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
The Giant Stairs section in Palisades Interstate Park is closed due to a major rockfall and slide, which occurred on the morning of 1/9/26.
Yearly winter road closure schedule for 2025-2026, visit https://www.nps.gov/dewa/learn/news/winterservices2026.htm “Park staff give priority to plowing main roads through the park for the safety and convenience of local residents and visitors. Park staff will then plow secondary roads and parking areas to buildings open for public use. Some roads may receive no winter maintenance or will
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
The Delaware River as seen from Mount Tammany – Photo by Dan Chazin This rugged 3.5-mile loop climbs Mount Tammany via the Red Dot Trail, offering spectacular views of the Delaware Water Gap and Mount Minsi. The descent follows the Blue Dot, Dunnfield Creek, and Appalachian Trails, passing waterfalls and a rhododendron-lined gorge for a
Falling Waters and Grand Loop Trails – Schooleys Mountain County Park – Photo: Daniel Chazin This 3.5-mile loop in Schooley’s Mountain County Park explores the park’s wilder, less-developed western side, far from the picnic areas and lodge. Starting from the main lot, the route descends past Lake George and into the rocky gorge of Electric
Duck Pond – Photo by Daniel Chazin This gentle 3.5-mile loop explores the rare sinkhole pond landscape of northwest New Jersey. Beginning on the yellow-blazed Bear Claw Trail, you’ll pass through second-growth forest and remnants of old farmland before crossing to the Limestone Trail, which skirts the shore of Duck Pond. The route connects to
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
Forest View Trail/Closter Dock Trail Loop – Photo: Daniel Chazin This rewarding loop invites you along a striking stretch of the Palisades, blending cliffside vistas, Hudson River history, and rugged adventure—all just minutes from the George Washington Bridge. The hike begins on the iconic aqua-blazed Long Path, tracing the clifftops above the Hudson with spur trails leading to dramatic viewpoints
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
