Montclair Hawk Lookout At A Glance...
- On September 16, 1988, 17,420 hawks flew past in a single day.
- On a clear day you can see the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
- NJ Audubon's smallest sanctuary, all of one acre.
- Todays Sunrise: , Sunset:
- New Jersey Gateway Region Essex County
About Montclair Hawk Lookout
The Montclair Hawk Lookout is a one-acre New Jersey Audubon sanctuary set on a 500-foot basalt ledge of the First Watchung Mountain, the first ridge west of the lower Hudson River valley. A stone-filled platform on the cliff gives a panorama of nearly 360 degrees: the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, the whole New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty to the south and east, the Palisades to the northeast, and the Ramapo Mountains and the Second Watchung to the north and west.
Every fall, hawks ride the ridge south, and this spot catches both coastal and ridge flights. The Montclair Bird Club has run an official fall count here since 1957, the longest in New Jersey, and the lookout became NJ Audubon's smallest sanctuary on September 18, 1959, a gift from the club. It is the second-oldest continuous hawk watch in the country, behind only Hawk Mountain.
The record day came on September 16, 1988, when the platform was dedicated to longtime counter Andrew Bihun Jr.: 17,420 hawks flew past. Directly across the road to the north is Mills Reservation, where the spring hawk count is held.
-
Park Type:
- Preserve
- Scenic Areas (overlooks/waterfalls)
Contact / Location
Best Time of Year to Visit
Early September brings sharp-shinned hawks, broad-winged hawks, ospreys, American kestrels and the odd bald eagle. The broad-winged hawks are the famous ones here: by mid-September they arrive in groups called kettles, and on the best days in the third week of September hundreds or even thousands can pass in a single day.
Late September adds Cooper's, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks and falcons, with songbirds and migrating monarch butterflies all month. October has the greatest variety of hawks, with better odds of a merlin or peregrine falcon. In November the big birds take over: red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, a chance at a rough-legged hawk, and golden eagles.
Tips and Tricks
Bring binoculars, dress in layers for the ridge, wear comfortable shoes and bring sunblock and some patience.
Hours / Season of Operation
The fall hawk watch runs from September 1 to November 30, from 9 AM to 5 PM, switching to 8 AM to 4 PM after November 7.
Directions
From the Garden State Parkway take exit 151 for Watchung Avenue and head west about 2.1 miles to its end at Upper Mountain Avenue in Montclair. Turn right and go 0.7 miles north to Bradford Avenue, turn left, go 0.1 miles to Edgecliff Road and turn right. Go 0.2 miles and park well off the side of the road on the shoulder. The lookout path is on the south side of the road.
By train or bus, it is about a 15-minute walk from the station on Bellevue Avenue in Upper Montclair: head west up Bellevue to Upper Mountain Avenue, turn right, and follow the directions above.
You may also like...
Nearby Places
Mills Reservation is right across Edgecliff Road, Eagle Rock Reservation sits farther south on the same ridge, and Presby Memorial Iris Gardens is in Montclair.
Here are 10 places near Montclair Hawk Lookout
- Montclair Hawk Lookout (~0 miles)
- Presby Memorial Iris Gardens (~0 miles)
- Mills Reservation County Park (~0 miles)
- Anderson Park (~0 miles)
- Brookdale Park (~1 miles)
- Van Vleck House and Gardens (~2 miles)
- Yogi Berra Stadium (New Jersey Jackals) (~2 miles)
- Eagle Rock Reservation (~3 miles)
- Garret Mountain Reservation (~4 miles)
- Edison National Historic Site, Glenmont Estate (~4 miles)
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park (~4 miles)
- Essex County Rose Garden (~5 miles)
Montclair, New Jersey 07043