Skyline Preserve, NJ

NOTE: It is my understanding that these trails have not been maintained in years and that it is no longer possible to follow them.

ABOUT THE PARK:
Skyline Preserve - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.04609,-74.368631

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Pull off parking for 2 cars north side of Weaver Road by bridge.

TRAIL MAP:
Jersey Highlands Trails Map 125 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
North Jersey Trails Map 115 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  3.45 miles

THE HIKE:
From the parking pull off, walk west across the bridge for .2 miles.  Turn left just before the black mail box with number 139 at the Trail Access sign.  Go through a ditch and proceed straight ahead to the 3 yellow markers designating the beginning of the yellow-blazed trail.

Yellow-blazed trail starts after Trail Access sign.

Pass an old wrecked car just before crossing a small creek on logs at a second triple blaze.

At the .5 mile point the trail veers left on to a woods road.  Make note of this turn as there is no turn blaze in the opposite direction for the return trip.  You can see one yellow marker on the tree going the other way and a nail where the second marker used to be so this turn is hard to find on the return trip unless you note where it is.

At .9 miles the trail comes out on a rock slab with Van Nostrand Lake visible ahead.  No markers in this area but look for the back side of a marker for the opposite direction to the left before the boulder on the left.

A pretty pine tree growing out of the rock slab.

Trail goes uphill along Van Nostrand Lake

New York City skyline view from Table Rock

Trail veers left at pretty creek with small waterfalls.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Walk west over bridge from pull off parking
[  0.20]  Turn left at Trail Access sign just before mail box with number 139
[  0.50]  Trail turns left following woods road
[  0.55]  Trail leaves woods road to right as footpath
[  0.90]  Trail comes out at clearing heading towards Van Nostrand Lake
[  1.05]  Trail comes out at Van Nostrand Lake and veers left uphill along the lake
[  1.15]  Trail veers away from lake on woods road after brief downhill rock scramble
[  1.30]  Trail leaves wider path to the right on a more narrow path (start of lollipop loop)
[  1.60]  View of New York City skyline from Table Rock Overlook on right
[  1.70]  Area of heavy blow down to climb over and crawl under; sparse blazing
[  1.85]  Trail clears as it turns left before creek with small waterfalls
[  2.10]  Trail comes out on mossy, rocky woods road
[  2.15]  Keep straight on woods road having completed lollipop loop when yellow goes left from beginning of hike; now retracing first part
[  2.25]  Just before lake trail leaves woods road to right as footpath
[  2.30]  Brief rock scramble up then trail follows along upper level with lake below to the left
[  2.50]  Cross open rock slab with pretty pine growing out of rock
[  2.80]  Trail turns left on woods road
[  2.90]  Trail leaves woods road to right before woods road forks left uphill (this is where turn blaze is missing)
[  3.20]  Cross small creek on logs at wrecked car
[  3.25]  Turn right on Weaver Road
[  3.45]  Back at parking pull out

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