The New York – New Jersey Highlands is a
geological formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics (lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock expo ...
composed primarily of
Precambrian
The Precambrian ( ; or pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pC, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of t ...
igneous and
metamorphic rock running from the
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
near
Musconetcong Mountain, northeast through the
Skylands Region of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
along the
Bearfort Ridge and the
Ramapo Mountains,
Sterling Forest,
Harriman and
Bear Mountain State Parks in
New York, to the
Hudson River at
Storm King Mountain. The northern region is also known as the
Hudson Highlands and the southern as the New Jersey Highlands. A broader definition would extend the region west to
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading ( ; ) is a city in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fourth-most populous ...
, and east to the
Housatonic River in
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
, encompassing the
Reading Prong. The highlands are a
subrange of the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
.
In New Jersey, the region's watershed is protected by the state's own
Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act (2004). In addition to preserving water resources, the act created the
New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council (NJ Highlands Council) whose mission includes supporting open space preservation and the creation of new recreational parks and hiking trails in America's most densely populated state. These include the Highlands Trail, designated as a Millennium Trail by the
White House Millennium Council and maintained by the
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference.
The
New Jersey Highlands Coalition was formed in 1988 to protect the resources of the region.
In November 2004, the federal Highlands Conservation Act
was passed. The Highlands Conservation Act “recognizes the importance of the water, forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources of the Highlands region, and the national significance of the Highlands region to the United States.”
See also
*
Franklin Marble
*
List of subranges of the Appalachian Mountains
References
External links
USGS - The Highlands ProvinceNew Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning CouncilNew Jersey Highlands CoalitionThe New York-New Jersey Trail Conference - Highlands Trail Guide
Geologic formations of New Jersey
Geologic formations of New York (state)
Palisades Interstate Park system
Ramapos
Regions of New Jersey
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