Pyramid Mountain and Butler Reservoir from Kakeout Road in Butler

Return to the intersection of Cascade Way and Kakeout Road, cross Kakeout Road, and continue ahead on paved Bubbling Brook Road. In about 800 feet, you'll reach a gate across the road, which is usually locked. Here, the blue-blazed Butler-Montville Trail begins. Continue following the paved road along a stream, soon passing a dirt parking area to the left. Just beyond, it goes by an abandoned brick building, with an old concrete spillway across the stream. The pavement ends at 0.4 mile, where the blue-on-white-blazed Butler Connecting Trail leaves to the left, crossing a dam/causeway (this will be your return route). Continue straight ahead on the blue-blazed trail, which now becomes a narrow footpath.

For the next mile, the Butler-Montville Trail follows close to the shore of the Butler Reservoir, which is dotted with white pines. This portion of the hike is particular scenic. Leaving the reservoir, the trail briefly runs along Stonehouse Brook, then crosses a wooden footbridge over the brook and uses bog bridging to cross several wet areas on puncheons.

About two miles from the start, the trail crosses Fayson Lakes Road. Soon, it descends to cross a small stream and then proceeds through a meadow, where it bears left and continues along a woods road. (Look carefully for the blue blazes here.) The trail takes the left fork at two Y intersections and climbs to reach Miller Road, opposite Our Lady of Magnificat School. It turns right and runs along the paved road for about 500 feet, then turns right at a gate and descends on a woods road. Soon, the trail bears left, leaving the woods road, and continues along the side of a hill.

Three miles from the start, the trail crosses Miller Road diagonally to the right, passes between two houses, and continues into the woods on a dirt road. After descending to cross a wet area on a long wooden bridge, it meanders along the valley floor and eventually heads south on a woods road, paralleling a brook to the left, until it reaches the terminus of the Red-on-White Trail, which leaves to the left.

Follow the blue-blazed Butler-Montville Trail as it continues along the side of the hill, with the brook below, then descends to the level of the brook, which widens to form Bear Swamp. Finally, the trail reaches Bear Rock, a huge glacial erratic. You'll want to stop here and take a few minutes to explore this massive rock, which has been a local landmark for centuries.

When you're ready to continue, turn left -- now following both blue and white blazes -- and cross the brook on a wooden bridge. You'll note a yellow-blazed trail that leaves to the right, but you should continue ahead on the blue/white trail, which bears left and heads north, parallel to Bear Swamp. Soon, the trail bears right and climbs steeply through a stand of mountain laurel.

After a brief descent, the trail reaches a T- intersection. Turn left here, now following the white blazes of the Kinnelon-Boonton Trail. In 400 feet, you'll reach Tripod Rock -- a glacial erratic perched on three smaller boulders. This unusual feature helped galvanize public support to preserve the mountain when it was threatened with development. You've now gone about halfway, and this is a good place to take another break.

Continue heading north on the white trail. In about half a mile, you'll pass a red-on-white-blazed trail that leaves to the left, and then you'll reach a junction (marked with a cairn) where an orange-blazed trail goes off to the right. Continue to follow the white trail, which begins to descend. After reaching a junction with a green-blazed trail which leaves to the right, the white trail begins a rather steep climb.

After reaching the crest of the ridge, the trail begins a gradual descent, the ridge, passing close to the backyards of homes. It turns left and ascends along a stream until it reaches paved Reality Drive. Here the trail turns left and immediately continues ahead onto Glen Rock Drive. After passing Lynnbrook Road on the left, the trail turns right onto Brentwood Drive, then again turns right onto Lakeview Drive. The trail follows Lakeview Drive for about 300 feet, then turns left and re-enters the woods.

After climbing a rise, the Kinnelon-Boonton Trail turns right onto a woods road that parallels the paved road. When it reaches Fayson Lakes Road a short distance ahead, the trail turns left and follows along the road for 250 feet, then turns right onto Toboggan Trail (a paved road, not a trail). As the road curves to the right just beyond its intersection with West Crest Trail, the Kinnelon-Boonton Trail turns left, leaving the paved road. It turns right onto a woods road and descends, soon approaching the shore of the Butler Reservoir. The trail continues over a dike of the reservoir, turns right, then bears left and reenters the woods, ascending gradually along an old woods road.

At the crest of the hill, the trail turns left, leaving the road, and begins to run along the side of a hill. Soon, you'll reach a junction with the blue-on-white-blazed Butler Connecting Trail. Turn left and follow this blue-on-white trail downhill to the dam/causeway, turn left and cross the dam, then turn right onto the blue-blazed trail to return to the trailhead and your car.