Having a dog means meeting a series of never-ending needs: veterinary care, car-blanket laundry, love and affection, food…cleaning up the end results of food. Most importantly, dogs need exercise and play time outside. Luckily humans benefit from those two things as well, so the excitement is mutual when I take my dog Wilson for a walk.

Rather than always relying on the typical around-the-block route, I like to take Mr. Wilson (his full name) to Eagle Rock Reservation for a midday jaunt.  If you haven’t been there before, I highly suggest it. It’s just five minutes from my studio on Lackawanna Plaza but feels like the Catskill Mountains.  I like parking on Afterglow Way and entering the Reservation from this little used path.

The reservation is a beautiful 400-acre undeveloped wonderland straddling the border of Montclair and West Orange. It has dozens of trails, streams, and hilly terrain perfect for an energetic guy like Mr. Wilson. Despite his firm unpretentious nature (he refuses fancy dog food or considers no toy or other dog, no matter how dirty, beneath him), he turned into a model the minute I took my camera out.

Where do you like to walk your dog in the Montclair area? Leave a comment on my Facebook page.

Regards,

Phil, Pho-dog-rapher