Ramapo Mountain State Forest - New Jersey State Park Service
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.01821, -74.26588
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| 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.
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| Heading towards the railroad tracks on Pool Hollow Road. |
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| Looking both ways multiple times and listening carefully before crossing the tracks. |
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| Just after the tracks, left on yellow, Harry's favorite color. |
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| We turned left on an unmarked trail to hike a loop around a pond. |
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| Continuing on yellow. |
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| Left on white. |
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| White takes you to the top of a mountain where you can "see the whole world." |
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| Harry displayed his assortment of snacks for our break. |
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| Oops. But immediately Harry said, "I am OHHHH KAAAY!" |
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| 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. |
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| Litter secured on his backpack and off we go. |
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| Time for another break. |
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| Harry sure did pick up his pace once he saw the bridge! |
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| What used to be the Cannonball Trail over I-287. |
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| 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. |
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| We found some "bear poo." |
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| The unmarked trail took us to yellow where we turned left. |
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| Somebody became cranky and tired towards the end. |
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| Crossing back over the tracks. |
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| And back to the car. |
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| Tired Hiker |
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