The Best Hiking in New Jersey

Drive 5.2 miles north on Route 29 from the center of Stockton, NJ and you will come across a very small parking lot on the left side of the road. If you park your car there, walk back south on Route 29 about 50 feet, and cross over to the woods-side of the road. There you will find the trailhea...

The parking lot is a big dirt lot, so if it's raining or has rained, be prepared. The immediate falls are located mere steps from the parking lot, so on holiday weekends, be prepared for crowds. But if you walk around, up the stairs and over the bridges, you'll get different angels of the falls A...

One of New Jerseys best kept secrets has to be the Ken Lockwood Gorge. If you are looking for a relaxing, beautiful, and nature packs place then this area is perfect for you. You can access the gorge from two different points, either by driving down Raritan River Rd. and parking right before you ...

If you're on Kingwood Stockton Road, there will be a dirt road with a Lockatong Nature Preserve sign before it (going north on Kingwood Stockton Road, the sign will be on your left. If you're driving south, the sign will be on your right). Just drive all the way until the end of the dirt road and...

This popular hike starts out on the Appalachian Trail (AT, white blazes). You begin on a boardwalk that crosses over a marsh, then you leave the boardwalk and enter a forested area. At around 1.4 miles, follow a bicycle path, Canal Road, then turn right, cross over a bridge, and take a left throu...

This is a short but strenuous hike to a bluff overlooking the Delaware River and surrounding mountains and hills. The summit makes a good spot for a picnic or just for relaxing and watching the sunset. The entire hike also has plenty of beautiful photo ops, especially in the Fall. Find the trailh...

Nestled within the more urban and suburban communities in Northern New Jersey, you can escape back to nature at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The name says it all - this place is the perfect opportunity to get up close to a variety of different wildlife that call this protected land home....

Begin at the MacEvoy Trailhead (blue blazes), at the end of the parking lot. A moderate uphill climb and stream crossing will take you up towards Ramapo Lake. Following the blazes, take two left turns, then a right, as the trail approaches the shoreline. Feel free to explore the area along the la...

This is a relatively easy hike through Hacklebarney State Park that is great for families with younger children, rock scrambling, photography, and just hanging out in nature. There are two different ways to explore Hacklebarney, either by staying on the packed gravel path or by following the bank...

Bearfort Mountain is a great weekend morning hike that borders NJ and NY. Parking can be tricky as the entrance to the lot looks like it is Greenwood Lake Marina's boat storage area. Once parked, find the trail entrance at the top of the little hill and continue to the blue on white marked trail....

This is a fairly easy hike that is great for the whole family to see the fall foliage and experience a great waterfall. It is a short hike through the woods to get to the falls with other loops available for those that want to hike more.

This is a fun hike that is great for the entire family. The trails are really well maintained and Tripod Rock is a pretty amazing feature to check out. You can hike to the rock and follow your steps back to the parking lot for a 3 mile round trip or continue along the trail for a 4.4 mile loop. I...

The easiest way to access this loop hike is by parking at the Palisades State Park Headquarters.  This is just off exit 2 from the Palisades Interstate Parkway.  Parking here is free and it is a short walk down a road to the Closter Dock Trail.  The Closter Dock Trail is more of a wide fire road ...

An 8-mile network of maintained trails traversing this Preserve, Mountain Lakes North, John Witherspoon Woods,parts of Tusculum (private) and Community Park North makes a variety of loop hikes possible. Pathways include a boardwalk (over wetlands) and paved bicycle roads. Click here for a trail...

I stumbled upon the Sunflower Maze by accident when I was driving through NJ and was quickly distracted by the enormous yellow flowers. So of course, I had to check it out! It opens at 9AM and last admission is at 6PM. The maze is only open from around August to October for the flower bloom. 3...

Apart from the rock, there's more trail to follow for a stunning overview and a great spot to hang out and relax. The view is a must-see, it is so much better in person. The hike is not challenging at all, it is basically a straight trail. Climbing some medium sized rocks might be required, but i...