Hiking
JBennis1013
Posts: 377 Member
Where is your favorite place to hike in Bergen County?
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i would love to know also.0
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Where is your favorite place to hike in Bergen County?
someone just told me to check out Ramapo Mountain. have you?0 -
I haven't gone there, but I might be going this weekend with my sister.0
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Bump!! Haha I'm new here and I have idea if anyone will revisit this old thread but as an avid Passaic County visiting hiker--I absolutely recommend Ramapo Reservation and the surrounding areas! The Reservation is full of trails ranging from easy to VERY strenuous and can be anything from a nice after dinner stroll to a full day hiking marathon! There are even places you can camp if you are very advantageous (the permit is something like $3 to park overnight and camp in the designated areas). The Skylands are also very beautiful and connect to a few trails, however the markings on these trails can be very confusing for someone who doesn't know the area or have a map. I purchased my map set at Campmor for $9 and it was the best thing I ever did. It comes with two full maps of literally every area in the Ringwood/Oakland/Mahwah/Ramsey hiking areas. It has been a godsend for me a few times!
For a good sampling I recommend the Reservation primarily though. The trails are clearly marked and some are quite populated so you don't have to feel "alone" in the woods. However, there are very desolate trails as well that are fun to explore and just be one with nature! Don't rip yourself off by just parking in the main parking lot either. While you can access many of the popular trails from the main lot, the best day trips I've had were off the Skyline Drive lots (the upper one is a favorite of mine! There's the Cannonball Trail that leads to the Castle Trail where you can take a brief side-hike through the ruins of an old castle, what appears to be a watchtower or water tower of some type, and an abandoned cement pool! There's also The Lookout Trail off of Ramapo Lake (you can take the blue trail directly there from the lower lot on Skyline) which is a journey through quite untouched forest (be prepared to crawl through "The Tunnel of Ticks!" haha)
Hope I helped- albeit 3+ years late! Perhaps someone else will stumble upon this post now!
Always bring water and DEET based bug spray! NJ is the 3rd worst state for ticks and I have gotten a nasty bite from a trail in Ramapo before (and it was still winter and cold out!). Always be careful! I recommend permethrin spray on all your gear and clothes as well...but that's just me being super careful. Most of all HAVE AN AWESOME TIME!!0 -
cut dog in the pic! looks just like mine!0
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I mean CUTE! CUTE DOG!0
