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October 15 - 22
Living in Color!
The
annual fall foliage bloom
is dependent primarily on moisture and the first frost, but peak leaf viewing in Northwest New Jersey normally occurs somewhere around the middle of October.
(Now!)
This year the colors seem to be a bit brighter and more concentrated than normal. So, do yourself a favor and leave it all behind for a couple of hours on the road, lined with good things to do and
colorful panoramas for leaf peepers.
Generally, the color works its way down, north to south, so head to Sussex County and the higher elevations near the Delaware Water Gap. You won't want to miss some of the prettiest vistas on the East Coast throughout this wild and scenic countryside.
Walk the
Monument Trail
in
High Point State Park,
a path along the forested mountain top at the top of New Jersey that offers palettes of color and texture through golden vistas of New York, Pennsylvania and Sussex County.
And, on the north side of Branchville is a 15,482-acre playground known as Stokes State Forest. It's mountains of gorgeous woods and clean water, and it's mountains of fall fun.
There is much more listed on our
calendar
for this and coming autumn weekends.
Chester's Harvest Festival
You couldn’t pick a better place to spend a fall weekend than in Historic Downtown Chester. And this weekend's free two-day Harvest Festival
seals the deal. This year's highlights include live music, NBC'S Produce Pete! (Saturday), a clown performance, face painting, pumpkin and wood carving demos, contests, an antique car show and more... (download schedule here). And on Saturday (Oct. 17, 12-3pm), during the Soup and Chili Cook-Off you can sample
mouth-watering and savory samples from Morris County’s favorite restaurants and eateries, then vote for your favorite in each category. Only 600 tickets ($5) for this culinary extravaganza will be available on-site the day of the event. For details visit Historic Chester Business Association's website.
Roadside Attraction 
Van Campen Inn on Old Mine Road in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Pequest Pilgrims
 Mud Pond seen from High Rocks in the Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve.
Immerse yourself in autumn beauty, the region's heritage, and a spectrum of natural features along this
forty-mile loop
that parallels the
Pequest River
through its upper reaches. Some of the things to look for: Swamp islands, black dirt, a Quaker burial ground, Logg Gaol, the Lackawanna Cutoff, Muckshaw Ponds, Moody's Rock, Yellow Frame, Dark Moon Cemetery, an octagonal house, Devil's Kitchen cave, the White Pilgrim, Jenny Jump, Ghost Lake, and Shades of Death. You'll need a designated driver to see all this stuff!
State Champ
The Black Plague had devastated Europe when the acorn pushed its roots into the soil of an unnamed continent. Woodland Indians hunted, fired pottery, planted small crops and perhaps rested against the oak's expanding trunk. The tree's girth expanded through the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper and Columbus sailed the ocean blue. By the time settlers founded Jamestown in 1607, the oak had passed its 200th birthday. Despite Colonial settlers' growing need for houses, barns and fencing, the tree prospered as a local landmark. A few decades later, Continental troops would picnic in its shade. By the nineteenth century, the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church had enshrined the venerable oak behind the cemetery walls. Today the
old oak, more than six hundred years old, stands 97 feet tall. Thick branches extend 156 feet over the ground. Metal pillars support its massive limbs.
More State Champion trees....
Ready, Get Set...
Subscribe!
Sign up to receive your copy of the autumn Skylands Visitor magazine here.
Meanwhile, tap our calendar
for the best events for you and your family, or check our
current stories. Pick from a multitude of daytrip itineraries
for good ideas for a scenic drive! Or use the
Outdoor Map
for links to all sorts of hikes and outdoor fun! Northwest New Jersey and destinations just beyond those borders, in Pennsylvania and New York, offer brilliant ways to get out and enjoy the pleasures of the season.
If you prefer to receive updates on stories, upcoming events, and special offers via Facebook, you can follow along
here.
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