March 23, 2025 – Woodland Park, NJ
Issue: Simple – Average
Size: Roughly 3.5 miles
Max elevation: 562 ft. – complete elevation achieve roughly 400 ft.
Route sort: Circuit
Maps: Rifle Camp Park Path Map
Trailhead parking: 387 Rifle Camp Rd, Woodland Park, NJ 07424
Transportable Bathrooms on web site
Overview:
Rifle Camp Park is a 225-acre county park of Passaic County, New Jersey. The park sits on the ridgeline of Garret Mountain, a piece of First Watchung Mountain. It’s extensively forested, containing only some open areas. As a result of native geology, giant lure rock outcrops are considerable all through the property. The jap part of the park consists of almost vertical basalt cliffs that present panoramic views of the encircling space. The park consists of about 5 miles of climbing trails.
Rifle Camp Park
Historical past:
The park is called for a Revolutionary Battle encampment that befell for about one week in 1780 within the neighborhood of the “Nice Notch,” which is now the place U.S. Route 46 passes although the ridgeline. Main James Parr’s Rifle Corps have been commanded to take a place within the Nice Notch to guard the cross and observe British troop actions. This encampment is presumed to have occurred south of the present park property, nearer to U.S. Route 46. Though it’s unimaginable to rule out that they used vistas alongside the jap fringe of the park as lookouts for British troop actions, no proof has been discovered that might substantiate this.
From October ninth to October seventeenth, 1780, Main James Parr’s rifle corps based mostly themselves within the space now recognized, as Rifle Camp Park. The world additionally served as a location for Common George Washington’s troops to watch British actions throughout the American Revolution. Washington relied closely on the safety of the Watchung Mountains, which run from Mahwah in Bergen County to Certain Brook in Somerset County. They provided him preferrred vantage factors over New York Metropolis, which remained below British management for many of the Revolution, whereas offering an elevated, heavily-wooded, simply defended space for the Continental Military to camp and practice.
Historic Marker – Rifle Camp Park
A lot of the park property was initially bought by the County Park Fee within the 1920’s from a number of people and entities together with lands that might be used to develop Garret Mountain Reservation. The newly acquired mountain was divided in half into Garret Mountain Reservation and South Mountain Park (later renamed Rifle Camp Park). The Olmsted Brothers agency developed an interim design for the property within the late 1940’s, and the Park Fee continued land acquisition for full park growth by the 1960’s. With the mandatory properties acquired, the Park Fee secured the providers of Kinsey Associates, a nationwide recognized park planner, to develop and design a Grasp Plan for the newly named “Rifle Camp Park” in 1969 with park completion following in 1973.
Trails Overview:
There are 2 marked trails totaling nearly 5 miles. The Yellow Path is listed at 3.2 miles and the Purple Path is listed at 1.5 miles. The 2 trails overlap in two completely different sections.
Rifle Camp Park Path Map
The Yellow Path for probably the most half, loops across the perimeter of the park. For a great chunk of that distance, it runs alongside the fence line….actually.
The Yellow Path is effectively marked and straightforward to comply with.
Hike Overview:
That is a type of hikes that I used to be interested in for a while now. From the photographs that I’ve seen on-line, it appeared like an excellent spot to take a look at. Some years again, I hiked Garret Mountain Reservation and assumed that Rifle Camp Park could be comparable. I used to be sadly mistaken. Don’t get me fallacious, the park is good, however there are method too many fences! For many of the hike, we walked alongside a fence. There are fences alongside the sting of the cliffs, alongside the reservoir and bordering non-public property. That type of ruined it for me. Aside from that it was an honest hike.
Rifle Camp Park
There are a good quantity of minor ups and downs on the Yellow Path totalling about 400 ft of elevation achieve.
Elevation profile – Rifle Camp Park
Parking:
There are 5 parking tons in Rifle Camp Park. For this hike, we parked all the way in which up prime, by the John Crowley Nature Middle. By parking there, we came across the NYC skyline view nearly instantly. That meant the we skilled the very best a part of the hike proper in the beginning. That additionally meant that the final a part of the hike is uphill.
The Hike:
From the southern finish of the car parking zone, search for a yellow blaze on a tree. Observe the yellow blazes south till it reaches a gravel path that runs parallel to the fence line. Nearly instantly views over Clifton and the NYC skyline will seem on the left (on a transparent day).
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
NYC skyline from Yellow Path
View east from Yellow Path
The Yellow Path hugs the fence line alongside the sting of the cliffs, then veers proper, away from the fence and proceeds downhill. The Yellow Path reaches a paved path close to a pond and turns left.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path passes a small 1 acre pond on the jap fringe of the property.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The path runs alongside the jap aspect of the pond, and at in regards to the halfway level, the path turns left and heads uphill on a footpath.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path reaches a black fence, turns proper and continues alongside the fence line with extra views to the east.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The townhomes under have been constructed within the space that was as soon as a quarry.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path continues alongside the fence line with views to the east and south (by the fence). The NYC skyline will be seen within the far distance. Quickly, the path bears proper and descends a small hill close to the southern finish of the Nice Notch Reservoir and bears proper.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
View east from Yellow Path
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path climbs a hill alongside the fence of the reservoir and turns left, hugging the fence. The path now heads in a northerly route. By the bushes, for those who look to the precise, you may see the black fence alongside the ridge the place you walked just some minutes earlier.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Nice Notch Reservoir
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Nice Notch Reservoir was constructed between 1924 and 1938.
Nice Notch Reservoir
In a brief distance, the path leaves the fence line and heads northeast by the woods, quickly approaching a big rock formation, and heads uphill alongside it. The path turns proper, then a fast left because it passes by a small ravine.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path then ranges off because it continues northeast on a large dust highway. Quickly it turns left and is joined by the Purple Path, which is available in from the precise.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The coaligned Yellow/Purple Path heads in a northwesterly route, passing a health station and a canine park.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Canine Park – Rifle Camp Park
The path turns left by the canine park and proceeds uphill on a paved path. On the prime of the rise, the path reaches a playground space with picnic tables and grills.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path turns left by the picnic tables, because the Purple Path continues forward. Observe the yellow markers as they head north and shortly bear proper uphill. Because the path ranges off, it quickly crosses the primary park highway, not removed from the doorway.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
After crossing the park highway, the Yellow Path turns left, approaches non-public property, then turns proper on a gravel path. Quickly, the path departs the gravel path and heads east alongside the northern fringe of the property, bordered by one other fence.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
The Yellow Path veers away from the fence line briefly earlier than returning to it. Because the path heads uphill, views over the Metropolis of Clifton and the NYC skyline seem to the left.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
On the prime of the rise, the Yellow Path turns proper and passes by the brand new nature & environmental heart. A brief distance later, the Yellow Path reaches the higher car parking zone and turns left, passing by the lot and again to the place the hike started.
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Overview:
That is the kind of place that I’m glad that I hiked, however would in all probability by no means return to once more. To be trustworthy, it wasn’t definitely worth the 35 minute drive from the Tappan Zee Bridge. The woods have been scenic and the cliff prime views have been good, however these fences! I respect the historical past of the park and loved the solitude, however these fences! If you’re looking for a real climbing expertise, this won’t be the place for you.
Execs:
Properly marked trails, scenic panorama, NYC skyline views, loads of parking.
Cons:
Too many fences.
Take a hike!
Yellow Path Loop – Rifle Camp Park
Sources:
