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Black Rock Mountain is the namesake for the Forest, featuring granite gneiss outcrops that contain dark-colored mineral deposits such as iron and hornblende. The summit provides outstanding views to the north, west, and south of features such as the Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains, the Hudson River, the Great Valley including Newburgh and Stewart Airport, Schunemunk Mountain, and much of the rest of the Black Rock Forest. As a result, its rocky, pine-covered summit can also be seen for many miles around, especially from the north. The views provide an outstanding location for practicing map and compass skills as well as sketching and photography. It can be accessed from the south or the east by the steep, yellow-blazed Stillman Trail. The plants on and around the summit provides one of the best examples of a community adapted to higher elevations and harsh climate conditions compared to the rest of the Forest. Dominants include pitch pine and scrub oak with chestnut oak, black cherry, and dwarf cherry.