Ramapo Mountain State Forest facts for kids

Ramapo Mountain State Forest is a huge park in New Jersey. It covers about 4,200 acres (17 km²) of land. You can find it in Bergen and Passaic Counties. The New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry takes care of this amazing forest.

This park is a fantastic place for outdoor adventures! You can go hiking, hunting, and even canoeing. If you love fishing, you can do that too, even ice fishing in winter. Other fun activities include cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Some trails even offer cool views of the New York City skyline!

Inside the park, there's a special area called the Ramapo Lake Natural Area. It's about 1,417 acres (5.73 km²) big. Here, you'll find trails that lead to amazing views from rocky spots. There's also a 120-acre (0.5 km²) mountain lake. It's great for fishing and watching birds, but you can't swim in it.

The forest connects to other parks nearby. These include the Ramapo Valley County Reservation and Ringwood State Park. It's all part of a big trail system. This system runs north along the Ramapo Mountains into New York. The forest also holds the old ruins of Van Slyke Castle, which is a popular spot for hikers to explore.

History of Ramapo Mountain State Forest

The land that is now Ramapo Mountain State Forest has an interesting past. In the 1920s, a man named Clifford MacEvoy started buying up land. He wanted to create a special club for hunting and fishing. Around this time, a small pond called "Roten" pond was made much bigger. It became the beautiful Ramapo Lake we see today.

Building Ryecliff Estate

In 1924, Mr. MacEvoy built a large house at the top of the mountain. It was made of granite, brick, and stucco. He designed it for his wife and daughter. He named this grand home RyeCliff. The name came from his wife's maiden name, Ryerson, and his own first name, Clifford. Another big house was also built nearby, but it was later destroyed in a fire.

The Ryecliff house had many cool features. It had a screened-in porch and big living and family rooms. Each room had special wooden beams and a stone fireplace. From the house, you could see Ramapo Lake and the mountains.

The Observation Tower

Around 1920 to 1928, a tall tower was added to the mountain. It was first a water tower built by Mr. MacEvoy. He moved it to Ryecliff and covered it with mountain stone. This made it blend in with the house and nature. The Observation Tower stands 65 feet (19.8 m) tall. It's at an elevation of 825 feet (251.5 m) above the ground.

The tower has five levels. Two of the floors even have restrooms. On the top floor, there's a fireplace. A hatch on this floor leads to the roof. From the roof, you get amazing views! You can see Ramapo Park, Ramapo Lake, the Wanaque Reservoir, and even New York City.

Becoming a State Forest

In 1976, most of the Ryecliff estate became part of New Jersey. This is how it became the "Ramapo Mountain State Forest." In 1978, a group called the New Jersey Youth Conservation Corps helped build many hiking trails. Some of these trails are still used today.

Later, in the early 1990s, the forest was split in two. This happened when Route 287 was extended. To help hikers cross the highway, a special footbridge was built. It's part of the Cannonball Trail.

Even today, a private part of the Ryecliff estate remains at the top of the mountain. It has a tennis court, a guest house, and a horse stable. The famous Tower is also still there.

Images for kids

• 

  The front of the historic Ryecliff manor house.

• 

  A view from the Ryecliff estate, showing the surrounding mountains.