Mansion

Ringwood-Ramapo/Blue/Crossover Trails Loop from Skylands Manor

West-facing view from the Ringwood-Ramapo Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin
NYNJTC maintained: 
1
Summary: 

This loop hike traverses remote, less-visited areas of the park, mostly along gently-graded carriage roads, passing several panoramic viewpoints and scenic Gatum Pond.

5 hours
Moderate
9 miles
Route type: 
Circuit
Allowed on leash
Historic feature
Fees
Views
Historic: 
Ringwood State Park
Ramapo Mountains
NJ
Passaic
115 North Jersey Trails East
01/28/2005
03/17/2019
Driving: 

Take Interstate Route 287 to Exit 57 and proceed north on Skyline Drive. At the end of Skyline Drive, turn right and follow Greenwood Lake Turnpike north for 1.5 miles to Sloatsburg Road. Turn right and follow Sloatsburg Road for 2.1 miles to Morris Avenue, then turn right and follow Morris Avenue for 1.4 miles to its end at the Skylands Manor section of Ringwood State Park. Pass between two stone eagles and turn left into Parking Lot A. During the summer season, a parking fee may be charged.

From the parking area, turn left onto a paved park road, the route of the white-blazed Crossover Trail. The trail proceeds through the grounds of Skylands Manor, which feature various exotic trees. You'll pass to the right of a greenhouse and an English Tudor guest house with a sundial clock on its chimney.

Reference/Source: 
Bergen Record: Hike of the Week

Shepherd Lake/Mount Defiance/Skylands Manor Loop from Ringwood Manor

View of Skylands Manor from the Ringwood-Ramapo Trail - Shepherd Lake - Photo by Daniel Chazin
Ringwood State Park, Shepherd Lake. Photo by Daniel Chazin.
NYNJTC maintained: 
1
Summary: 

This loop hike runs along Shepherd Lake, climbs to several viewpoints on Mount Defiance and traverses the historic Skylands Manor area.

5 hours
Moderate
7 miles
Route type: 
Circuit
Allowed on leash
Historic feature
Fees
Swimming
Views
Cliffs
Historic: 
Ringwood State Park
Ramapo Mountains
NJ
Passaic
115 North Jersey Trails East
01/12/2004
02/23/2020
Driving: 

Take Skyline Drive to its northwestern end at Greenwood Lake Turnpike (County Route 511). Turn right and proceed north on Greenwood Lake Turnpike for 1.5 miles to Sloatsburg Road. Turn right onto Sloatsburg Road and continue for 2.4 miles to the entrance to Ringwood Manor, on the left side of the road. Just past the entrance booth, turn right and park in a dirt parking area on the right side of the road, opposite a large white building (formerly the carriage barn for Ringwood Manor).

Proceed ahead, passing through an opening in a stone wall by a “Do Not Enter” sign. Immediately turn right, passing brown signs that mark the trailheads of the white-blazed Crossover Trail and the red-on-white-blazed Ringwood-Ramapo Trail. Continue across an old concrete bridge over the Ringwood River (this was the original entrance to the Ringwood Manor estate). At the end of the bridge, turn left onto a footpath, soon crossing the heavily-traveled Sloatsburg Road.

Reference/Source: 
Bergen Record: Hike of the Week
HOTW Date: 
Sun, 01/15/2017
HOTW Count: 
1

Ringwood-Ramapo/Hoeferlin /Pierson Ridge Trails Loop from Skylands Manor

Stone building at Skylands Manor - Photo by Daniel Chazin
NYNJTC maintained: 
1
Summary: 

This loop hike traverses remote, less-visited areas of Ringwood State Park, passing a number of scenic viewpoints.

7 hours
Moderate to Strenuous
11 miles
Route type: 
Circuit
Allowed on leash
Fees
Views
Historic: 
Ringwood State Park
Ramapo Mountains
NJ
Passaic
115 North Jersey Trails East
07/03/2003
02/28/2022
Driving: 

Take I-287 to Exit 57 and proceed north on Skyline Drive. At the end of Skyline Drive, turn right and follow Greenwood Lake Turnpike north for 1.6 miles to Sloatsburg Road. Turn right and follow Sloatsburg Road for 2.1 miles to Morris Avenue, then turn right and follow Morris Avenue for 1.4 miles to its end at the Skylands Manor section of Ringwood State Park. Pass between two stone eagles and turn left into Parking Lot A. During the summer season, a parking fee ($5 weekdays, $10 weekends) may be charged.

From the parking area, turn left onto a paved park road, the route of the white-blazed Crossover Trail. The trail proceeds through the grounds of Skylands Manor, which feature various exotic trees. You'll pass to the right of a greenhouse and an English Tudor guest house with a sundial clock on its chimney.

Reference/Source: 
Bergen Record: Hike of the Week

Mount Defiance/Skylands Manor Loop from Shepherd Lake

NYNJTC maintained: 
1
Summary: 

This loop hike climbs to panoramic viewpoints on Mount Defiance and traverses the historic Skylands Manor area.

3 hours
Moderate
5 miles
Route type: 
Circuit
Allowed on leash
Historic feature
Fees
Swimming
Views
Historic: 
Ringwood State Park
Ramapo Mountains
NJ
Bergen
115 North Jersey Trails East
01/28/2010
02/23/2020
Driving: 

Take Skyline Drive to its northwestern terminus at Greenwood Lake Turnpike (County Route 511). Turn right, continue for 1.5 miles, and turn right onto Sloatsburg Road. Continue for 2.1 miles and turn right onto Morris Road. In 1.3 miles, just before the entrance to the Skylands section of Ringwood State Park, turn left onto Shepherd Lake Road and proceed for 0.8 mile to Shepherd Lake. Past the entrance booth, bear left and park in the designated parking area (a parking fee is charged from Memorial Day to Labor Day). NOTE: Shepherd Lake is a popular destination on summer weekends, and the parking area can fill up early in the day. (Note: Google Maps may show this as Sheppard Pond.)

From the parking area, follow the paved path down to the beach on Shepherd Lake. Continue through the boat launch parking area and past the boat house, with the lake on your left. You will notice the red-on-white blazes of the Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, which you will follow for the first part of the hike. As you continue along the trail, you may hear gunshot sounds in the distance. These come from the Thunder Mountain Shooting Range, located less than half a mile south of the Shepherd Lake parking area.

Reference/Source: 
Daniel Chazin

Manor Trail from Ringwood Manor

Manor Trail in Ringwood State Park. Photo by Daniel Chazin.
Dam at Sally's Pond - Photo by Daniel Chazin
NYNJTC maintained: 
1
Summary: 

This loop hike passes a scenic pond and several features of historical interest.

2 hours
Easy to Moderate
3 miles
Route type: 
Circuit
Allowed on leash
Historic feature
Fees
Views
Historic: 
Ringwood State Park
Ramapo Mountains
NJ
Passaic
115 North Jersey Trails East
03/07/2002
01/28/2019
Driving: 

Take Skyline Drive to its northwestern end at Greenwood Lake Turnpike (County Route 511). Turn right and proceed north for 1.5 miles to Sloatsburg Road. Turn right onto Sloatsburg Road and continue for 2.5 miles to the entrance to Ringwood Manor, on the left side of the road. Park in the parking area adjacent to the manor house. A parking fee is charged on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

From the parking area, follow the footpath that leads along the rear of the manor house. Near the end of house, turn right and climb the stone steps. At the top of the steps, turn left on a dirt road. You now begin to follow the blue blazes of the Manor Trail, which will be your route for the rest of the hike.

Reference/Source: 
Bergen Record: Hike of the Week
HOTW Date: 
Fri, 02/01/2019
HOTW Count: 
2

Castle Loop

Ruins of the Van Slyke Mansion - Photo by Daniel Chazin
Foxcroft Mansion ruins in Ramapo Mountain State Forest. Photo by Daniel Chazin.
Ramapo Lake in Ramapo Mountain State Forest. Photo by Daniel Chazin.
Castle Point Trail - Short Loop - Ramapo Mountain State Forest - Photo: Daniel Chazin
NYNJTC maintained: 
1
Summary: 

This loop hike runs along the shore of scenic Ramapo Lake and climbs to the ruins of an old stone castle and tower, with panoramic views.

3 hours
Moderate
3 miles
Route type: 
Circuit
Allowed on leash
Historic feature
Views
Historic: 
Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Ramapo Mountains
NJ
Bergen
Passaic
115 North Jersey Trails East
03/24/2006
12/29/2022
Driving: 

Take I-287 to Exit 57 (Skyline Drive) and proceed north on Skyline Drive for about one mile to the upper parking area for Ramapo Mountain State Forest on the left side of the road, just beyond milepost 1.4, opposite the entrance to Camp Tamarack.

At the northwest end of the parking area, you will see a sign for the Castle Loop. This trail will be your route for the entire hike. Follow the white blazes into the woods, bear left at the fork, then (with a kiosk on the left) bear right onto a footpath parallel to a gravel road. After passing a small pond on the right, follow the white blazes as they briefly turn right onto the road (this portion of the road is paved), then turn left onto another woods road (at another sign for the Castle Loop).

Reference/Source: 
Bergen Record: Hike of the Week
HOTW Date: 
Wed, 01/03/2018
HOTW Count: 
1