Ramapo Valley County Reservation

I’m not sure how NO ONE I know has told me this place exists! I assume it’s because they want to keep it to themselves! It was packed with people on the Saturday that I went and perhaps there were even more dogs than people! I literally wanted to get a dog as soon as I was done with the hike! Great place to take your pooch, if you have one.
I’m dropping a star because the trails are not marked. Ok, they are marked with little color swatches but there is no map to tell you which trail is which. I did finally pull up a trail map on my phone looking for the scenic view hike and it was so confusing! The lakes/​ponds are not marked so figuring out where you are on the trail map is impossible. Also, there was a pink trail marked on the trees but the pink trail is not on the map! I finally asked someone with walking sticks (they looked like they’ve been around these lakes and mountains a few times) and they told me to stick with the pink trail for a great view and a nice long hike that takes you back to the parking lot. That advice turned into a great hike around the lake/​pond and took us up to Hawk Eye Rock (I believe that’s the name). Awesome views of the lake as you sunbathe on the warm rock. I saw people in sneakers and I wore them myself but I should have worn my hiking boots as the trail up is quite muddy and rocky and I could have used better ankle support.
Definitely returning for another hike or two after I figure out the damn trail map!

A great place to hike alone or with others!
Enter into a huge parking lot and leave your worries behind. Grab what you need and walk around a lake or two.
Follow a trail and bring your camera!
I have been there many times and will be sure to go back!
Free and dog friendly.
Free Parking too.

Been visiting the area for years, such a beautiful walk around the lake and lots of nice barbecues and picnic’s are going on when I visit
So nice but as of today oct 15 2015 the park closed due to unusual bear Activity and ruined my 3 days visit to the area
Looks as though the bears took over in an aggressive manner and the park can no longer be open to hikers

Beautiful scenery and great trails but a ridiculous amount of dogs, especially without leashes. Sorry but while I’m in the middle of the woods I don’t want to have to worry if the dog walking towards me is friendly or not with the owner 10 feet behind it.

I love Hiking… I found out about this place running into someone who also is an avid hiker in the city.
Not too long of a drive, well worth it. After being away from my normal hiking spots in LA I was able to hike at Ramapo. If you’ve ever hiked at griffith park with all the dogs, and a climb at times this is the place. For those of you that haven’t the hike is peppered with it share of water, slight uphill climb (if you go off trail) you’ll see. Approximately 3m which made me want to go around a second time.
Dogs, I like the fact that once you’ve reached the pinnacle there are dogs in the water fetching sticks, and tennis balls. I think it’s great for all ages to hike Ramapo.

Four points, by sheraton, plain view, NY
The front desk staff was terrific.
The breakfast was horrible. No one around, tables not cleaned. After ½ hr
someone showed up. We asked for coffee. After a wait came back. Food
was cold and very unappealing. We actually paid for breakfast which I’m sorry I did! Would never stay there again. Marriott is for me!!!

Great spot for a picnic, a swim, a job with your dog or a joint. Hike up to the top, enjoy the sounds of nature and waterfalls. and just when youre about to give up – jump into the water. two huge rocks to jump off of, get refreshed and make new friends because odds are you wont be the only on there. And yes theres bathrooms towards the beginning of the park, a small outhouse if you will. They dont smell too nice but when you gotta go… you gotta go!

So after all my times of going to Ramapo Valley County Reservation and not getting bitten by a tick it finally happened. Luckily I had a friend spot it in time and we used tweezers to get it out. It was on my back. It felt almost like a small pebble at first but then on further inspection discovered a tick latched onto me. Avoid grassy areas. You want to make sure the head comes out clean and is not imbedded in you. My tick was still alive, captured, and crushed. I heard the lighter trick doesn’t work. Here is a cdc article on how to properly remove a tick:
I’m not going to subtract a star for this because I clearly stated the possibility of getting bit by a tick in my first review. Might be a good idea to check dogs too. I did have a shirt and backpack on the ground so it may have crawled up on that. Check as early and often as possible when there to ensure you don’t contract Lyme disease. Stay safe everybody!

So much beautiful wilderness to explore, so little time! Ramapo Reservation is the perfect place to visit if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city or suburban life.
Complete with not only a wide expanse of hiking and walking trails, there are countless cool and beautiful sights such as lakes, rivers, wood bridges, and scattered shells of small abandonded buildings. Every time I visit I take a different path and always find something new and interesting.
If you’re a dog person, this is a great spot to bring your pup: there are so many canines out and about, this place is practically a dog park! They even provide free (please excuse my lack of vocabulary) poopy bags at the entrance. You’ll also notice lots of young people since Ramapo College is right nearby.
Getting outdoors is good for the soul. Whether you visit for hiking, exploring, fishing, swimming, or just to get away from it all, Ramapo Reservation is great place to immerse yourself in nature’s bountiful beauty.

This is a perfect day getaway within a 45 minutes of everywhere…
I fish, hike, and take my dogs swimming there. The trails are well marked and offer different terrains and views. You can go on a 30 minute hike or you can disappear for the day. The first lake you pass is a nice place to relax and chill. The reservoir at the top is a great body to swim and tire out your puppy.
There are a lot of trail runners all over the place. Also, this is a very dog friendly park. You will meet tons and tons of dogs. Most owners are respectful and train their dogs. Also, most will clean up after their dogs as well. Though are are always a few bad apples– Cest la vie.
Have Fun

I’m not much of an «outdoors» type of person but we decided to take our two dogs who have been missing out on much needed exercise during the winter season to this reservation last Saturday. we spent about 2.5 hours walking up and back down the trail which was easy to follow and not too bumpy. since it’s a dog friendly place we came across a lot of other dogs and fellow dog owners, some who played catch in the waters which was a lot of fun just to watch since my own babies don’t really go in the water. nice trail, good views along the way, dog friendly, and so on a nice day, it’s a must do.

Went there with my friend to go hiking. I enjoyed it! Beautiful place. Mainly for ppl with dogs though. Lol

Amazing… For hikers and doggies, alike. Why haven’t I been here before? Super thankful I had the day off and the sense to look up a swim spot for the doggies. Worth everything today.
Well, as stated by several fellow Unilocalers, once you’re at the reservation beyond the parking lot is a small slice of heaven. From the main trail upon entering, stay left… Pass the swamp, the pond, and the first lake… Get on the silver trail (still bear left)… Take about a mile and a half or so hike up (a lil steep) and then you’ll get to the beautiful body of water. Doggies (and humans) are free to go in the water and frolic around. You can additionally continue to walk around the lake or just chill in one of the many lakeside points. Just perfect… Going back very very very soon.

You can easily get lost in this park. It’s amazing and much larger than you think it is. My friend led us around and told us how if you follow certain paths, after a few miles, you can end up elsewhere (including NY).
We ended up talking to a few people on the trail and they were super nice. There are a lot of cute dogs to check out. Some people even were fishing. The water is so clean looking and refreshing to splash on yourself after a long hike.
The only downside is that people don’t pick up after themselves. I saw empty water bottles and feces on the ground. Come on, people. We’re all here to enjoy it. Clean up after yourselves and your pets!

This place is awesome, my girl friend took
Me here for a nice walk. Their was different trails all lAbeled with color markers, the blue one took us up top, what an awesome view, we also Decended down a trail and saw a river, flowing over. Their was dogs jumping in playing fetch, people sitting talking… Their was even people tanning. We noticed a sign for a water fall, followed a trail and stood by a peaceful water fall. Awesome way to enjoy a beautiful day.

Dog friendly park 45 mins from NYC. Good trails, nice views… what else can you ask for. I’ve been here twice so far and would definitely come back again. My dog Thor agrees too. He said he rates this place four paws, I mean stars!

I love this park! My dog burns a lot of energy running around and saying hi to all the friendly people and other dogs.
I wish I could find a good trail map for this place because I would love to venture out a little further and not be afraid of getting lost.
Negative– sometime too overcrowded on the weekend.
Positive– there are so many trails that even when it’s super crowded you can just veer off on another trail and find yourself all alone exploring the forest.
People need to clean up after their dogs a little bit more though.

Take the blue trail to the overlook. You’ll be able to see the Manhattan skyline from a distance. The views are nice. Afterwards, hike the blue trail loop around the reservoir. It takes approximately 75 minutes to complete it. But you’ll get a great workout.
The entire park is dog friendly.

Came here for the first time this weekend to volunteer and pick up trash. Didn’t even make it to the lake, sadly (I’ll be back!) Checked out the trails closest to the entrance. Really beautiful spot and obviously dog friendly.
The level of trash was pretty standard for a place like this but the amount of broken glass was alarming. It was very tedious to pick up but I tried to get as much as I could.
It really hit its peak by the ruins. The area was surrounded by tons of broken glass, I am sure I didn’t get all of it. This makes me really sad because the park is frequented by kids and dogs, not to mention wildlife. The ruins are kind of neat but they are obviously used by kids to get wasted/​high. They were full of trash inside too… not so scenic. I’d think tearing them down might be a good idea but I don’t want to sound like a grumpy old lady (high school me would punch current me in the face if she heard that).
Anyway, lovely place but could use some cleaning. I can only do so much on my own. Please help keep it clean!

We’ve been looking for a place for the three shelties to swim all summer. We have been to the Francis Lewis Park in queens, the off leashed dog beach in AC, Ramapo is the best spot yet. Thanks to all of the tips from the dog loving Unilocalers. The lake water was very calm and clean and the dogs had a blast.
We parked at the parking lot of the reservation and didn’t know where to go, but you can ask anyone with a dog and they would direct you up the main trail to go up and down and up and down again and you will be there. After coming home and looking at the map, this is what I think all the reviewers are referring to as the upper trail.
From the parking lot, facing the reservation, there’s a trail head on the left side with steps leading down to the main trail. On the map, this is the Silver Trail. This will take you cross the Ramapo river, and pass the Silver Oak Pond (Lower Lake) on your right, and up around the bend and connects you to the Orange Trail, and takes you right up to the MacMillan Reservoir (Upper Lake). Hope this will help the next first timers like myself. It’s all worth it.