Does the start of hunting season mean the Pyramid Mountain trails close until spring? The parking lot at 472 Boonton Avenue suggests otherwise. Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area is a bow-hunting area again this season. The visitor center has also published a program schedule that runs almost every weekend from now through Dec. 27.
Both things are true because of how the Morris County Park Commission sets its rules. If you know those rules, November and December at Pyramid Mountain look much like the rest of the year. The main differences are a few signs at the trailhead and a strong case for staying on the blazes.
What the 2026-2027 Season Changes on Boonton Avenue
The Park Commission's bow-hunting area dataset for 2026-2027 lists Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area as a 1,311.3-acre bow-hunting area. The whole park covers more than 1,600 acres, with over 19 miles of trails.
Here is what that means for a hiker, according to the Commission's deer management page:
- Bow days usually leave the trails open. Parks and trails stay open on bow-hunt dates unless the Commission says otherwise.
- Visitors have to stay on the trails. Hunters must keep enough distance from the trails to limit encounters with hikers.
- Sundays are hunt-free. State law bans hunting at Park Commission facilities on Sundays.
- Firearm hunts are the ones that close parks. They run 5 to 10 days between December and February, and closure dates always fall on weekdays to limit the effect on other park visitors.
- The signs are at the trailheads. Signs in parking areas and at major trailheads show what type of hunting is scheduled and list any closure dates.
The Commission's 2026-2027 firearm-area dataset names two sites, Black River Facilities and Willowwood Arboretum. The Commission's season schedule and the signs at the Boonton Avenue lot are where actual closure dates for any park appear. The Commission also tells people who live next to a county park to check the website or call to confirm whether hunting is scheduled there.
The Blazed-Trail Rule Matters More Than It Sounds
The Commission states plainly that signs go up only on its official blazed trails. Anyone who enters the park on an unofficial path may never see them. On a park bordered by roads and backyards, that rule changes how you start a hike. If your usual way in is a side path near home, bow season is a good reason to start from the main lot instead, where the signs are.
The general park rules still apply. Use the signed, blazed trails and keep dogs on a leash no longer than six feet. The Commission's Trail Closures & Conditions map shows current trail status before you leave the house. Trails are open sunrise to sunset. Outside the July and August exceptions, the visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.
Rangers Lead the Busiest Stretch of the Year
The Park Commission's 2026 Fall/Winter Programs brochure makes the same point as the hunting rules. People are expected on these trails all season, with rangers and naturalists leading them. Every program below is listed in that brochure, from Saturday, Nov. 7 through the week after Christmas.
| Date | Program | Time | Who | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Active 50+ Hiking Series | 1–3 p.m. | Adults 50+ | $8 |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Minecraft in Nature | 3–4 p.m. | Ages 8–12 | $8 per child |
| Tue., Nov. 10 | Tot Treks: All About Deer | 10–11 a.m. | Ages 2–5 with an adult | $8 per child |
| Tue., Nov. 10 | Homeschool Hikers: Bears | 9:30–11:30 a.m. | Ages 8–17 with an adult | $15 per child |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Hiking Adventures | 10 a.m.–noon | Ages 8+ with an adult | $8 |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Lenape for Littles | 10–11 a.m. | Ages 2–5 with an adult | $8 per child |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Hiking Through History | 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Adults | $15 |
| Tue., Nov. 24 | Tot Treks: Totally Turkey | 10–11 a.m. | Ages 2–5 with an adult | $8 per child |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Turkey on Turkey on Turkey | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Ages 8+ with an adult | $8 |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Family Nature Walk | 10–11 a.m. | All ages | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Active 50+ Hiking Series | 1–3 p.m. | Adults 50+ | $8 |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Conifer Craze and Craft | 10–11:30 a.m. | Ages 6+ with an adult | $10 |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Baskets from Invasives | 1–3 p.m. | Adults | $16 |
| Tue., Dec. 8 | Tot Treks: Who's Sleeping? | 10–11 a.m. | Ages 2–5 with an adult | $8 per child |
| Tue., Dec. 8 | Homeschool Hikers: Geology | 9:30–11:30 a.m. | Ages 8–17 with an adult | $15 per child |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Hiking Adventures | 10 a.m.–noon | Ages 8+ with an adult | $8 |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | Hiking Through History | 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Adults | $15 |
| Sun., Dec. 20 | Evergreens for Littles | 10–11 a.m. | Ages 2–5 with an adult | $8 per child |
| Sat., Dec. 26 | Holiday Heights Hike! | 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Adults | $10 |
| Sun., Dec. 27 | Family Nature Walk | 10–11 a.m. | All ages | Free |
All programs require preregistration unless the brochure says otherwise, and fees are nonrefundable. Register through the Commission's registration link or by calling 973-635-6629. The Family Nature Walk appears in the brochure's Pyramid Mountain column, but one event listing on the Commission's site gives the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham as the venue. Ask which location when you register.
Six of These Programs Fall on Sundays
Look at the Sunday dates in that table: Minecraft in Nature, Lenape for Littles, both Family Nature Walks, Baskets from Invasives and Evergreens for Littles. Sunday is also the one day state law keeps hunting out of county parks. If you'd rather bring young children or an unsure first-timer on a day with no hunting at all, Sunday is the day, and the visitor center has something scheduled on most of them.
The weekday programs work the other way. Tot Treks and Homeschool Hikers run on Tuesdays, and Hiking Through History runs on Fridays, all during bow season with trails generally open. Rangers and naturalists lead these on the official routes, so a guided group is a simple way to hike on a weekday this time of year.
Three Programs Worth Planning Around
The day after Thanksgiving goes across the street. "Turkey on Turkey on Turkey" is a ranger-guided hike up Turkey Mountain, right across the street from Pyramid Mountain, on Friday, Nov. 27. The brochure pitches it as a way to "work off that post-Thanksgiving fatigue." The Active 50+ series covers both Pyramid and Turkey Mountains. Its hikes are rated moderate, on rocky, uneven ground with some steep sections, and well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome.
History on the ridge. Hiking Through History is a ranger-guided hike about how Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area came to be founded. The brochure tells hikers to wear sturdy shoes, bring water and dress for the weather. The park is best known for its glacial erratics, Bear Rock, Tripod Rock and Whale Head Rock, which the Wisconsin Glacier left behind more than 18,000 years ago.
The hike between the holidays. Holiday Heights Hike! on Saturday, Dec. 26 is a ranger-guided climb up Pyramid Mountain. If there's snow, snowshoes will be available to rent for $20. The park's high point sits at 934 feet, with a view of the New York City skyline. Hiking Adventures on Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 suit families with older kids. These ranger-led hikes run about 3 miles on rocky trails that may cross steep sections.
The smaller programs follow the season's theme. Conifer Craze and Craft on Dec. 5 teaches the area's conifers and ends with a holiday craft. Evergreens for Littles on Dec. 20 ends with a taste of pine needle tea.
The Week the Calendar Moves Down Changebridge Road
On Monday, Dec. 7, between the weekend of the Active 50+ hike and Baskets from Invasives and the Tuesday Geology session for Homeschool Hikers, the township holds its own event. Montville's Holiday Tree Lighting is at 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 195 Changebridge Road. Pyramid Mountain's trails close at sunset, so that evening works for a short afternoon hike on Boonton Avenue followed by the tree lighting in town.
The hunting rules above summarize the Morris County Park Commission's published guidance. For specific dates and closures, the Commission's season schedule and the trailhead signs are the authority.
Anne Henderson works out of Towaco and follows the Boonton Avenue calendar closely. If you're thinking about what your home near these trails is worth this winter, Anne Henderson is glad to prepare a complimentary home valuation.
