The Appalachian Trail in New Jersey presents one of the most interesting continuous geologic features of the entire trail.

Kittatinny Mountain is a 40-plus mile ridge with several distinct summits stretching from High Point, New Jersey (1803’) to Wind Gap, some 15 miles into Pennsylvania.

Not surprisingly, the name “Kittatinny” derives from a Lenape Native American word meaning “endless hill” or “great mountain”. The range was formed during three geologic episodes. The first (1,000 million years ago), formed peaks as high as today’s Rocky Mountains and trapped sedimentary Paleozoic rocks (including sandstone, shale and limestone) between large blocks of Precambrian rocks (mostly granite), formed by intense heat and compression.

The resulting erosion by streams, wind, and glaciers left the nearly continuous and remarkably consistent in elevation mountain range that we see today. The only major breaks in the range occur at Culvers Gap and Delaware Water Gap. Both of these breaks showcase the power of water. While the range rose, the water continued to cut its way through. In the case of Delaware Water Gap, the Delaware River won. It still cuts through the gap to this day. Culver Gap tells a different story. Here the river successfully cut through the gap for a time but was then “captured” by the Flat Brook system on the west side of the range. The water stopped owing through the gap and this break in the range became known as a “wind gap”.