Allamuchy Mountain State Park

46.1 mi

Nifty little mountain biking course to bring the kids to. Also good for the older ones to ride the…read morehills, get some air, and work on some tricks. Plenty of rolling hills, valleys, and flats to ride on. Good neighborhood spot to have the kids learn and get in some exercise.

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Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

(12 reviews)

36.1 mi

Great hiking trails , for a nice stroll on a beautiful sunny day . See turtles and ducks, while…read moreenjoying nature.

Nice park close to Princeton campus for a leisurely nature stroll. Some of the bridges and wood…read morepassages were in need of some maintenance. The lake was lovely and picturesque. Overall, trails were easy to follow and not too far a distance, so you can easily adjust the length of the hike as you go along.

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Big Pocono State Park

4.5

(24 reviews)

31.3 mi

I went hiking here with my family and it was incredible! First time hiking. The trails were marked…read moreand easy to follow even though the terrain was full of rocks. There was so much beautiful wildlife and an amazing view at the top. What a lovely experience.

This is a large park with well-marked trails, restrooms, signage on what birds you may see, and of…read morecourse, great mountain views. It's right past the Camelback resort, so if it isn't crowded there, traffic should be a breeze getting to the park. The Indian Trail was a bit rocky and a little steep at parts, but the blazes are easy to follow, and the trail was doable for beginners. Make sure you wear good, sturdy shoes. There was plenty of parking and some picnic tables nearby.

Me on the trail lol

My squad on the trail

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Eagle Rock Reservation

4.4

(78 reviews)

30.3 mi

This place is so beautiful!! Great place to see the beautiful skyline of New York City. The open…read morefield that they have is great for sitting in the grass and just enjoying the sun on a beautiful day!!

Great view! Hidden gem. Great view of NYC! A nice tribute of 9-11 here. A restaurant near by…read morerecommend reservations. Nice to park and take in the views.

9/11 Memorial at the crest

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Jordan Creek Trail

40.1 mi

Trails through an old forest with some very large trees. Also features a creek and frisbee golf…read morecourse. Main trail is paved

Jordan Creek Trail entrance

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Kittatinny Valley State Park

(4 reviews)

8.4 mi

Looking for a half day trip, I think this place fits the bill. The most unique part of this park…read moreis that there is an airport here, you heard that right. It's a mini airport with small planes and even planes with propellers back in the days. It's about a mile hike to the airport Runway, there are a couple of benches next to the runway gate that allow you to watch airplanes take off and go. The river is right next it so there is a river walk type of path. Bountiful parking in the lot. Andover diner is about 10 min away, it's a good trip.

Nice Suunny Sunday morning, so returning to Kittatinny Valley State Park I explored walking trails…read moreand relaxed by the store of the beautiful lake. Talk about peace and serenity. Great time was had... BUT - apparently there is a new custom for dog walkers to leave there little bags of dog lying around. I counted a dozen bags on my short walk. Disgusting and detracts from the experience

9/10/2022

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9/10/2022

Ramapo Mountain State Forest

(24 reviews)

34.1 mi

A nice area for hiking with castle ruins and a lake and changing elevations. There are some paved…read moreroads but also trails off that path. You can hear the sound of cars on the highway both at the end and beginning of the hikes. Lots of dogs off leash even though there are signs that say to leash all dogs. The parking lot can get crowded later in the afternoon especially in the spring and summer, but there were plenty of spots on a Sunday morning at 9:30.

My 350th Yelp review is a banger…read more I try to stop by Ramapo at least once a year, usually at the beginning of hiking season; there's a nice 5- or 6-mile route I do in there that helps me build up for the more hardcore hikes later in the year, and it's unusual for me to do this one so late into the actual summer. Boy, is this a different hike in June. Ask the gazillion bears I saw. Yesterday I did about 6 miles, starting at the Ramapo Lake Trailhead parking lot, going on the blue trail to the aforementioned lake and then turning left onto N Shore Drive. I then veered off toward the castle ruins but made a pretty quick right before the path up to said ruins onto Cannonball to Skyline Drive, joining up with the Castle Point Trail back to and through the castle ruins, before heading down back to the lakefront and continuing all the way around the lake until getting back to the blue trail and the parking lot. The official hike in my book says it's 6.6 miles when you include an additional loop to the south of the lake that gets you very close to 287, but i bypassed that today. One of the big issues with this section of Ramapo is the parking situation. I can't tell you how many times I've had to pivot and do a different hike because this Ramapo Lake parking lot was completely full by mid-morning, and the powers that be insist on plastering no parking signs in every other conceivable area going literally miles down Skyline Drive. I get that Skyline is a busy road but there ARE sections where you can theoretically park safely on the shoulder without bothering anyone else - I think there's a compromise here somewhere, but because they don't have one, this lot is usually full by 8:30am on a nice day, and then you have vulture cars just lurking in the middle of the lot for ages waiting for hikers to come back so they can immediately grab the new spot. You can't tell me that's much safer than the alternative. Anyway. The other mild annoyance for me is that you can often hear car traffic, especially in the southern section by 287, but it is what it is. The lake and the castle are the real selling points here, especially the castle. Ruins are one of my all-time favorite hiking kinks, and this adventure has them in droves. The one drawback (again, because of the time of year) is that it gets overgrown with foliage very quickly, so this is a rare instance where I would recommend exploring it in the early spring before you're bushwhacking to get through. Very cool optics though, and a definite must at some point if you're in the area. The wildlife situation? Man. This was one for the books. I usually see one or two bears a year, but I saw that many today, and numerous hikers told me they'd encountered others as well. It was insane and I've never seen anything like it. I got a picture of the biggest one I saw (attached) as I was slowly backing away, and I'd guess this was a 700 pounder? Big boy, and wasn't particularly fazed by my bear horn (though he did ultimately wander off after a few toots on it). Absolutely would not do this hike without a bear horn. I don't even want to ponder what would have happened otherwise. Neither of the bears seemed aggressive but you just never know, and if cubs had been around? Ugh. I encountered a park ranger toward the end of the hike who said it had been insane bear-wise the entire summer and they're just getting more comfortable with humans so again, be careful, use common sense, etc. The trail conditions were pretty decent. Some of the blazes/markers were not the best, and a few sections of Cannonball were one way (meaning you had to keep turning around to confirm the markers because they were only on one side of the trees/poles). As mentioned, the trail section by the castle is overgrown right now but I'm not crazy about advocating for maintenance in an area that by definition should probably be preserved and as authentic as possible. To me there aren't too many significant inclines on the trail (there's one small section very close to the parking lot where you have to take a minute for footing on the rocks, as well as the climb up to the castle if you're going on that trail) but it's definitely rocky and not particularly flat except by the lake. This is one of the better hikes in the area but it's not my absolute favorite - it's crowded and a little too close to civilization. But arguably the bears cancel some of that out. Memorable day.

The lake

Van Slyke castle ruins

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South Mountain Reservation

(90 reviews)

29.3 mi

A nice area for hiking/walking that has some wide paths and not so overgrown. There are plenty of…read moretrails to diverge from. Hemlock Falls seems to be a draw and is very nice to relax around but can get a little crowded. Because there are multiple parking lots with easy accessibility, there's a bit of trash and broken glass here and there which is unfortunate. There were quite a few hikers, trail runners and dogs but it never felt claustrophobic. The hikes aren't that difficult but there are quite a few rocks and protruding tree roots. Montclair is less than 10 minutes if you want a bite to eat afterwards.

Great walk. Nothing like a walk through nature. Taking in the sights and sounds, what a beautiful…read morething!!!

Wildflower Trail

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Delaware and Raritan canal

4.6

(5 reviews)

30.9 mi

There are over 70 miles of paths/trails along the D&R canal, passing through many historic towns…read moreand landmarks in NJ with some pretty houses along the way, from near Frenchtown down to Trenton, then up to New Brunswick, in a V shape. The D&R runs parallel to the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) trail on the Pennsylvania side, so you're also getting a view of the Delaware River for that part of the track. The trail is mostly flat and is suitable for walking or biking. We love riding this trail and exploring sections of it at a time and the surrounding towns. Some sections are more scenic than others. A favorite easy ride (or hike) of ours is to start in Lambertville NJ, ride up to Stockton, cross over Center Bridge to the PA side, grab a burger at Dilly's, then ride down to New Hope, PA, walk around town, and return to Lambertville via the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. It's only about 8 miles roundtrip and makes for a leisurely day, and is very doable even for kids.

The towpath along the Delaware and Raritan canal is a fantastic spot to stoll, run, or bicycle. The…read morepath is about four feet wide, and mostly flat packed dirt. Some spots are muddy or rutted at times. There's also some spillways made from stone blocks. Lots of people come here with small children since the towpath is smooth enough to push a stroller and even enough for little ones to walk on safely. The scenery is peaceful with lots of deciduous trees and occasional views of the majestic Raritan River. Turtles are plentiful in the canal, swimming and basking on logs. You're also likely to see snakes, chipmunks, voles, squirrels, toads, and frogs. As for birds, keep an eye out for herons, geese, and ducks in the water, and woodpeckers in the trees. The canal banks have abundant wildflowers and flowering bushes. One place to park is just off Easton Ave at the Historic Van Wickle House. Another parking lot is a couple miles further up Easton Ave by the entrance to Rte 287. Due to the current Coronavirus Pandemic, I wear a mask when walking here, and most others do too. The path is too narrow in some spots to allow for 6' between people when passing.

March 2025

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D&R Canal (New Hope, PA)

The Last Frontier Angler

8.9 mi

Highly Recommend My…read morewife got me a lesson and some time on the water as a gift I did not know what I was in for but it far exceeded my expectations Chris is passionate about fly fishing and it comes across in how he teaches it. If you have any interest at all in Fly Fishing don't hesitate, get in touch with Chris to get you on the right path. He is also very knowledgeable of NJ Waters. New or not spending time on the water with Chris is highly recommended.

From the owner: We are a Fly Fishing Guide Service specializing in providing unique outdoor adventure…read more We serve all skill levels! Don't know how to Fly Fish and want to learn? We can teach you to Fly Fish with our private Fly Fishing 101 course. Are the lakes frozen? Join us on an ice fishing adventure during the winter months! We have a private stocked pond that is great for children. Our service has access to a private facility at the Lazy "K" Ranch in Frelinghuysen, New Jersey and we access various other private and public water. We are a "western style" Fly Fishing guide service and provider of outdoor adventure. We specialize in Trout and Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing in Sussex and Warren county New Jersey. Our services include guided walking/wading trips on the Flatbrook, Paulinskill and Pequest rivers. Additionally, we offer float trips on the Delaware River and lake trips on Swartswood Lake, White Lake and Mountain Lake.

Tiger Trout caught on one of our ponds.

New Jersey Rainbow Trout

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Chris casting for Tiger Trout on our pond.

Long Branch

(94 reviews)

58.0 mi

Pretty beaches, nice restaurants, shopping, and more…read more... Parking Restaurants Shops Bars Shopping

The town of Long Branch is amazing in my opinion. its not a crime ridden area, many ma and pa…read moreshops, nice beach, prices are all cheaper than other beaches, and its not as crowded as other beaches. There's loads of affordable parking in the area, too

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Sand Beach

My husband and I enjoy coming here. Friendly atmosphere, good music, great service. Good bar food.read more

I like your Beats cuz it has lots of sand and it is Frontier Celina and it has a jumping thingread more

Beach at the bar open for swimming

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Oxford Lake Recreation Area

3.9

(9 reviews)

11.7 mi

Very serene peaceful lake. Went with a camp and due to the high winds/current there was no swimming…read moreso we didn't stay the entire day as planned. Bring your own food, the snack stand could not accommodate 80 kids and the wait for fries and chicken tenders that didn't look cooked was very long.

Beautiful but Pricey for Outsiders. Nice clean and pleasant environment, but beware that admission…read moreis $15 per person over 13 years. Admission is over 50% for Oxford residents.

Panoramic view of Oxford Furnace Lake

Beach area

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Peak Performance

(3 reviews)

8.6 mi

I highly recommend Peak. Excellent personal training. Trainers who really care, extremely…read moreknowledgeable and go above and beyond to help you achieve your goals. Peak feels more personal. By far the best facility around.

I love Peak. New Kaiser spin bikes, challenging group fitness classes, great boot camp and…read morepersonal training. Everyone cares about you, pushing you, and happy to see you. Highly recommend.

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Lake Hopatcong Adventure

4.5

(6 reviews)

10.5 mi

Did you know that Lake Hopatcong is NJ's largest freshwater lake?…read more And did you also know that there's a great little place on the lake that lets you rent all sorts of strange inventions like a 'pedalboard' and a 'hydrobike' (along with the classics like kayaks and paddleboards) - so you can cruise along the lake, get a bit of exercise, fill those lungs with fresh air and more importantly... work up an appetite (so you can hit The Windlass right after)? I tell you it's true. All true. There were six of us (celebrating a birthday) - 5 on hydrobikes, 1 on a pedalboard. The lake is drop dead gorgeous and we went when it was still early and a bit overcast so it wasn't too crowded with boats and jet-skis and the like. (Waves/wakes from other boats can really dampen your own fun... so that stuff matters a bit.) But I gotta be honest: it was a lot of work. Unlike a kayak where you might get a nice 'bite' with your oar and can coast a bit... the bike is akin to being pneumatic (you stop pedaling and you almost immediately come to a halt as well). And those seats? They are not comfortable at all. Sore dupas all around (the following day as well, actually). But we all had a great time. The crew (Patty and Joe, I believe) were really cool, total professionals, and we always felt like we were safe as well having a great time exploring some of the lake and adjoining islands and whatnot. (We would definitely return in the future but would lean towards a kayak and not do the bikes again.) Wear sunblock, bring water, not sure if it was just me but my right foot was pretty soaked by the end whereas my left was dry (so you'd be better off wearing an old ratty pair of sneakers, regardless). Post-pedal was The Windlass (excellent) as well as some mini-golf (also excellent). Lots to do in this lovely part of Jersey. (But it'll cost ya!)

A cousin of mine tried the hydrobikes and lived it, so I thought I would give it a try. I asked a…read morefriend to come with me and he said it looked like a pain in the ass. I made a reservation online. Patty was so friendly and made it a great time! She let me use some sun block and fill up my reusable cup at their water fountain. She told me that I would probably like the standup paddle board better because it had better maneuverability. I took her advice. It was a lot of excise and fun as we rode around and she told me about the history and pointed out different areas around the lake. We even picked up some trash from inside the lake and it made me happy to know that there are good people out there who are also passionate about the environment. It was hot and I "accidentally" fell in and got to enjoy the water a little bit. Patty also gave me restaurant and hiking recommendations around the area and even took a picture of me. You may be able to call and make a same day appointment, but online will only allow the following day. I don't think it's with bringing or risking losing your camera or phone out on the lake, there isn't anything really photo worthy.

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Sweat Like A Girl

(10 reviews)

27.5 mi

I attended my first class at Sweat Like A Girl about two years ago. I was still pretty new to…read moreexercise with a ton of weight to lose, and very little idea where to get started. I quickly became tired of the elliptical, tired of the treadmill, and the only thing I knew for sure was that if my workouts continued to feel like chores, I'd never stick with them. I tried the Fight Club class after checking out classes at a few other gyms, and I was instantly hooked. It was first time I realized I could have a good time working out. It took me a while to try out some of the other classes, but now, SuperGirl is my favorite. It's always something different, but consistently keeps me working hard. But the really surprising thing was, it didn't take me long to feel comfortable there. Heather, the owner of the gym who also happens to be the main instructor for many classes, is equally a motivator, an entertainer, and a hardcore fitness instructor. I start out each class feeling scared for the intensity i know is about to be inflicted upon my body, and psyched, in the same was anybody is before they are about to do something they know is going to be completely fun and rewarding. Any class with Heather usually includes a stand-up routine at no extra charge. And not surprisingly, smiling and laughing a lot while you're sweating like crazy, definitely takes the pressure off. Actually, all the instructors are pretty cool, care about your success, and will give you a great workout. I've met a lot of people at this gym, and the pervasive attitude is one of support, non-judgement, and willingness to help each other out. The whole environment is pretty cool, and rare. There's something for everybody, whether your idea of fitness involves flipping tires, interval training, running, dancing, pole, or kicking and punching. And the price is definitely right.

I just had my private bachelorette party at Sweat Like A Girl this past weekend and we all had the…read moretime of our lives! Heather hosted our party and she such a fun instructor. We were taught an array of moves on the pole and then moved onto a full chair dance routine. The women in our party ranged in age from their early 20's to late 50's -- and everyone had a blast! I can't say enough good things about our experience. As for the regular classes, I took a class here about a year ago and really enjoyed myself. Unfortunately, I don't live in the area or else Sweat Like A Girl would be my full-time workout studio.

Private Parties, Bridal Dance

Pole Fitness Classes!

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Sweat Like A Girl Lehigh Valley

Panther Valley Golf & Country Club

(11 reviews)

2.8 mi

If you are having an event 100% recommend Panther Valley Country Club. We just had our daughter's…read morebridal shower there and from start to finish everything was outstanding. Our coordinator, Jill, customized our menu to meet all our needs including specific allergies. The chef even came out that day to explain how she prepared the menu to cater to those allergies and the food was spectacular. The staff could not have been nicer, or more helpful from setting up to serving our guests. They even helped our guests with packages. The room was beautiful and the setting is gorgeous. I cannot thank them enough for creating such a perfect day for us. If you want a perfect day for your event look no further PVCC is it.

Best place to meet with Friends! The food is good! Wine…read moreSuper ! Cocktails at the Bar are done with expertise ! The ambiance is very pleasant ! It' s really the place to spend relaxing time! Highly Suggested for Special Events too !

105.5 WDHA Rocks the Links Golf Outing

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Allamuchy Mountain State Park - parks - Updated August 2026

People who viewed Allamuchy Mountain State Park also viewed

Hacklebarney State Park

4.6

(72 reviews)

Great park with some beautiful trails! We went hiking here over Memorial Day weekend (in the rain)…read moreand had a great time. We did the river trail which was a nice hike for the whole family. I wish that there were paper maps, there were times when having one would have been very handy. That being said, there are plenty of trail markers. They show up just as you start wondering if you're going the right way or not. The trail could use some maintenance- there were lots of downed trees. There was one you have to completely climb over (we had to scoot over it, you can't step over it as it's too wide). It had been down long enough that people had found a few ways around it that were off trail (didn't look super safe though) and instead have you go over a thinner part of the trunk. The trail is extremely rocky, which we were expecting and found it to be very fun! But make sure you are wearing shoes with a good grip. Overall, we loved this even in the rain. There's some nice waterfalls along the way, and plenty of picnicking spots.

Long Valley, NJ - I love hiking in this park. It's a nice one to do with kids, and good for a…read morecasual and relaxing hike with some scenic features. You can do easy to moderate loops of various lengths. There are paved gravel roads as well as dirt trails with large rocks, and fun scrambly sections (not vertical) along the creek on the red trail, which takes you along the creek for half the loop. This is fun for our toddler who likes to figure out the way over and around obstacles. Great for exercise and physical coordination. Fishing is possible with a permit. A few picnic tables can be found here and there. There's even a small "secret" playground with a couple of picnic tables, located at the intersection of the white and yellow trails near the trailhead. The parking lot is spacious. There are bathrooms at the trailhead but they are only open during the warmer seasons. There's lots to do nearby as well: Hacklebarney Farms Cider Mill, Alstede Farms, Ort Farms, Cooper Gristmill, and Main Street Chester with some cute shops and eateries. You can really make a full day of it!

White Lake Natural Resource Area

This area is always a fantastic place to go. It is perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding, boating,…read morefishing, and hiking. There are also some picnic tables so bring some food and relax! The main trail around the park is about 5 miles long and there is a lot to see. Bring your pups, camera, and heck.... A trail bicycle if you're crazy. It can get a little busy on the weekend but it's definitely manageable and still fun!

Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area

4.4

(49 reviews)

This is an amazing hike! It's almost all shaded and once you climb the rocks, straight up on blue,…read moreit's quite an easy hike. Guys we hiked blue to purple to blue to orange (which comes back to blue and the parking lot) and it took 2 hours and 3 miles. We met people who thought the whole thing took 45 minutes and had the water to go with that. This is an intermediate hike and you really need the water, as well as trail map or at least pic of trail map, to make it happily. We met so many lost people on the trail. It's not marked as well as you think. Also we took the pup who thought lake at first sight, meant jump. Pro tip; keep them out of the lake. It's full of stagnant water and stinking mud. Your nose will thank me. Instead enjoy the bubbly creek crossing before and after the hike.

The fam was looking to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather that we have been having. I…read morerecalled doing this hike a number of years ago and enjoyed it, so decided to give it another try. The parking lot was not the biggest, but there seemed to be many spots on the street. Fortunately we were able to find a spot in the lot though. It is dog friendly, so we brought our little guy too. Since the my younger son is only 7 we decided to do the hike (blue trail) to Tripod rock and back, which is about 3 miles. It does have some incline, but didn't receive any complaints about this from the fam. Also there are a bunch of stones on the hiking path, so be careful not to trip. The trail is marked well (apart from one point towards the tripod rock where it splits) so we were able to get to our destination fairly easily. It wasn't too crowded, which was nice.

Columbia Rail Trail

4.5

(22 reviews)

Really nice and quiet area to walk, with pretty views. We only trekked 2 miles of the trail this…read morefirst visit, but I would enjoy checking out further down the trail sometime. Loved the fun gnome art along the trail. Tip: if you have a fear of heights, there are a few spots in the trail that may make you feel a bit woozy, but never anything unsafe on the path, just large drops on the side of the trail occasionally.

***3 1/2 stars***…read more I'm a native of the Kingdom of Hunterdon but this is an area I'm not that familiar with - I grew up on the opposite, western side of the county, so my experience with High Bridge, Califon, etc. is pretty limited. I came here this past Saturday though (with a cameo appearance by one of my chums) to get some non-mountain hiking in on a gorgeous day. It had its moments, but ultimately I'm not crazy about completely flat surfaces and there just wasn't much variety in the adventure. My chum and I set off a little after 9am from the parking lot right off Main Street in High Bridge and just north of their main drag. Again, this is not a town I drive through often but it was very easy to locate the parking area once I'd gotten a quick look at the map. The parking is adjacent to some playing fields, and thankfully that meant multiple port-a-potties. I used one afterwards, which was about as clean as they get. The itinerary was pretty straight-forward - I walked from the High Bridge parking lot north through Ken Lockwood Gorge, and probably got about 15 minutes north of Califon before turning back. It took almost five hours and I would guess was about 12 miles all told (I love my Fitbit but I think it exaggerates constantly). The gorge is by far my favorite part of this walk. The optics are the best here - you're surrounded by high cliffs above and the Raritan River below, and it's pleasant to hear the roaring water in the background as you saunter through this section. There's also some gorgeous old houses off to the side with oodles of character (I made a mental note to look some of them up on Zillow when I got back), including multiple ones with little bridges and chicken coops. There's a makeshift fairy village situation off to the sides of the path, which is a nice little quirk. I think the one over in Maplewood at South Mountain is more intense, but this version covers more ground. And of course because it's Hunterdon, one of the fairy/gnome houses had a Confederate flag decoration. Who says the War of Northern Aggression stopped at the Mason Dixon Line? Once you get past the gorge though, the walk for me is pretty bland. I'm certainly very pro woods and whatnot, but the lack of distinguishing features makes this a bit of a snooze. I did enjoy the quick trip into downtown Califon, especially the little preserved railroad station from the 1800s. It looked like there were a few possible eating options as well a block or two off the trail that I briefly pondered before continuing on my journey. The canine chum situation was excellent - it was truly a bevy of pooches from beginning to end, with a curiously high percentage of German Shepherds. The wildlife situation was active as well, with a great many squirrels and chipmunks scampering around in the unseasonably warm temps. This one was just okay for me. I liked the clean bathroom accommodations and the ease of the path, but I need my walks/hikes to have a little more pizzazz to them.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

4.6

(38 reviews)

Was looking for someplace to go in the fall and the finger lakes and Lake George were too far away,…read morebut gap was only an hour away! Who would think there a place is beautiful so close to home living in Central New Jersey! What makes a Delaware water gap so special in the fall is that there are some large hills here making the foliage extra special! The beauty of this place is incredible, you might feel like you're out west somewhere in the middle of Montana! There's an incredible hiking or biking trail that runs right alongside the Delaware water gap. There's also many absolutely amazing waterfalls in the area! We stayed two nights over a weekend and I felt like I had a great little vacation! Highly recommended if you're looking for a nearby gorgeous spot for nature anytime of the year! If you're like me and live in Central New Jersey, you don't have to go to upstate New York to get that kind of beauty. You can get it right here in Delaware water gap! They have a welcome center with people there that will help you with all your questions and needs for what you're looking for exclamation

We visited the Delaware Water Gap today, and it was a wonderful experience. This time of year is…read moreperfect for exploring the area. If you haven't been here before, I highly recommend it. There are numerous hiking trails, camping spots, and opportunities for photography and kayaking. Plan to spend a few hours to fully enjoy everything this beautiful area has to offer.

Paulinskill Valley Rail Trail

(2 reviews)

This review is for the Warbasse Junction- Lafayette, NJ section of the Paulinskill Valley Trail…read more The Parking lot has a solar powered bathroom shack and map of the trail. This area is actually part of a loop of trails- the Paulinskill Valley Trail (PVT), the Sussex Branch Trail (SBT) & Former LNE Trail. The Sussex Branch is located across the street but the third trail (LNE) was not to be found. Too bad the trail is not marked better. We tried to do the loop which would have included all 3 trails but we weren't able to find the LNE trail, so we biked back and forth on the Paulinskill Valley Trail. We started on the eastern side and biked west towards Smartswood Station. The Paulinskill Valley Trail extends 27 miles from Knowlton in Warren County (Smartswood Station) eastward through Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, Stillwater, Fredon, Hampton, and Lafayette, to its eastern terminus at Sparta Junction in Sussex County. So there is plenty more to explore. The Paulinskill Valley Trail is a very nice and shady trail and the surface is mostly compact gravel. It was easy to ride on our hybrid bikes but there were a few sections that had water, so it was a little muddy. We saw other biker, hikers, and horseback riders on our ride. We will return either to this or another section soon to continue exploring.

Three tracks-to-trails efforts converge in this area near Lafayette to form a loop. A fellow hiker…read moreattested to a four mile loop, but the LNE's location is not clear on Google and Manda R. had trouble finding it. We did a shorter out-and-back on the Paulinskill, heading west from Warbasse Junction. The trail was flat and made up of a fine, gravely soil. Since it hasn't accommodated a train since the 1960s, it's pretty well shaded. It cuts through rock formations and local fields. We saw runners, hikers, and horseback riders.

Schooley’s Mountain County Park

Cross Estate Gardens

4.8

(11 reviews)

The area we were directed to park made me initially think I had come to the wrong place (the…read moreinitial path went thru an overgrown but worn path thru the woods that looked like we were headed into more woods). Eventually the path ended to a grassy area with a sign pointing to the mansion where we found the water tower and garden area. The garden was quite nice. Loved seeing the water tower (and appreciated the signage explaining the history and inner workings). Pro tip for newbies like us: You can walk on the road or drive closer to the mansion instead of taking the woodsy path. Oh, also there are NO trashcans at this location (even for doggy doo bags, diapers, etc), so come prepared. No nearby restroom to the garden either.

Beautiful garden that is well maintained. Free admission. Keep place clean! Restroom is far, see…read moreflyer for instructions. Parking is limited. See images and video for reference

Hedden County Park