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The Watchung Mountains (once called the Blue Hills〔(History of Green Brook )〕) are a group of three long low ridges of volcanic origin, between high, lying parallel to each other in northern New Jersey in the United States. The Watchung Mountains are known for their numerous scenic vistas overlooking the New York City,Newark and New Jersey skylines, as well as their isolated ecosystems containing rare plants, endangered wildlife, rich minerals, and globally imperiled trap rock glade communities.〔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 )〕 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. ==Geography== The two most prominent ridges, known as First Watchung Mountain (the southeastern ridge) and Second Watchung Mountain (the northwestern ridge), stretch for over forty miles (64 km) from Somerville (in Somerset County) in the southwest through Morris County, Union County, Essex County, and Passaic County to Mahwah (in Bergen County) in the northeast. The less prominent and discontinuous ridge formed by Long Hill, Riker Hill, Hook Mountain, and Packanack Mountain is sometimes referred to as Third Watchung Mountain and lies on the northwestern side of Second Watchung Mountain. It should be noted that the entireties of First Watchung Mountain and Second Watchung Mountain are often erroneously referred to as ''Orange Mountain'' and ''Preakness Mountain''. Historically, the names ‘Orange’ and ‘Preakness’ have only been applied to specific sections of these ridges.〔Thomas Francis Gordon. Gazetteer of the State of New Jersey – A General View of its Physical and Moral Condition, together with a Topographical and Statistical Account of its Counties, Towns, Villages, Canals, Railroads, &c. Published by D. Fenton, 1834. See Page 8. (Available via Google Books )〕〔Kelsey, Frederick W. ''The First County Park System: A Complete History of the Inception and Development of the Essex County Parks of New Jersey''. J.S. Ogilvie Publishing Co., New York, 1905. See Page 40. (Available via Google Books )〕 The confusion appears to have arisen from the fact that First Watchung Mountain is said to be composed of Orange Mountain basalt, while Second Watchung Mountain is composed of Preakness Mountain basalt. The names applied to the basalts are actually geologic type localities, that is to say, the type of rock found at Orange Mountain is exclusive to all of First Watchung Mountain, while the type of rock found at Preakness Mountain is exclusive to all of Second Watchung Mountain. Like First and Second Watchung Mountain, Third Watchung Mountain is sometimes confused with its type locality, as its entire length is erroneously referred to as ''Hook Mountain'' on some occasions. In addition to the three main ridges of the Watchungs, a smaller fourth ridge exists south of Morristown and west of Third Watchung Mountain.〔Rollin D. Salisbury & Cornelius Clarkson Vermeule. ''The Physical Geography of New Jersey'. '' 1898. See Page 35 ''The Watchung Mountains and Long Hill''. ( Available via Google Books )〕 While attaining elevations over above sea level, the ridge lacks topographic prominence, only rising to about above the surrounding terrain. Only one portion of the ridge is named, a southern section underlying Harding Township known as Lees Hill. All of the ridges lie to the east of the higher Appalachian Mountains, which in northern New Jersey are often referred to as the New York - New Jersey Highlands. Together with the Appalachian Mountains to the west, the Watchungs pen in an area formerly occupied by the prehistoric Glacial Lake Passaic. The Great Swamp, a large portion of which is designated as the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, is a remnant of this lake, presently retained by Third Watchung Mountain. Although the Watchungs commonly are described in terms of their east-west ridge arrangement (First, Second, and Third Watchung Mountain), they also are divided into smaller mountain ranges, as well as various named ridges. Following is a list describing the notable ranges and ridges of the Watchungs from north to south. *Campgaw Mountain is the northernmost ridge of the Watchungs,〔(Bedrock Topography and Profiles of Valley-Fill Deposits in the Ramapo River Valley, New Jersey. Geologic Map Series 88-6. New Jersey Geological Survey. )〕 formed by a combination of First and Second Watchung Mountain. Its northern terminus is the Ramapo Mountains, near the New York border. A shallow gap separates its southern end from Preakness Mountain and Goffle Hill. *Preakness Mountain comprises part of the northern extent of Second Watchung Mountain between the Passaic River and Campgaw Mountain.〔 Along with Packanack Mountain (part of Third Watchung Mountain) to the west, Preakness Mountain forms the Preakness Range. The three highest peaks of the Watchungs are located in this range. *Goffle Hill (Totoway Mountain ''hist.''), part of First Watchung Mountain, flanks the eastern side of Preakness Mountain. Its northern end is broken by a shallow gap separating it from Campgaw Mountain, while its southern end is divided from Garret Mountain by the Passaic River in Paterson.〔 *Third Watchung Mountain begins with Packanack Mountain, part of the Preakness Range. The Pompton River separates the south end of Pakanack from the beginning of Towakhow Mountain or Hook Mountain, which runs west-northwest and then turns south to form a curve encircling the Great Piece Meadows along the Passaic River, ending near Pine Brook. To the south, the Rockaway, Whippany, and Passaic Rivers flow east through a gap in the range, which resumes south of Beaufort, New Jersey as Riker Hill. The Passaic flows west through another gap north of Chatham, below which Long Hill stretches southwest and then west to Millington, where the Passaic drains the Great Swamp and cuts through the range. Third Watchung extends a short distance west of Millington to Liberty Corner, with a spur, Cedar Hill, jutting northeast at Lyons. *The Newark Mountains are a historical range, encompassing the ridges of First and Second Watchung Mountain south of the Passaic River.〔 First Watchung Mountain in this range begins in the north as Garret Mountain. South of Garret Mountain is Orange Mountain, which is separated from Garret Mountain by a gap known as the ''Great Notch''. The Hobart Gap (or ''Millburn Gap''), near Springfield, then divides Orange Mountain from the remaining southern part of First Watchung Mountain,〔 which stretches south and then west before terminating near Far Hills. Second Watchung Mountain begins in the north of the Newark Mountains as what is historically known as Caldwell Mountain. The northern terminus of Caldwell Mountain is the Passaic River, while the southern terminus is at the Hobart/Millburn Gap. South of the gap, Second Watchung Mountain parallels First Watchung Mountain to Far Hills. There, a gap known as ''Moggy Hollow'' incises the ridge before it makes a turn to the north. The remaining section of Second Watchung Mountain, known as Pill Hill, then continues a short distance before terminating along the Ramapo Mountains. Noteworthy summits of the Watchungs include High Mountain, Beech Mountain, and Mount Cecchino in Wayne, which stand at 879 ft (268m), 869 ft (265m) and 755 ft (230m) above sea level. Another notable summit is The Hilltop in Verona, Cedar Grove, and North Caldwell, which peaks at just east of the water sphere. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Watchung Mountains」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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