Be aware: Locals Only. Beautiful local park, very well kept and pretty walking trail.read more

Great place to go hiking. Wear your rubber boots and you can go walk through the shallow parts of…read morethe glen. If you prefer the dry trail overlooking the glen that is pretty also.

No celery is being grown, it's actually a nature preserve. There's no dogs or bikes allowed…read more Sections are fenced off to keep you on the trail. The trail is about a mile and goes around the lake. Some of it is boarded and much of it is in the shade. If it rained recently, than it may be muddy, otherwise sneakers or shoes are fine. It stays level and is good for elderly or kids. There's a lot of benches and a few lookouts as you go around. The preserve is exceptionally clean. I saw one plastic bottle, so I picked it up.

Today it is called the Celery Farm mainly a result of the fact that in 1888 Swiss emigrant Henry J…read more Appert and his wife Ella bought the 107 acre-property and converted the land which was an excavated peat bog into a farm which grew mainly celery and onions. The land has a rich history has seen this parcel of land transition from a glacial land to a peat bog, to a farm and now a nature preserve. The Wolf Clan of the Lenni Lenape gather here to hunt the abundant game in the area. Later in colonial times Founding Father John Fell took possession of the. In the 1080's the borough of Allendale bought the track of land and converted it into a nature preserve. The Celery Farm is an important site for migratory birds and thus bird watchers. There are several areas where birds can be observed including a raised platform overlooking the small lake. There are trails which run about a mile through the preserve. The trails are very wet in spots after any kind of precipitation. Roots and rocks jut up along the path making hiking uncomfortable. When I visited there were numerous hikers who wore masks and observed social distancing. Dogs are not permitted on the trails.

Nice park for the beginner or more experienced hiker or just someone who wants to have some peace…read moreand quiet outdoors for a couple of hours. The parking lot is big and there is a bathroom, which is appreciated. I took a look at the trail map before I left to find one of a decent length, so check out options, but the trails are well-marked. Once you get past the main train next to the lake, you can find yourself pretty alone except for another occasional hiker, but you can vibe with nature, see a waterfall, and just breathe in the fresh air. Some of the trails are long, but I paced one that was only a couple of miles and still got some nice scenery and a lot of steps in. It's great this park isn't too far from the urban areas of Northern NJ and there are many trail options so you can visit again and experience something new. There's also a sign for trout fishing if that's your thing. Check it out if you want to get away for the day.

This was my first time and what a blast! What I love about…read morehiking is that there's so many cool and magical places that you can't get to by car. For decades I've driven up 287 and wondered what was in all the hills and mountains and today I finally got to see. I met up with my local plus size hiking group for our last hike of the year and Ramapo was a first for all of us despite being longtime New Jerseyans. We did the Macmillan trail and clocked about 3.5 miles total. We went the long trail around the reservoir and then dipped back down the waterfall trail. Very thankful we did it that way - I think all the stairs on the waterfall trail would have been treacherous given the conditions and a bit demoralizing. Getting the big hills out the way first and enjoying the lake made the waterfall that much sweeter. So many dogs and kind people on the trail. Trash was almost non-existent. Tons of rocks and logs to sit a spell - but at below freezing temps we kept it moving lol. Highlights: -ample parking (bc it was cold) -giant rocks -waterfalls -exposed slabs -gorgeous vistas -the swan!!

This place is huge!!!! Visit and buy a membership and go often! The staff is kind, dedicated and…read moreknowledgeable! Sign up for a program or hike today!

This is a wonderful place to bring the whole family. They have about 12 different trails, all…read moreseparated in different levels of difficulty. The trails are free to enter but they do request for volunteer donation for non members. Different tiers of annul membership available to purchase at main office that comes with some wonderful perks, such as free access to trails and special events. The main office also has some of the exhibition items like insect box and turtle box. Outside the office there's also bird and butterfly cages. We went to the center for our daughter to participate in butterfly feeding event. Upon arrival we found out we had to buy the tickets for one of the two scheduled events. Luckily there were slots available to the second event on the day. The ticket was reasonably cheap, only $8. It also came with an additional bird's exhibition that took place right in front of office deck. All the stuff members were very friendly, informative and interactive. We spent wonderful couple of hours here on beautiful warm summer day.

This is a true hidden treasure! Rockleigh Woods Sanctuary is one of those places that surprises you…read morein the best way. The trails are beautiful and run alongside a peaceful, flowing river, making the whole hike feel calm and scenic from start to finish. Everything is well marked, so it's easy to navigate without having to second-guess where you're going. It's also a very welcoming spot--lots of families out enjoying the trails and plenty of dogs, which adds to the friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The hike itself is easy, but still really enjoyable and refreshing. Parking is plentiful and convenient, which makes the whole experience even smoother. Definitely a spot worth coming back to again and again.

Beautiful place, but far too many off leash dogs and pack walkers . I abide to leash laws, and…read morereally do not appreciate when someone's dog approaches my dog on a trail of any sort. It is dangerous, and to say "don't worry, he's friendly" does not justify it being okay for anyone's dog to approach someone else and/or their leashed dog on a wooded trail. Folks, abide to the law and use your own backyards for unleashed exercise, not a public, densely wooded trail.

Avoid at all costs while they are doing construction. It's impossible to actually get to a trail…read morehead. And there is no one in any of the offices to actually offer help. They should have warned us many trails closed or detours when we paid the parking fee. While not much I would have skipped the $10 feet since we actually didn't do anything during our trip as all the trail heads were too far

THE GOOD ----------------…read more+ LOTS of trails of all levels if you're into hiking. + The Hessian Lake Loop is a super easy walking path for those with families, has a great view of the lake and mountain and has many picnic tables surrounding it. + The Trailside Museums & Zoo is located not too far from the Hessian Lake Loop and is totally, 100% free! And you WILL actually see animals, including a black bear, porcupine and bobcat! + There are vending machines randomly located throughout the park. Yes, they are pricey, but, if you're desperate you'll fork up the $$$ for a beverage or snack. + There are public restrooms every once in awhile by Hessian Lake. + There are multiple parking lots at the park that charge $10. + There is a massive field, perfect for a game of frisbee or any sport requiring a lot of space, between the Carousel and the Bear Mountain Inn. THE NOT SO GOOD ---------------------------- - Nothing! This park has a little bit of everything for everyone.

Really beautiful site, but it was hard to find. The address in the tour book took us to a closed,…read moreprivate road, and it's a windy two lane road with no shoulder, so it was also hard to find a place to turn around. There is a bit of a pull off area, and there is a restroom, but when I went off season (warm but not declared in season) it was locked. So mileage may vary on its usefulness. Luckily, if your eagle eyes spot the pullover parking lot, the falls are a pretty short walk. I recommend taking the path to the right to the top of the falls so you can then move down the steep incline instead of going up. The view from the bottom is very pretty. It's a good view and only needs like 20 minutes tops of your time. It was quite doable for my senior mother, but some parts were very slow moving. She enjoyed it, so it does still work for beginners as long as it's not been raining. Would recommend stopping by if you like seeing waterfalls. It's the tallest in the state and very scenic.

After a week of downpours we headed up to the Poconos to chase some waterfalls. Raymondskill was…read morefull of fury exploding over the weir like it had somewhere to be. The mist expanded well over the entire overlook of the middle falls where it swirled and danced almost to the top falls overlook. We parked in the bottom lot and took a light hike to the middle falls overlook - there were steps to the top overlook but my arthritic knee would not allow it so we drove up to the top parking lot and took another easy "hike" to the crest and I am glad we did. Photos don't do justice to the majesty of this natural wonder. The trails are friendly even to the weary and wobbly like me! Easily traversable but could be slippery in bad weather. The complete hike is only about a mile but you can still get a great view at the middle falls platform at roughly 1/2 mile in and out. Majestic & magical Raymonskill is glorious, but after the rain is a thunderous wonder and truly something to behold

If you ever need a timeout and take a break, this is one of the best drives in the state of New…read moreYork. The drive takes you past lakes, the beautiful green scenery etc. If you plan to drive here at night, it is pitch dark, I don't recall seeing a light post. There is a boating dock along the drive. It is close to the Woodbury outlets and bear mountain, so you can make a full day of activities. Restrooms may be hard to come by.

I've been coming here for many many years. Such a wonderful place to hike and bring my dogs to…read more They love swimming!! End up hiking to the top of one of the mountains where we won't be bothered. Need to visit again soon!

I love nature. Anytime we get to enjoy a walk outside in such a natural outdoor setting is a true…read morejoy and a privilege, and this was no different at Closter Nature Centre. It's kinda odd that the park essentially is divided by the one-lane road, so crossing the road was a bit of a hazard but once we were on the other side of the park across the road from the pond, the actual trails began. I believe we walked through the red, white, and orange trails which ended up taking about 30 minutes at most. There was good boardwalk coverage in many of the muckier areas, and although it wasn't exactly lush, the enjoyment of nature was such that I finished the walk feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I hope the nature preserve will be around for many decades.

This was a much bigger nature center than I thought. Several lakes, not just the one in the front…read more Parking, two log cabins, many trails, several bridges, clean paths. Nice place to kayak and fish, too. Free Parking and paper maps available