Description

Upper Bear Swamp Brook Falls is a seldom-visited waterfall at the popular Ramapo Valley County Reservation in Mahwah. Part of the reason for the low traffic is the relative difficulty of getting to it, especially when compared to another waterfall in the park, MacMillan Falls.

The waterfall is located just off Bear Swamp Road. However, this road is private, used for a Boy Scout Camp, and has no public parking. Unless you are a scout, you must hike in. The easiest access is 2.5 miles away across hilly terrain at the large parking area on Ramapo Valley Road. It is located just upstream of Bear Swamp Brook Falls. While Bear Swamp Brook Falls features an obvious user-made trail to access it, there is no such access to Upper Bear Swamp Brook Falls. The best way to reach it is to hike upstream from Bear Swamp Brook Falls.

Directions

Reaching Upper Bear Swamp Brook Falls is somewhat complicated due to the number of trails you need to take to reach it and because it is off-trail. A full description, including pictures, on reaching this waterfall (along with the others in the park) can be found here.

Parking

Ramapo Valley Reservation is extremely popular, and parking can be a challenge year-round, despite its massive parking area at 610 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ 07430. Unfortunately, this massive lot is basically the only parking for the park, as street parking is forbidden, and a large church next door has posted signs against hiker parking. If you are dead-set on hiking here, you may be able to find parking at Continental Soldiers Park (or Ramapo College, though this is likely frowned upon), though this is a distance from the park.

If you decide to visit, make sure you arrive before 9:00 a.m. on weekends to secure parking. If visiting on a weekday, try to avoid the lunch rush or after work crowds.

There is no parking on Bear Swamp Road or along Ramapo Valley Road for closer access to the waterfall.

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