We had a hot one the other day. We had those dreaded 3-H's and when that happens everyone retreats into their air conditioned homes and others head down the shore. This type of weather makes for quiet neighborhoods and empty local roads. I decided to take advantage of the later and took a drive to a quiet and much cooler place, Mills Reservation.
Mills is a relatively short ride but for some reason I got distracted and took a wrong turn so my mistake added another 5 minutes to the ride, no big deal. Lost in my thoughts, I began thinking about a house that was for sale in Montclair 12 years ago that was afforable enough but there was a downside, the taxes. The upside was the backyard to this house butted up against Mills. You couldn't have found a better setting for an extended backyard.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this on this one particular trail I was on!
Along with this house comes your very own personal entrance into Mills.
If you have never been up here you need to understand that Mills is void of noise. It is you and mother nature and only the occasional train horn sounding from the distance. I have always admired this property, not so much the house.
I don't get up here very often. Maybe once a year but if I had a dog I'd probably do it more. If you are a dog owner, this is paradise for your canine but pick up after him. People that come to Mills seem to be very honest as you can see from the picture below.
All worthless weather worn junk. I guess the keys are still good for the right person.
Now I'm backing up some with this day. As I entered the trails one of the first thing I noticed was this purple contraption.
It does stick out like a sore thumb against the many shades of green and browns but it serves a real purpose. It's like a big sticky trap to survey the bugs in the area. The real concern from I could figure is a bug called Ash Borer. I think the Ash Borer is deadly to some of the native trees in NJ.
I mentioned those faint train horns as they only thing you will hear but I should add chipmunks. They're all over and they actually do make a squeaking sound. The other sound is the soft sound of the leaves lightly brustling in the summer breeze.
Left or right? I always take the left as I think it's more interesting.
On this trail is where I found the house for sale.
The path on the west side takes you along a cliff line and the vegetation can be very dense in some of those areas.
These things have been here ever since I discovered this place 30 years ago. To me they are as mysterious as Stone Hedge. I'm sure there is an explanation other than some bored kids partying there at night. There wasn't one beer can, bottle or cap anywhere.
But this one below is definitely newer than the above. "A" frame style.
Wild raspberrys are everywhere.
I think the first time I heard of this place was around the year 1978. Like all kids back then if you had a car or access to one you took advantage of those wheels. We didn't know how to enter Mills (years later I discovered there was an actual parking lot) so we would park above the Presby Iris garden and hike up the side of a mountain. It wasn't easy but everyone would say it was worth it....lots of curious things to see.
This is one of the 2 brownstone columns. Self explanatory. Not nearly as strange as those Tee Pees but what is this thing?
Logic wins on this. Definitely was a foundation for something. Maybe a lighthouse? Possibly, because on a clear day the New York skyline is very visible.
This is the path leading up to that concrete platform. You can't go any further or you'll fall off the cliff.
See that house in the top left?
Here's a close-up shot. I have to guess there is a staircase hidden in all that green.
How times have changed. Years ago this cliff was covered with broken glass. Yep, beer bottles, what else?
As much shade as there is here, there are clearings here and there where trees just can't grow due to the mountainous formation.
Once again, left? Or right?
These areas have gotten smaller since 1978. The trees are considerably larger but the sun is still very strong in these spots.
The camera doesn't give this area it's true sense of size.
Looking back into the shaded woods.
While standing in the clearing I got brave and stood on the edge of the mountain to take these pictures. Yes, that is someone's backyard down there.
I guess someone attempted (and succeeded) in climbing the mountain side?
