Club Spotlight: ADK North Jersey-Ramapo

October 10, 2021
Geoff Fonseca, Chair, ADK North Jersey-Ramapo
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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Club Spotlight: ADK North Jersey-Ramapo

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The Adirondack Mountain Club North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter is one of 27 chapters of the ADK. The mission statement of ADK, which will be celebrating its centennial in 2022, states in part: “ADK works to protect …. wild lands and waters by promoting responsible outdoor recreation and building a ….. constituency of land stewardship advocates.”

The North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter (NJR), founded in 1971, numbers about 1,000 members, who primarily reside in Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen, Passaic, Morris, and Essex counties in New Jersey.

About 150 hikes are offered year-round by NJR in various parks throughout New York and New Jersey. Hikes, which are led by experienced leaders with knowledge of the trails and trail safety, vary in skill level from easy for beginners to strenuous for advanced hikers. The hikes are rated for their pace, distance, and terrain difficulty.

Although hiking is its main activity, NJR also offers some kayaking and biking outings. In addition, there are several social events planned throughout each year, such as guest speakers at membership meetings, Mohonk Mountain House Day, an annual holiday dinner party, and tours to points of interest. Also, NJR is very proud to have sponsored the very first blood drive by ADK.

Over the years, the North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter of ADK has forged a close working relationship with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Several members of NJR have served on the Board of the Trail Conference and several have received prestigious awards from the Trail Conference in recognition of outstanding volunteer work. Also, NJR is grateful to the Trail Conference for the use of its beautiful HQ building, where NJR conducts its board meetings and holds its annual holiday dinner party. In addition, NJR volunteers maintain three sections of trails in Harriman State Park under the direction of the Trail Conference.

The North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter of ADK welcomes new members. Consider becoming a member of NJR, whether to assist in the protection of wildlands and waters by promoting responsible outdoor recreation or to hike with others who enjoy being in the woods. Members represent all ages groups and singles and families.

See More

For more information about the North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter of ADK, visit their website. adknjr.org.

For photographs and videos of its hikes, see the Facebook page of the North Jersey-Ramapo Chapter of ADK.