Ramapo Valley County Reservation
Ramapo Valley County Reservation
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
32 reviews
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Rochelle F
Randolph, NJ1,195 contributions
Jun 2020
We randomly decided to hike this park this weekend (each time we try a new one) and the parking lot gate was closed, although the lot was not full. We did about 3 turns as we tried to figure out what to do, when suddenly the staff opened the gates (this was about 3:30 on a Sat). Our luck, we entered and parked. Lots of people in this park, o/w 75-80% were not wearing masks. There are port a potties available to use at entrance to park from the parking lot. We did the Vista Loop (yellow). Hiking sticks are useful as there is a fair amount of uphill walking (and then downhill). Once you leave the first waterfall area, many fewer people. It took us about 2 ½ hours (with stops to enjoy the vistas (which are wonderful - you can see NYC on a clear day); take in the lakes and to eat a snack. A very enjoyable afternoon. I am only giving this park a 3 because of the parking situation. It would have been a shame to drive all the way there and not to be able to hike.
Written June 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
duck8to
Montville, NJ6,814 contributions
Oct 2020
Ramapo Valley County Reservation offers a diversity of hiking trails suited to a range of physical difficulty. One of the outstanding characteristics of the area is its diversity of landscapes. You can experience a lake, reservoir, mountain trails, waterfall , forest, swamps, river, streams and meadows.
I suggest the yellow trail which takes you to the waterfall and top of the mountain reservoir. The trail is mildly steep but only for a short duration. Other popular trails lead to Cactus Ledge (prickly pear cactus), Hawk Rock, Ridge Overlook, Castle trail and Scarlet pond.
The trails are for the most part well worn and signage is visible on trees. Sometimes the trail markers are far apart and leaf coverage make it hard to see the trail. Maps are sometimes available at the kiosk or park office. You can find trail maps to download if you GOOGLE Ramapo Valley county Reservation. Avenza Maps has a print out. Rest rooms are available at the park office building and there are porta pots in the parking lot.
Fall is a great time for a hike and Ramapo draws large crowds on nice weekends. The main parking areas fill-up by 12 pm. and there is no street parking. The area is patrolled even in the legal parking area and if you are not in a designated spot you will be fined. Masks and social distancing are advised but I did not see any people to enforce those guidelines.
The river and streams are stocked with trout. Lots of people walking their dogs and joggers like to run around the flat surface of the lake area. Ramapo College is about a mile down the road.
I suggest the yellow trail which takes you to the waterfall and top of the mountain reservoir. The trail is mildly steep but only for a short duration. Other popular trails lead to Cactus Ledge (prickly pear cactus), Hawk Rock, Ridge Overlook, Castle trail and Scarlet pond.
The trails are for the most part well worn and signage is visible on trees. Sometimes the trail markers are far apart and leaf coverage make it hard to see the trail. Maps are sometimes available at the kiosk or park office. You can find trail maps to download if you GOOGLE Ramapo Valley county Reservation. Avenza Maps has a print out. Rest rooms are available at the park office building and there are porta pots in the parking lot.
Fall is a great time for a hike and Ramapo draws large crowds on nice weekends. The main parking areas fill-up by 12 pm. and there is no street parking. The area is patrolled even in the legal parking area and if you are not in a designated spot you will be fined. Masks and social distancing are advised but I did not see any people to enforce those guidelines.
The river and streams are stocked with trout. Lots of people walking their dogs and joggers like to run around the flat surface of the lake area. Ramapo College is about a mile down the road.
Written October 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sarahnd93
Mahwah, NJ32 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
Beautiful area with a variety of walking / hiking trails to follow. Many people bring their dogs which is always nice to see however the parking lot seems to ALWAYS be slammed. Make sure to get there early to get a spot!
Written December 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DanZeng
Ramsey, NJ1,053 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We loved it, so beautiful there. We made a 4 mile loop around lake, up hill on yellow track, down on blue. Our 13 and 5 year old sons made it also and they loved it. As well as us, just gorgeous views and countryside. ❤️ we will definitely be back...
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yu-Ting C
Nanuet, NY38 contributions
Jul 2020
Lakes, brooks, bridges, mountains, and waterfalls… can’t believe have all them in just a county park! The waterfall is small but beautiful and easy to reach. Check the map at the entrance so you won’t miss it. Go a little further after the waterfall, and you will find a beautiful cascade. My 4-yr son and I hiked (actually, walked) along the orange then yellow trails to the waterfalls. They are mostly shaded. Stroller is not possible. No Canada geese, so the grass is clean (no poops, which is No.1 pollution in many US parks). The only problems are parking lots and too many dogs. As a county reservation (not State Park), I think this is a very good one.
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AdmiralGanteaume
Wilmette, IL139 contributions
May 2018 • Solo
Every review I read here about the Reservation marvels at the fact that you can bring a dog here. Well, you can. Great. But if you hike these trails, know where you are, and what's around you. On the map there are several "ruins" marked, beginning right there near the parking lot and then all over the mountain. Not all of these are significant, but some are the ruins of Indian folk who lived in the area in the 19th century. Those interested should stop at the Mahwah Museum and look at Ed Lenik's book The Keepers of the Pass, where many of these ruins are clearly identified with the people who last lived there. Fascinating material artifacts. Kids will love seeing this stuff. Be warned, the trails are long and they're steep, but the 5 mile loop is well worth the effort.
Written May 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
daveb914
San Jose, CA907 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
The building is a restored School house. it now houses the Trail Conference Headquarters. Check it out before going on the walk. The parking area for the trail head is just down the road. Here you will find a spacious place to park with bathrooms and picnic tables. Nice trails with various loops of different lengths depending on how much you want to do. Lots of locals with their dogs. We were there at the end of October and still got to see lots of fall color on the trees.
Written November 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bob B
Babylon, New York, United States115 contributions
Feb 2017 • Family
I took my family on a trip this weekend for some snow tubing. We all wanted to see a waterfall and this park was less than 10 minutes from our hotel. It is a very big park that has a lot of trails and you can bring your dog with you as well. There were a lot of people walking their dogs there. We went to see the waterfall there and hike up the mountain. My kids never saw one before so it was a nice experience for them. The hike to the falls was a little less than a mile walk from the parking lot. So it is good if you have kids ages 6 or older. We hiked to the top and the bottom of the falls. It is very rocky and you need to watch your step, but it is not that bad of a climb. The park does get muddy after a storm or when the snow is melting. So wear proper boots and clothing.
We went early in the morning and parking was not that bad, However when we left at noon the place was packed and people where waiting for a parking spot in the lot. Overall, this place is perfect for a nice little hike, especially if you have kids.
We went early in the morning and parking was not that bad, However when we left at noon the place was packed and people where waiting for a parking spot in the lot. Overall, this place is perfect for a nice little hike, especially if you have kids.
Written February 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aether67
11 contributions
Sep 2019 • Solo
its crowded sometimes but you can find a path to find quiet . 1 mile walk to a little reservoir with a nice little incline to get the heart moving. good place to bring a dog (lots of dog walkers) good place to get back in shape and get back to nature.
Written October 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KaraB99
Summit, NJ16 contributions
Aug 2019 • Friends
Only reason not to give excellent rating is that parking lot was to capacity when i arrived. Its a decent sized lot but on a Sunday in August it was full.
Written September 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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