The Palisades Interstate Park follows the west bank of the Hudson River from Fort Lee at the base of the George Washington Bridge to the New York State line and beyond where it blends with other parks in the Palisades Park System. The New Jersey portion of the park contains 25 plus miles of hiking trails that follow both above the cliffs of the palisades as well as below along the banks of the Hudson. Inside the park are many historic locations and lookout spots for sightseeing across the river at Manhattan, the Bronx and points north, and other interesting points such as series of year round waterfalls. Hikes in … Continue reading →

Watchung Reservation offers 13 miles of hiking along the valley and ridge of the lower Watchung Mountains and is located in Union County near the town of Mountainside and is easily accessible from RT 78 or RT 22. Those out for a leisurely afternoon will find the trails along Lake Surprise and the Blue Brook to be calming and scenic. The historic abandoned village of Feltville is also a nice walk, particularly in the fall. If you want to get a few more miles in, explore deeper into the western park of the park for hiking over the basalt ridge line and through forests and pine groves. A look at … Continue reading →

South Mountain Reservation is a 2000+ acre park located in Essex County bordering the towns of Millburn, South Orange and Maplewood. The hilly park follows along the ridge of the lower Watchung mountain range and offers many easy to moderate hiking options for those looking to get in a long day or just going out with the children. The 34 mile Lenape Trail [yellow blazes] runs the length of the park. Geographic highlights include two ponds along dammed sections of the Rahway River, Hemlock Falls and a few other smaller water falls, basalt rock formations [including the famous Turtle Back Rock], and various overlooks to the east with views of … Continue reading →