At 1549 feet, Mount Tammany is one of
New Jersey's highest mountains. It stands on the Jersey side of the
Delaware Water Gap, and is part of the 40+ mile long mountain ridge known as the
Kittatinnies.
The
summit is easily gained by the Red Dot Trail, climbing from a rest area along westbound interstate 80 to the summit at a little over a mile. In late
winter, while there is still some snow, the climb can be refreshing. Sparse winter growth allows for many fine views that are not available in summer, when
vegetation limits visibility. Two particularly nice rock
outcroppings adorn the Red Dot Trail, giving sweeping views of the Delaware Water Gap, and
Mount Minsi in
Pennsylvania. The first of these overlooks the rock formation known as
Indan Head, where the dropoff to the highway, parking area, and
Delaware River is quite sheer.
Because of its easy accesibility and proximity to both the
New York City and
Philadelphia metropolitan areas, Mount Tammany and the Red Dot Trail become quite crowded, even in late winter.