I never knew this place even existed until my coworker invited me to go fishing with him on his…read moreboat. This "pond" is actually a huge beautiful lake surrounded by some beach, some wooden docks with boats, rocky cliffs, trees, a yacht club and million dollar mansions. The Green Pond is also the name of the surrounding private residential lakeside community. You need a badge, sort of like a beach badge to officially be allowed onto the beach and lake. My coworker had one for me since his parents have a house in the community surrounding the lake. The pond itself is beautiful and goes down about 8-12 feet in depth in most areas of the lake. We went out around 6:30 pm and caught 4 decent sized fish before sundown. We threw them back as it was more about the sport. It was a gorgeous evening with the skies blue. We cracked some beers and had some subs. It was super peaceful and so relaxing. The lake was simply fantastic. I guess you kind of need to know someone or actually live in this community to access the lake, so if you ever get the opportunity, definitely check this place out.

This is a PRIVATE LAKE. Unless you live here you are NOT ALLOWED ON THE PREMISES…read more I live here and we don't allow the pubic access. We pay a lot in Lake Dues to keep the Lake Beautiful. There are other places you can go, right up the road to Monksville Reservoir in Ringwood.

This is one of several beaches in this beautiful Erskine Lake community. Parking is available but…read morecan be rather limited when the lake is "in-season" for swimming. The clubhouse probably fits about 50, possibly a bit more comfortably. There is a full kitchen for any prep work. Upper lake has a much larger venue if you need it.

It's a great place for me to run. It's flatter than most areas around here. It's also very…read moretranquil, and beautiful to watch as you run along the path.The path around the large pond is wide, which is great for the amount of people that are coming through there and many of the areas around the paths have shade, which makes it great for running as well. There's a large parking area with lots of parking space which is a convenient. When you come into the reserve it's off of the highway. The an entrance which is one way in and then the exit on the opposite end of the lot which is one way out. The only drawback from me was that there were a number of people in the park with their dogs unleashed and the dog should be leashed . Which makes it difficult and unnerving for a runner to see a dog come out and not see the owner close by.

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.

Reasonably priced, readily stocked and friendly staff. They offer kayaks both signed and double,…read morepaddle boards, peddle boats and row boats. Easy to access, staff assists you into the water and out. Life vest are provided. They also operate on beautiful lakes.

Poor Equipments. Staff are terrible. We went there as two couples. we rented a paddle boat. as soon…read moreas we started we called them advised that the equipment is not working, it's just not paddling as it's supposed to be. they said we will be right with you, after waiting for more than 30 minutes not moving in the water, the staff came and he started pushing us back toward the dock. And he goes like nothing wrong with the equipment it's moving. I requested to call the manager to look at the camera to actually see that the equipment was not even working, then Zack replied and I requested to replace the equipment only he's like oh ok just send us an email and we will see what we can do. This is the worst paddling I have ever been to.

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

Absolutely love this spot! Such a great place to come for a small hike when you wanna enjoy a nice…read moreday. I got here nice and early on a Thursday morning and it was pretty empty. Parking is plenty. I can imagine weekends it gets crowded but there's overflow parking on your way in. Gorgeous selection of two trails, I usually do both to get some extra steps in. Altogether doing both trails is about 2.5 miles. Tons of beautiful views all around. Very very dog friendly as well. I always see a few dogs on the trail. They also do kayak rentals during the summer which seems super fun. Great spot!

If you ever need a timeout and take a break, this is one of the best drives in the state of New…read moreYork. The drive takes you past lakes, the beautiful green scenery etc. If you plan to drive here at night, it is pitch dark, I don't recall seeing a light post. There is a boating dock along the drive. It is close to the Woodbury outlets and bear mountain, so you can make a full day of activities. Restrooms may be hard to come by.

This is a great drive, especially in the fall. In fact, I came here twice in the last 2 weeks (and…read morethis is over an hour away from my place). Fun roads, with minimal traffic (at least early). Lots of great scenery. There are a few cool small roads that intersect it that are really fun. Many hiking options. We did one that was fairly nice, and a little challenging in fact (some minor climbing). I can't remember the name, but the entrance is right by the visitor center. Tip: Storm King Hwy is not far, and is a REALLY fun drive!

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.

I visited Ringwood State Park for a hike with a hiking group I'm apart of. This park has a lot of…read morecool sights to see as you go along the trail. When you first arrive, you arrive at a big house/mansion. I didn't get to read much on the history of this house, but the grounds were beautiful. They also gave a bit of a creepy vibe at times. The trail was fairly easy to hike. However, there was a part where you have to walk across a river. You have to be careful because some of rocks are slippery. I think this would be a good place to hike in the fall around Halloween just because of the creepy vibes.

Maybe not as well known but Ringwood State Park is a pleasure to walk with a lot of trails! The…read morearea around Shepherd Lake is beautiful and a perfect place to walk around with a cup of coffee. Also no fees for admission or parking! Follow my Instagram and TikTok @thephotographerfoodie for more! :)