Ramapo Valley County Reservation (frequently referred to as the Ramapo Reservation) is a large park set in the Ramapo Mountains of Mahwah, New Jersey. Popular with hikers, walkers, and fishers, the reservation offers a variety of trails for all skill levels. Highlights include scenic vistas overlooking Bergen County and New York City, as well as waterfalls, most notably MacMillan Falls. For those wanting a long hike, the park features trail connections to the neighboring Ramapo State Forest and Ringwood State Park.

Basic Information

Pros and Cons

Points of Interest

• MacMillan Falls
  • A 20-foot waterfall
• Hawk Rock
  • An overlook featuring views of NYC and Ramapo College
• Cactus Ledge
  • An overlook surrounded by native cacti
• Scarlet Oak Pond
  • A scenic lake at the entrance to the park
• MacMillan Reservoir
  • A small reservoir above MacMillan Falls with scenic views

Trails

Ramapo Reservation features numerous hiking trails. Outside of the Orange and Purple Trails, which are on flat land, all the trails are moderate to difficult. The most popular trail is easily the Yellow Vista Loop. This trail passes numerous good overlooks and passes by all the “main” destinations in the park. The trails past the Vista Loop tend to be less busy, but do not offer the same “bang for your buck.” They are still good trails, though, and feature some interesting sites such as ruins.

All the trails are well marked and easy to follow.

Parking

The only parking area is located at 610 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ 07430. This parking area is very large, easily holding over 100 cars. Despite this, parking can be a challenge, especially on weekends. Due to the size, cars are constantly leaving, so you can usually find a spot if you wait a few minutes.

There is technically no alternate parking, but dedicated hikers do hike in from the neighboring Continental Soldiers Park or Ramapo State College, though you are not supposed to do this. Also note that the neighboring Church of the Immaculate Conception has posted no-parking signs.

One additional and annoying quirk is that you can only enter if driving southbound. This is due to the layout of the entrance driveway. If you enter coming from the south (Oakland area), you need to turn around past the entrance.

Crowds

Ramapo Valley Reservation consistently draws large crowds, even on weekdays and during the off-season. Even with a foot of snow on the ground on a weekday, the parking lot can easily hold 20 cars. However, most visitors congregate near the park entrance; once you venture past MacMillan Reservoir or onto the Yellow Trail, foot traffic thins out significantly.

Beyond the volume of visitors, off-leash dogs present a recurring issue. Despite leash regulations, off-leash dogs frequently outnumber those on-leash, creating safety concerns for visitors who are uncomfortable around dogs or have been charged at by uncontrolled pets.

Maintenance

Maintenance is generally very good here. The headquarters of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference (NYNJTC), which manages the trails, is located right next to the park. The NYNJTC is considered the gold standard in trail maintenance in the region. Considering the location of the NYNJTC headquarters, it is not a surprise the trails in the reservation are very good.

Though this is primarily a hiking/walking park, the rest of the park is very nicely presented too.

Who is this park for?

Ramapo Reservation is great for everyone looking for a nice walk or hike. There are options for all abilities and desires, from the flat trail around Scarlett Oak Pond to more intense hikes such as that on the Vista Loop. Dedicated hikers will enjoy the numerous trail connections to Ramapo State Forest and Ringwood State Park.

This park is not for those looking for a secluded hike. While the crowds thin out the further into the woods you go, the parking area and the first mile or so of the trails can be overwhelming.

Final Thoughts

Ramapo Valley County Reservation is an excellent park with great trails and views. Unfortunately, this leads to overwhelming crowds. If you can handle the crowds, this place is great; if you prefer a quieter experience, I recommend another location. It is important to note that the other parks in the Ramapo Mountains (Ramapo State Forest and Ringwood State Park) are also busy.

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