Ramapo Mountain State Forest, NJ - NOT the Cannonball Trail

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Ramapo Mountain State Forest - New Jersey State Park Service

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.01821, -74.26588

Parking on Pool Hollow Road

TRAIL MAP: 

Ramapo Mountain State Forest - New Jersey State Park Service

Northern New Jersey Highlands Trail Map 150 - NYNJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  3.1 miles

THE HIKE:

It was almost-in-ten-days-five-year-old grandson Harry's turn for his promised hike.  I had told him about the Cannonball Trail that goes over I-287, how you can be above all of that traffic crossing a highway safely.  He wanted to hike there and yell CANNONBALL!!!!!!!!!! at the top of his lungs while running across the bridge.  We can do that!  But imagine the disappointment to find out that although the bridge still says "Cannonball Trail" it is no longer the Cannonball Trail.  It was changed to a plain old yellow trail in 2020.  Bummer.  Well, we would just pretend it was still the Cannonball Trail.

Heading towards the railroad tracks on Pool Hollow Road.

Looking both ways multiple times and listening carefully before crossing the tracks.

Just after the tracks, left on yellow, Harry's favorite color.

We turned left on an unmarked trail to hike a loop around a pond.

Continuing on yellow.

Left on white.

White takes you to the top of a mountain where you can "see the whole world."

Harry displayed his assortment of snacks for our break.

Oops.  But immediately Harry said, "I am OHHHH KAAAY!"

Harry spied some litter and immediately picked it up.  So proud of how my grandchildren are all repulsed by litter in the woods and feel the need to pack it out.

Litter secured on his backpack and off we go.

Time for another break.

Harry sure did pick up his pace once he saw the bridge!

What used to be the Cannonball Trail over I-287.

We had come in from white on the left, yellow would have been the way back, but given the option of taking an unmarked trail back, Harry chose the latter.

We found some "bear poo."

The unmarked trail took us to yellow where we turned left.

Somebody became cranky and tired towards the end.

Crossing back over the tracks.

And back to the car.

Tired Hiker

Jones Woods, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Jones Woods - Burnham Park Association

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.79259, -74.50335

Roadside parking on Hillcrest Avenue at the entrance gate to Jones Woods.

TRAIL MAP: 

Jones Woods Trail Map - Burnham Park Association

HIKE DISTANCE:  2.5 miles

THE HIKE:

Six-year-old granddaughter Ellie was very upset when I spent the previous day hiking with her baby brother Teddy, when Ellie had other commitments, so I had to promise her a hike the following day and she held me to that!  She was very excited to scout out these trails with me as neither of us had been there before.

Entering the trails at the gate on Hillcrest Avenue.

The gravel road goes downhill ...

... to a bridge to ...

... the yellow trail around the pond where we turned right.

Jones Pond

Old stonework to the right.

We turned right on white.

Rock hopping over a small creek.

Navigating a muddy section.

More mud.  There was lots of mud in low lying areas.

Ellie was paying VERY close attention to where the white markers were so she was sure we were going the right way.

The white trail comes out on Mendham Road where there are no more white markers.

Ellie was not convinced that we were going the right way.  I had to assure her we needed to cross the creek on the road and that if it was wrong, we would just turn back.

Still not convinced, she reluctantly came along.

And indeed, just the other side of the guardrail, the trail entered back into the woods and the white markers resumed.

Ellie, being a Girl Scout, was very impressed that an Eagle Scout had built the benches.

Taking yellow from white.

Heading for that bench up by the pond for a break.

Ellie commented how peaceful it was there.

Passing by where we had turned on white earlier ...

... and continuing around the pond.

Right on blue.

There was a very muddy stretch early on and one of Ellie's feet slid in, the mud sucking the shoe right off of her foot!  

Photo by Ellie

At green we had to make a decision whether to stay with blue or turn left on green.  Ellie decided we should take green so green it was.

Green meets back up with blue so we continued on blue.

Photo by Ellie

At red we had to decide whether to stay on blue or turn left on red.  Ellie chose red.

Ellie found a red-tailed hawk feather.  Of course it was left in nature where it belongs.  Photo by Ellie

Back at the pond to finish the loop on yellow.  But first ...

Ellie went left to the bridge to take a photo of ...

... the pond.  Photo by Ellie

Then a photo of ...

... the creek feeding the pond.  Photo by Ellie

Then me taking a picture of Ellie ...

... and Ellie taking a picture of me.

Ellie taking a picture of the bridge.

Photo by Ellie

Back to the bridge from the beginning of the hike ...

... and up the gravel road to the car.

Ellie clanged her shoes together to get some of that dried mud off.

Ellie's opinion of this hike.