Highlands Trail Section Closed: Rt 605 – Lackawanna Drive
Park: Highlands TrailTrail: Highlands Trail
Beginning in July 2026, part of the Highlands Trail Section #5 in Byram, New Jersey will be closed to the public while EPA addresses contamination in and around the Mansfield Dump Superfund site. The impacted section is between Rt 605 (Stanhope-Sparta Rd) and Lackawanna Drive. EPA anticipates the trail will be closed from July 2026
As of late October 2025, the trails within the southern section of Norvin Green State Forest in Passaic County, NJ have been reblazed and reconfigured by volunteers and staff of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Several trail blazes have changed color to improve clarity and consistency, and multiple loops have been created to make
Update 10/10/2025: Trailheads P3 and P4 West are closed due to the fire. The Bearfort Waters Clinton/Highlands Trail co-alignment are unaffected by the fire. Below, the area in red is effectively closed, while the yellow is unaffected and open. UPDATE 09/15/2025: This fire is inactive A wildfire has broken out in the Newark Watershed, closing
Wawayanda Furnace – Photo by Daniel Chazin This diverse 7-mile loop in Wawayanda State Park connects multiple scenic trails and historic sites, traversing rhododendron tunnels, serene lakes, hardwood forests, and wetlands. Starting on Cherry Ridge Road, the hike visits Lake Lookout via the white-blazed Lookout Trail, then winds along the historic Laurel Pond Trail to
View of the New York City skyline from Cactus Ledge – Photo by Daniel Chazin This 3.8-mile loop in Ramapo Valley County Reservation offers a well-rounded experience of scenic overlooks, rocky ascents, quiet forests, and tranquil water features—all within one of Bergen County’s most popular parklands. Blazed in 2016 by Trail Conference volunteers, the Vista
View of Greenwood Lake from the Ernest Walter Trail – Photo by Daniel Chazin This 6.7-mile loop over Bearfort Ridge is one of the most scenic and adventurous day hikes in the New York–New Jersey Highlands. Beginning with a steep 600-foot climb up the State Line Trail, the route rewards hikers with sweeping views over
