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!!

I think this place is a hidden gem. There's not a lot of natural lakes that you can swim in. Of…read morecourse when I went, they were closed for swimming and they even have a dock with boat rentals, which was also closed. I'll be sure to come back to swim in the lake and maybe take a boat around. I don't think the boat is quite big ending for a boat ride that will get my adrenaline flowing, but a canoe or paddle board would be cool. But even closed, this is a great place to go for picnicking or hiking with free parking. There's picnic tables, a jungle gym, bathrooms and I'm sorry I didn't check to see if the showers were working if you wanted to use them. Now, this is important. I started walking around the lake, around the lake wound be going to the left, but the trail went right. I went left, there was a rock wall and I figured I'd follow it and it would bring me back to around the lake. It didn't, I ended up crossing into New York and wandering around Sterling Forest until I eventually found my self on the main road. After walking about 3 more miles, I was actually able to find a trail that lead back to the lake, of course when that trail reached the road for the lake, I walked a mile in the wrong direction, my point is FOLLOW THE TRAIL! The lake is in Ringwood state park and right by the NJ Botanical Gardens and also Skyland Manor.

The lake itself was beautiful and the kayak, row boat and peddle boat rentals were reasonably…read morepriced. It was a nice excursion on the water except for the constant gun shots from skeet shooting taking place nearby. If you can drown out the noise from that it is a very serene experience. The staff at the boathouse was friendly and helpful.

We come here early to SUP with our dogs. We have our own boards. Its easy to get in and out of…read morethe water.

I've gone paddle boarding here with friends a few times and it is so much fun! They make renting so…read moreeasy: you can call ahead, book online, or go right up to the desk at the south boat launch. (I would recommend booking ahead because on nice days they can fill up quickly!) it is also a very fair price! I would recommend booking the two hour session because 1 hour goes by way too fast! It can be a little nerve wracking trying something new, so it is nice when the people working here are accommodating to your skill set and comfort level. I have yet to have a bad experience!

Crater Lake is a non-lifeguard private area that's tucked deep into the Delaware Water Gap…read moreRecreation Area. It's a two hour drive from Long Island and 3.5 hours when there's a fire that's closed down the Throgs Neck Bridge. But this lake, also near Blue Mountain Lake is amazing. A few years back you would have been hard pressed to find anyone else there but on a hot Saturday in summer, there were about 30 people and some families picnicing, lounging and boozing by the water. The water was warm and almost everyone was a local who had their own kayaks, rafts and floatation devices. We traded beers for rafts and sat in the middle of the lake for at least an hour. The park closes at 10pm but most people leave around sun down so if you bring music, BUG SPRAY, a lantern and flashlights, and the game Apples to Apples you can have yourself a private lake side party undisturbed from 8 - 10p. Downsides: It costs so much money to go over bridges now from NY to NJ make sure to borrow mom or dad's EZ Pass! DAMN! Again, bring bug spray. My legs are itchy, itchy, itchy now. WARNING: It is very easy to get lost coming to this lake. Your GPS may not know what you're talking about because it's hard to enter a town name for the location in Jersey. Here's how to get there (you can thank me later - just don't tell a lot of people) Take 80 to Exit 1 - the entrance of the delaware water gap rec. area. Ask for a map w/ the person at the visitor's entrance but basically you're looking for a general store that leads you down a windy road (past blue mountain lake) and veer left at the rocky path at the end of the road. There really aren't any signs so getting a map and coming in from Exit 1 is your best bet. ALSO BE CAREFUL if you get lost and someone points you to CRANDon lake. This is Crater Lake and that's what you're looking for. My friend got very lost because of his bad hearing.

This was my first time at Crater Lake. It was a Saturday at 1pm. It was part of a hike that passed…read moreBlue Mountain Lake and Hemlock Pond as well. Since this lake has a nearby parking lot, it was much more populated than the other two, although Hemlock Pond had a good share of visitors. There's a peaceful and back to nature type feel.

PROS: This place was very clean and had nice landscape. Lake is big and you can kayak on it. The…read morepaths are very clear and easy to hike through CONS: There's no parking available as they closed the car bridge that leads to the parking lot for no reason. There's also no out house OVERALL: It's an easy hike and the lake is a nice area to kayak on, just plan where you're going to hike cause the lot is closed

Nice little town preserve! Kayak/Paddle Board rentals. Family friendly. Great for dog walkers!read more

Did you know that Lake Hopatcong is NJ's largest freshwater lake?…read more And did you also know that there's a great little place on the lake that lets you rent all sorts of strange inventions like a 'pedalboard' and a 'hydrobike' (along with the classics like kayaks and paddleboards) - so you can cruise along the lake, get a bit of exercise, fill those lungs with fresh air and more importantly... work up an appetite (so you can hit The Windlass right after)? I tell you it's true. All true. There were six of us (celebrating a birthday) - 5 on hydrobikes, 1 on a pedalboard. The lake is drop dead gorgeous and we went when it was still early and a bit overcast so it wasn't too crowded with boats and jet-skis and the like. (Waves/wakes from other boats can really dampen your own fun... so that stuff matters a bit.) But I gotta be honest: it was a lot of work. Unlike a kayak where you might get a nice 'bite' with your oar and can coast a bit... the bike is akin to being pneumatic (you stop pedaling and you almost immediately come to a halt as well). And those seats? They are not comfortable at all. Sore dupas all around (the following day as well, actually). But we all had a great time. The crew (Patty and Joe, I believe) were really cool, total professionals, and we always felt like we were safe as well having a great time exploring some of the lake and adjoining islands and whatnot. (We would definitely return in the future but would lean towards a kayak and not do the bikes again.) Wear sunblock, bring water, not sure if it was just me but my right foot was pretty soaked by the end whereas my left was dry (so you'd be better off wearing an old ratty pair of sneakers, regardless). Post-pedal was The Windlass (excellent) as well as some mini-golf (also excellent). Lots to do in this lovely part of Jersey. (But it'll cost ya!)

A cousin of mine tried the hydrobikes and lived it, so I thought I would give it a try. I asked a…read morefriend to come with me and he said it looked like a pain in the ass. I made a reservation online. Patty was so friendly and made it a great time! She let me use some sun block and fill up my reusable cup at their water fountain. She told me that I would probably like the standup paddle board better because it had better maneuverability. I took her advice. It was a lot of excise and fun as we rode around and she told me about the history and pointed out different areas around the lake. We even picked up some trash from inside the lake and it made me happy to know that there are good people out there who are also passionate about the environment. It was hot and I "accidentally" fell in and got to enjoy the water a little bit. Patty also gave me restaurant and hiking recommendations around the area and even took a picture of me. You may be able to call and make a same day appointment, but online will only allow the following day. I don't think it's with bringing or risking losing your camera or phone out on the lake, there isn't anything really photo worthy.

Such a wonderful experience. Such a peaceful lake, trails and beach. So well kept and beautifully…read morepreserved.

Hermoso muy lindo y agradable . Todo à la perfection la naturaleza lo es todo . Para compartir en…read morefamilia

PROS: This site park is a very nice hiking area. I parked at the lot by the lake and there was…read moreloads of parking. The lake is good to swim in (despite signs telling you not to go in), and the trails are endless. CONS: No trash bins, some of the trails have overgrown plants near the trails OVERALL: As long as you wear brush pants you should be good. The views are amazing as well! Just watch out for ticks, snakes, and bears and they are all common in the area

This was our first time here and we came during the right season!! BEAUTIFUL fall foliage…read moreeverywhere! We were here with a group of fairly experienced hikers, so we opted for one of the more difficult trails: the blue trail. However, they have multiple trails, with the red one being one of the easiest routes as it's mostly flat. The red trail rams you to the lake which is absolutely beautiful! We were here on a Sunday for an all-day experience, and we noticed that it was pretty well-trafficked - lots of hikers everywhere! But not enough to be considered crowded. All in all, we had an amazing experience!! Would definitely recommend, especially in the fall season. Heads-up: the visitor center closes at 5pm and therefore the restrooms close at 5pm. We learned this the hard way after returning from our hike!

We rented a pontoon in the early morning. There were hardly any other boats in the water this…read moreparticular morning. Loved the pontoon and the lake was super calm. Can't wait to do this again.

This was an awesome impromptu boat outing. Hubby got his boating license during the pandemic and we…read morehave been renting boats ever since. It's a nice sense of freedom during vacations and even in our hometown. We've rented boats from many places but usually private owners. Renting at Greenwood Lake was a pleasantly different experience. We originally planned a full Saturday outing with a large group of friends but due to some unfortunate circumstances, many of them could not make it for that day and because the weather initially forecasted unfavorably, we decided to cancel the boat. Luckily, we were able to receive a 100% refund earlier around Wednesday/Thursday. The weather forecast ended up changing and looking way more favorable, so we decided to book a 3 hour rental with just hubby, our little kiddo and myself. I was concerned because there were only very early or late afternoon bookings but we settled on a 4-7p rental. They're located a little over an hour from us and they have lots of parking. You might have to wait a bit for customers to leave and for spits to open up in their main parking area but there is additional parking located within walking distance. We lucked out with some parking right in front. The upside with booking here is that they have a convenience store located at the rental office. You can add additional incidentals to your booking, including coolers, ice, waters, tubes, floating islands, kayaks, etc. You can even book a captain if you're not comfortable with or have no experience driving boats. They prefer you to arrive 45 minutes prior to your booking if it's your first time driving, or 30 minutes prior if you've driven before. We arrived 30 minutes prior, parked and hubby completed the booking transaction at the office before we headed down to the dock to retrieve our boat. There was a bit of a wait as the boat had been taken out and we were awaiting it's return. The pontoon boat we had, Cast Away, is on the older side. It has carpet which is super weird when wet (kinda gross but you get used to it). They must take very good care of it because, despite being carpeted, it showed no signs of mildew or smells or anything. It was just weird but I know many homes in the 70s had carpeted bathrooms so, go fig? Our original boat was the double-decker with slide and it looked to be newer. They have CLEAN portable bathrooms on the premises and many, "hands on deck", to assist with docking and un-docking. Kevin, one of the guys working here, helped us to take the boat out of the slip. He showed us where we should go and we set off. Because we only had a few hours, we drove south a bit, anchored in the sun and enjoyed a day of swimming before heading back to the bock. Kevin met us once again, and docked the boat for us. All that was left was to pack up our car and head home. We had an awesome time and will most definitely be back. We'll definitely plan better and get a newer boat. Pro Tip: take the less than 15 minute drive over to Bellvale Farms Creamery for some deliciously creamy ice cream (homemade with their own cows milk!) and sunset views...a wonderful end to an amazing day.