Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23 Posted June 6, 2012 long story short, used to be a boy scout, miss hiking big time. looking for good trails to go hiking on preferably not the ones w perfect paths and tons of people. looking for something up north, suggestions? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandy 44 Posted June 6, 2012 Ramapo Mountain has good hiking. Get a trail map to pick your level of hike . If you are willing to travel into NY about 1 1/2 or so , check out Devil's Tombstone for a few real real challenging hikes. It is by Hunter Mountain and you can camp there. The trails range from an easy long hike , to grueling scrambling up on your hands and feet type stuff. Of course there is also the Gunks . Extreme hiking is available , as well as tame stuff. Also about 1 1/2 outside of North Jersey http://www.gunkguide.com/09June/0906010-hiking.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greatgunstatenj 32 Posted June 6, 2012 These series of books have some pretty good hikes in them. I have NJ and Maine, they have served me well in the past. http://www.countrymanpress.com/titles/50HikesNJ2.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23 Posted June 6, 2012 Ramapo Mountain has good hiking. Get a trail map to pick your level of hike . If you are willing to travel into NY about 1 1/2 or so , check out Devil's Tombstone for a few real real challenging hikes. It is by Hunter Mountain and you can camp there. The trails range from an easy long hike , to grueling scrambling up on your hands and feet type stuff. Of course there is also the Gunks . Extreme hiking is available , as well as tame stuff. Also about 1 1/2 outside of North Jersey http://www.gunkguide...010-hiking.html gonna try to get out to ramapo sometime this week. im sure i'll be able to check out devs tombstone by the end of this summer also, thanks for the suggestions! I'll update the thread w pics once i go These series of books have some pretty good hikes in them. I have NJ and Maine, they have served me well in the past. http://www.countryma...50HikesNJ2.html Thanks but im not really one to read books lol. would just go to waste after the first time I looked at it, appreciate it though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sigman 41 Posted June 6, 2012 Ramapo Mountain is a great place. I mountain bike there. It's about 20 miles from Ramapo Mtn to Ringwood State Park. I forget the exit number, but it's off 287 W. a few exits (west) past Butler. Maybe Skyline Drive? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malsua 1,422 Posted June 6, 2012 A fun hike is the Appalachian trail from 94 in Vernon to near the entrance of Wawayanda over in West Milford. The first mile of the trip is pretty much UP and will take an hour for a normal person. It's a strenuous hike but it's awesome at the top. From Barret road to Wawayanda it's mostly flat but it's a nice hike. You can always go the other direction. People usually go with 2 cars, parking one at the end and driving to the beginning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLugNutZ 21 Posted June 6, 2012 In for some info. I feel exactly as the OP. The last few years with having a new family and stuff its sometimes tough to find time for this type of stuff, but i REALLY want to get back into it as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Glock guy 1,127 Posted June 6, 2012 Two good resources for finding trails in NY and NJ are these: http://www.njhiking.com/ http://www.nynjtc.com/ I do a lot of trail running, and I'm always looking for trails that are not too rugged, kind of the opposite of what you're looking for. So if you find any like that, be sure to let me know. There are couple of trails right from Cherry Ridge that are used for biathlons up there. The nicer is the one that heads north up to Wawayanda. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david8613 69 Posted June 6, 2012 yes yes ringwood, i have been mountain biking there since 1998! great trails for riding, hiking, they have the botanical gardens there too, plus you can go swimming, fishing, boating and barbecue at sheperds lake, i go there all the time... there is a shotgun range near by that i can hear but not sure where it is!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parker 213 Posted June 6, 2012 yes yes ringwood, i have been mountain biking there since 1998! great trails for riding, hiking, they have the botanical gardens there too, plus you can go swimming, fishing, boating and barbecue at sheperds lake, i go there all the time... there is a shotgun range near by that i can hear but not sure where it is!!! That's Thunder Mountain you hear. It's at the top of the hill above Sheperd Lake. Go up that road behind the old stone church and the range is at the top. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sigman 41 Posted June 6, 2012 That's Thunder Mountain trap & skeet. I forget the name of the road it's on, but it's not far from the swimming lake. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LorenzoS 100 Posted June 6, 2012 Get yourself any of the trail maps from New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, available at Amazon as well as most outdoor stores: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=New%20York-New%20Jersey%20Trail%20Conference&search-alias=books&sort=relevancerank We've been exploring those in Bear Mountain for years and haven't run out of choices yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RecessedFilter 222 Posted June 7, 2012 I love the AT but there are other nice areas in northwestern NJ, eastern PA, and NY. I backpack much more frequently during the winter more than the summer for a number of different reasons so I can't really give you great choices for summer. It's hard to find areas that aren't crowded during summer, at least in my experience. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david8613 69 Posted June 7, 2012 that's one thing for sure shepards lake has gotten somewhat crowded the last 2 years, the secret got out I guess, I remember when I first started going to back in 1998 there were like 2 to 3 families on the beach that's it! wow I can't believe thunder mountain was right there all this time, can anyone go shoot there? I got a pistol grip h&r pump 12 pump, lol... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adam 6 Posted June 7, 2012 Any trail in the Delaware Gap is great. I'd also like to get back into hiking more but it's been hard lately... Maybe someday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLugNutZ 21 Posted June 8, 2012 i would love to hike in PA so I could carry at the same time... def going to check this stuff out.. maybe we should get a group thing going! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23 Posted June 11, 2012 appreciate all the responses ITT, will update w pics once i finally get out. got hung up this past week Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parker 213 Posted June 14, 2012 Just be careful if you bring a pet hiking. There are porcupines up on the AT and they don't mesh well with canines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rdsmith3 19 Posted June 14, 2012 I hiked the AT last August with my son one afternoon. Here is the view from Sunrise Mountain. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parker 213 Posted June 15, 2012 The AT is such a pretty hike in some areas. Just watch for Eastern timber rattlers out sunning themselves and black bears feeding on blueberries. It's that time of year. http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/little-egg-harbor-township-man-bit-while-helping-rattlesnake-cross/article_c4c23d80-99f3-11e0-bc78-001cc4c03286.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan 177 Posted June 15, 2012 I'm heading to Allamuchy State Park tomorrow. Going to start out on the manicured ex-railroad trail , then peel off in search of abandoned mines in the woods. There are many up there, dating back to the late 1700's. Not going in any, just looking at. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wojo 98 Posted June 16, 2012 Took one of my daughter's backpacking / camping a couple of weeks ago by Bushkill. Nice state park that had about 13 / 15 miles. I feel better about having my kids with me and being able to carry a handgun...and bear spray. Go on Amazon and buy a few books on NJ backpacking or hiking. I got two books for NJ and PA. Geocaching is something my kids are getting into as well. Quality family time in the woods is priceless. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entropi 0 Posted June 16, 2012 AT is real nice. If you're near NYC and only have a few hours, there's 'bombay hook'/'the giant stairs': http://www.njpalisades.org/hikes_challenging.htm It goes along the hudson river and you get some surprisingly scenic views. When you finish you can also get some great burgers at the filling station: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-filling-station-palisades Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RS1200XL 4 Posted June 16, 2012 AT is real nice. If you're near NYC and only have a few hours, there's 'bombay hook'/'the giant stairs': http://www.njpalisad...challenging.htm It goes along the hudson river and you get some surprisingly scenic views. When you finish you can also get some great burgers at the filling station: http://www.yelp.com/...ation-palisades I usually trail run this when I get time. However, my uncle who also runs it often told me they just had a bad rock slide in May, just below the overlook. The area might be out of service for some time. Article: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/05/17/residents-recall-seeing-rock-slide-at-palisades-cliffs-in-new-jersey/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hcasillasjr 1 Posted July 2, 2012 I just recently hiked Black River in Chester NJ. Great hike. You can get info at njhiking.com or nynjtc.org. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23 Posted July 30, 2012 "Stairway to heaven"...off the AT trail head on Route 94 near heaven hill farm...you will NOT be disappointed.......... will be my next trip after tomorrow, life has been way to crazy since making this thread. going to bear mtn tomorrow, hopefully theres a good view espesh since im lugging the camera Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_stranger 13 Posted July 30, 2012 One of my favs. the Long Path out of Nyack. Start out at Nyack Beach State Park, make your way to the Long Path and head North. There are several places to cross down to the Hook Mtn/Nyack Beach bikeway for the return trip (good for some running). Not sure of the distances as it has been several years since I have been there. Great views of the Hudson (and Ossining prison). Across the Hudson Pocantico Hills and Rockefeller Park are both nice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23 Posted July 31, 2012 http://i49.tinypic.com/2wciaua.jpg we took the hardest trail which was pretty steep at parts but nothing too bad. legs were super sore from squatting the day before which made things harder than they should've but we made it. my shirt changed from blue to black by the top just to see all the people that drove up there Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites