This is an amazing hike! It's almost all shaded and once you climb the rocks, straight up on blue,…read moreit's quite an easy hike. Guys we hiked blue to purple to blue to orange (which comes back to blue and the parking lot) and it took 2 hours and 3 miles. We met people who thought the whole thing took 45 minutes and had the water to go with that. This is an intermediate hike and you really need the water, as well as trail map or at least pic of trail map, to make it happily. We met so many lost people on the trail. It's not marked as well as you think. Also we took the pup who thought lake at first sight, meant jump. Pro tip; keep them out of the lake. It's full of stagnant water and stinking mud. Your nose will thank me. Instead enjoy the bubbly creek crossing before and after the hike.

The fam was looking to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather that we have been having. I…read morerecalled doing this hike a number of years ago and enjoyed it, so decided to give it another try. The parking lot was not the biggest, but there seemed to be many spots on the street. Fortunately we were able to find a spot in the lot though. It is dog friendly, so we brought our little guy too. Since the my younger son is only 7 we decided to do the hike (blue trail) to Tripod rock and back, which is about 3 miles. It does have some incline, but didn't receive any complaints about this from the fam. Also there are a bunch of stones on the hiking path, so be careful not to trip. The trail is marked well (apart from one point towards the tripod rock where it splits) so we were able to get to our destination fairly easily. It wasn't too crowded, which was nice.

Short beginner level 1 to 1-1/2 mile well marked trails. 4 trails in all: 2 lead to Glenwild…read moreAvenue and 2 lead to Reeve Avenue. We enjoy going on this hike with ourselves or our dog. For those who have dogs, there is a dog park at the Glenwild Avenue entrance, before heading into the trail.

Very nice hiking trails in the forest. But watch out for bears! Very quiet tranquil placeread more

I visited this trail for the first time and was actually quite surprised at how good of a hike it…read morewas. I haven't heard much about it so I didn't expect much. Upon arrival there is a small parking lot, with a kiosk and the usual map of the trails. I used primarily the red and yellow trails to reach the top of the mountain. The view is nice, with a little bit of obstruction due to the trees. On a clear day you can easily see New York City. At the top of the mountain there is also a star with lights on it that I believe was donated. In addition to this, there is a large rock with the American flag painted on it. These are two little interesting things to see in addition to the view. The hike itself was fairly easy, with one steep section before reaching the top. I would say it is definitely a good hike if you live nearby and want to go for a hike without taking a longer drive. The one negative, is that in some areas the trails are not properly marked and can be a little confusing. This doesn't seem to be too big of an issue because it seems they all end meeting back together at some point.

In high school we used to have keg parties on top of the mountain. In college fraternities and…read moresororities would have events in these woods too. You can follow the trails or there's other ways up the mountain. You can ride your mountain to the top of the mountain or through to the Franklin lakes preserve but there's a lot of area where trees are down or there is too much water. There's a great view and plenty of space once you get to the top of the mountain. You can find "buttermilk falls" by the North Haledon entrance to the college.

This is one of my favorite local hikes. Its not too far of a drive if you are coming from Bergen…read moreCounty like myself. Upon arrival there is a pretty decent size lot with a good amount of parking. I have never had an issue finding a spot. The hikes are pretty calm with nothing being too strenuous. But you can still get a good hike in. There is a huge lake, a waterfall, some old foundations, a few old tanks, and a dam. So there is a lot to see here. There is even one point where you can see what appears to be an old jeep off one of the trails. This is a good hike if you want to get a good walk in without it being to tough. There is also plenty to see throughout the hikes.

This is our first hike that we took in NJ and although we did not see any bears (thankfully!!) - my…read morehusband did pull out a huge dog tick which was making its way into my skin!! This was absolutely my nightmare come true and I am partially to blame for because I did not spray an insect repellant. I also did not wear clothing that covered my stomach (it was hot!). Anyways, apart from that little scare, it was a beautiful hike. There are a few different trails (based on difficulty) which are detailed on a billboard at the entrance. There are a ton of squirrels and chipmunks running around...like A TON! So don't get scared and think it's a bear. The Butler Reservoir is a beautiful scenery and you can take some awesome pictures! Also, the trail itself is pretty rocky. TIPS: *Wear good hiking shoes, there are some steep/slippery areas and it's rocky most of the way. *Spray insect repellant, inspect your exposed skin for ticks AND take a shower right after you get home. Remove the tick very slowly to prevent the head from breaking off. *If you see a bear - DO NOT RUN! Scream and make yourself appear bigger/more scary by waving hands. *Take a lot of beautiful pictures! *Plan and follow the trail. The trail is available on google maps if you ever get lost and there are color coded markings on the trees throughout the hike. And most importantly - HAVE FUN!

This is a hidden gem! We live in Wayne, a couple of miles away, and recently discovered Woodland…read moreLake as a great place to take walks with our dog. She loves walking around the lake and exploring the trails. We're avid sailors, and discovered what a great place this would be to hold SEAS Bergen's basic sailing instruction, since it has such great facilities for boating.

One of America's most glamorous spots. The Kardashian sisters are frequent visitors, spotted…read moreNatalia Vodianova in a canoe here this evening, Brigitte Bardot used to hang out, the port-a-potty has an 18 karat gold seat. to experience all this exquisite voluptiousness vicariously you can hike the 1 mile loop trail around this lake for free but to fish or boat you have to be a resident of Pequannock Township and pay a membership fee. picnic area with a campfire pit - campfire by permit only... next to a busy road and some light industrial areas not a particularly attractive vicinity..

This is a great club to join. Awesome place for families, meeting new friends, lots of outdoor…read moreactivities year round in a woodsy setting. LOVE IT!!!

4.5 stars I recently…read morerevisited the Deer Lake Club with friends who are members, and I had a lovely afternoon. We drove up and down through winding suburban roads and almost drove right past the entrance to the club, as the sign was just a small red deer on a post. We drove down the dirt path and arrived at the gate, where a young student needed to check us in. For some reason he was having a tough time locating our names on the guest list, but eventually was able to allow us to enter. There were two parking lots that were essentially full, but we were able to catch someone as they were leaving for the day. We grabbed our bags and headed over to the small beach area, where there was a section blocked off for shallow swimming with a lifeguard present. They even allowed rafts and floaties in that part of the lake. Beyond the designated swimming area was a beautiful, massive lake where they were having a race that afternoon and where people typically enjoyed boating. There was a pier for fishing, as well. Food was not allowed on the beach, but there were plenty of picnic tables and Adirondack chairs scattered across grassy areas that were reserved for that purpose. In fact, though they had a snack bar with ice cream, grilled foods, and snacks, they even allowed people to bring their own meals. In addition, my friends told me that they had been able to secure a locker for this summer, after an extended period of being on the waitlist. By having on-site storage, they were able to keep all of their chairs, floats, umbrellas, etc. only a few steps from the beach, rather than needing to drag everything home full of sand and to track down a place to keep it all. Lastly, I learned that the lake had various events, like movie nights. Deer Lake Club really seemed to care about its members with its slew of amenities. Plus, it was just a very peaceful and pristine place to relax during warmer months.

On our random visit, entrances to the Lambert Castle and Tower were closed, but the road was open…read more We were able to admire this lovely structure from outside. Our intention anyway was to go hiking. That was accomplished. From the area of the tower, which sits higher than the castle, some panoramic views can be seen ofthe surrounding cityscape. You can also find other hiking trails that lead you further along the hilltop. A perfectly beautiful day also makes this spot... - lovely for a picnic - picturesque for a photoshoot - ideal for a background in your vlog - an escape from the noise of a busy week - nice for a nap or daydream - sweet for something romantic - zen for meditation

I took a tour of Lambert Castle a couple days prior and felt the need to explore the tower up the…read morehill. It was beautiful! Elegant stone work. A trellis covered in vines. Views of nature all the way to NYC that would've been glorious many decades ago. The valley is a bit over developed now, but still impressive. This tower would've been an extension of the extravagant home below. Just walking around it gives you a sense of power and incorporation into nature on this unique mountain in the middle of a densely populated city. Garret mountain, holds this gem, and many others. Well worth a visit!

Our pup loves taking walks at the Tourne! They have multiple paths so the chances of running into…read morelots of people and other dogs are very slim, which is great for us as he's still in training and is reactive.

This location is an absolutely lovely spot to go for a hike. My SO and I got to explore the park on…read morea quiet Monday morning, there weren't many people around. The trails were clearly marked and very clean, making our trek enjoyable. We hiked to the top of Tourne, enjoying the fresh air and views. We also got to explore the Emily K. Hammond Wildflower Trail, which was a nice detour from the normal trails. We'll be returning once the flowers are expected to bloom so we can learn more about the species on the trail.

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.

Come here for a quick workout . You can do 2 miles and see horses and other wildlife. This place is…read moresecure there's camera surveillance. Such a great place to come and relax. They also have fitness bars to do pull-ups however I'm not at that level yet.

Happy New Year friends!…read more 2026 is my year (I say this every year) and I wanted to center my well-being today. So I joined my body affirming hiking group (ask about us!) for our Jan. 1 First Day Hike to Garret Mountain. Imagine our collective surprise when we woke up to a phantom overnight snowstorm! Still we persisted. Our group of 6 was suited and hiking booted for the wooded trails only to discover a thick layer of ice under and over the rocks headed into the forests. Even our microspikes wouldn't have been much help due to the steep declines. So we backtracked and decided to walk the auto loop instead. We got a mile into our 3 miles and Passaic County PD came around and announced the park was closing due to ice and dangerous conditions. So we walked back up to the auto lookout and headed out. 2 of 3 miles wasn't bad considering that I was cold in places I've never been cold before, and had just said to my friend, "I have a bad feeling about this hike today" right before we had to come out of the woods due to ice. Listen to your intuition! I know this park will be stunning in spring so I can't wait to return. The mountain views and gorgeous NYC skyline are not to be missed. Keep in mind: -The Tower was closed for maintenance so check before you go -Microspikes are a must in the winter - and even then... -It's a good 7-8 degrees colder up high in the park. 22 felt like 15. -the wildlife does not gaf. The deer stepped to us as if WE were the exhibit. Love that for them tbh.