Complete hike details, photos, and video on our Sterling Forest page.

Finally a “cool” 80 degree partly-sunny day… what a nice change.

Sterling Forest is just over the NJ-NY border in New York, to the west of Harriman State Park. We hadn’t been there in awhile, and decided to check out the Bare Rock trail and Greenwood Lake overlook. There is a small viewpoint trail from the Bare Rock trail that leads to an open area with a wide view over Greenwood lake and makes for a nice break spot.

After that we just put our route together as we went, and ended up at the fire tower, which was open.  Even though it was overcast that day, the 360° views were nice. There are two other nice small overlooks, before and after the fire tower. Near the visitor center, you can check out an old iron furnace and some other building ruins. Read more…

NJ Hiking Sterling Forest Moderate Hike, New York, Viewpoint

Complete hike details, photos, and video on our Stairway to Heaven page.

Gorgeous and diverse section of the Appalachian Trail through northern NJ….

Hike first on boardwalks through marshy areas and over the Pochuck Suspension Bridge, then through hardwood forest, tall fields of wildflowers, over train tracks, a cow pasture (watch for cow pies!) and a boulder field.

All of this before steeply climbing up Wawayanda mountain on the “Stairway to Heaven” – lots of stone steps up switchbacks – to one of the best viewpoints in NJ: Pinwheel Vista. You can see the Kittatinny Mountains in the distance, farms in the valley below, and on a clear day, High Point Monument is visible. Read more…

NJ Hiking Highlands, Wawayanda Appalachian Trail, Moderate Hike, North NJ, Viewpoint

Complete hike details, photos, and video on our Lemon Squeezer page.

The Lemon Squeezer is a rock formation on the Appalachian Trail in Harriman State Park, NY. It’s a really interesting and fun section of the trail: The AT goes through an opening created by rocks, then you need to squeeze through a narrow section about 8-10′ long. After the Squeezer, you can scramble up a rock face, or you skirt off to the left and follow the “easy way” sign.

The scramble up is harder than it appears – or at least it was harder than I recalled. (it’s been a few years, but a guy with a backpack going before us yelled out a few choice words as he went up it so…)

This loop passes by Island Pond, then gets to the Lemon Squeezer. Continue on the AT then loop back on the Long Path near a low, swampy area. The Lichen trail was really overgrown but leads you to a wide rocky face with views to the west. Plenty of boulders to sit and take a break on, and one with a tree providing shade. The trail ends at Ramapo-Dundenberg and continues over these open rock slabs with lots of blueberry bushes. The terrain reminded us a little of being out West. Read more…

NJ Hiking Harriman/Bear Mtn Blueberries, Moderate Hike

Complete hike details, photos, and video on our Torne Mountain page.

The views just didn’t stop on this hike… Hewitt-Butler trail follows along the ridge so there are views almost the whole way. Gorgeous.

There are 360 degree views from Osio Rock (too hot-n-hazy to see NYC today), and we assume most people turn around here. We had intended to as well, and go back to Otter Hole to add in a loop from the main part of Norvin, but changed our mind and decided that since the trail goes off the map edge with the notation “To Camp Vacamas, 1 Mile”…. we needed to see where that took us. Read more…

NJ Hiking Norvin Green Blueberries, Moderate Hike, North NJ, Viewpoint

Complete hike details, photos, and video on our Turkey Mountain page.

Only had time for a short hike this weekend, so we headed to Turkey Mountain. This is located across the road from Pyramid Mountain in Boonton, NJ. Turkey Mountain has some nice hiking, but most people tend to head over to Pyramid for Tripod Rock and Bear Rock etc. Pyramid and Turkey offer easy access to decent hiking, and is also a great place for beginners.

5.4 miles, moderate, minimal elevation gain. 4 viewpoints: two obscured, one of a lake, and one of the NYC skyline (very faint in the day’s humid haze). Also pass the ruins of a house.

This is pretty much the longest loop you can put together on the Turkey Mountain side without duplicating trail sections. Easily make a longer day by combining this loop with one at Pyramid as well. Read more…

NJ Hiking Morris County Parks Central Jersey, Moderate Hike, Viewpoint