallery

The view from the top of this hill is spectacular, if you can ignore all the trash and damage to the terrain that thoughtless people have left

From this general vicinity you have a great view of Bear Swamp Hill as well:

Note 5/22/2025: The gallery is long gone and I'm not sure what pictures I originally uploaded, but here are several shots taken on the same day as this post.

 

[Teegate]

I alway took it as the area was Spring Hill, not any particular spot.


Guy

 

[Boyd]

Yeah, I guess I did too and maybe I'm just putting too much stock in the GPS on this - I never took one there until today. But both the Garmin and Magellan databases show a specific summit as Spring hill. This is what they call Spring Hill: https://boydsmaps.com/tz/#latd=39&a...nd=74&lonm=27.333&datum=NAD83&u=7

 

[Teegate]

Most likely because it has the 172 foot elevation which is the highest. But sometimes the highest elevations do not have the best views because of trees and such, so wherever you go to get a good view, I would call Spring Hill. Agree anyone?


Guy

 

[BEHR655]

Spring hill is one of my favorite places. From the top of the hill walk or drive the road north a few hundred yards and there is a place to park. You get a great view of the east from there.

Steve

 

[BEHR655]

Boyd,

I can see from your photos that you have already been to the spot I just described.

Steve

 

[Boyd]

I've always hiked there from a mile or two away. The one time I tried to drive I nearly got stuck; the sand there is deceptively soft and my two wheel drive car started sinking in!

At the top of the hill there are three roads that diverge. The one to the left leads to a dead end, the one on the right leads on quite a ways down the hill through the pines. But my favorite is the middle - and I think that's the one you're talking about. There's a little turnout with the beautiful vista you mention. Go a little farther down that road and you're in a really nice pygmy forest valley.

I first came across this whole area a number of years ago after reading "Fifty Hikes in New Jersey" by Scofield, Green and Zimmerman. I love Scofield's description:

There is nothing else in New Jersey that compares with the incredibly expansive vistas created by five-foot-tall, stunted pine trees. The chaparral-like combination of white sand and clumps of green is reminiscent of both the high southwest desert and the Cape Cod dunes.

 

[BEHR655]

Go a little farther down that road and you're in a really nice pygmy forest valley.

I made the mistake of driving down that road. Gave a new meaning to "Piney Pinstripes". LOL. I didn't get it near as bad as my freind who was following me in his Explorer. His truck is at least a foot wider than mine!

Steve

 

[manumuskin]

Boyd,
I believe I saw you at spring hill yesterday.me and my wife were in a green suzuki vitara and we were at the eastern overlook.you waved as you went by and had a camera?stopped at the top of the pit as we drove out?yes that is spring hill plains you were in.it"s a very large hill area wise.
Al

 

[Boyd]

Ha ha! Yep, that was me. That's so funny, as I saw you pull in there I thought "not a lot of people know about this place, I wonder if that's one of the people from the NJPB forums?" I had just taken this photo.

Perfect day to go there (or almost anywhere for that matter

 

[manumuskin]

Boyd,

The locals know that spot quite well.they sometimes party there and they like to target practice in the pit.yes a lot of us on the forum know that spot as well.your about as far back in the woods as you can get there.Me and my wife needed to make a call and theirs no cell phone service in that area except from on top of the hill so we headed up there.sorry to break your illusion of total seclusion.if I"d of known you were from the forum I"d of intro"d myself..as it was I"m wonderin where"d this gut come from theirs no vehicles around at all so I was thinking i was all alone too
Al