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Ramapo State Forest
4.7 ★★★★★ 28 Google reviews · Running trail in Oakland, New Jersey · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Ramapo State Forest's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Ramapo State Forest
Ramapo Mountain State Park - Oakland, New Jersey, Wanaque New Jersey. This was a wonderful mountainside forest hike. We enjoyed our visit so much that we stayed until sunset. Absolutely GORGEOUS hiking trails at this state park! Wear the proper shoes (especially in winter) for good traction as rocks become slippery.
You have two options.One is to take an easy and boring trail along Sky Line Drive. The other is to walk from the parking lot to Ramapo Lake where you can take several trails to Ramapo State Forest.
I was a great hike. Took the white trail loop. Passed the Ramapo River. It was all the way up and some rock climbing to get to the castle. At the top you can see the Manhattan Skyline and what appears to be the Statue of Liberty to the far right of the view.
We did a 5 mile loop that ended close to the waterfall late Oct 2024. This time of year the waterfall was just a trickle. Of course, New Jersey has not had enough rain lately, so that contributed to the low flow. The leaves were mostly down. It would have been a spectacular hike a few weeks ago with the leaves at peak.
Trail conditions & character
“At the top you can see the Manhattan Skyline and what appears to be the Statue of Liberty to the far right of the view.”
“We did a 5 mile loop that ended close to the waterfall late Oct 2024.”
Plan your run at Ramapo State Forest
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- Websitenj.gov
- Phone(973) 962-7031
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Oakland
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Ramapo Mountain State Forest (Upper Lot)
4.7 ★★★★★ 171 reviews
State park offering numerous hiking trails through woods leading to a lake, castle ruins, and scenic views.
Ramapo Water Tower Ruins
4.8 ★★★★★ 76 reviews
Ruined mansion atop a mountain, with hiking trails and a water tower.
Orange Trail & Orange Black Trail Head
4 ★★★★☆ 1 reviews
Ramapo Lake Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 369 reviews
Vistas of a lake and ruins dot this leafy hiking destination featuring a mix of easy to challenging trails.
Addice Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 6 reviews