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October 22 - 29

Get Lost!

This view from the lookout above Route 80 (eastbound, mile 20), eighteen miles west to the forested wall of Kittatinny Mountain is part of the same valley that runs from Canada to Alabama -- the Great Valley of the Appalachians. Interstate Route 80, aka the Christopher Columbus Highway, can be a scenic tour through an ancient glacial lake, across a glacial moraine, over the New Jersey Highlands into the vast Valley and Ridge province. Enjoy your next ride with a new perspective!
Indian Summer is sweet and short. Chilly days and barren limbs are not far ahead, so get out your walking stick and hit the road, lined with good things to do and colorful panoramas for leaf peepers. Pick from a multitude of scenic tours and daytrips and watch out for our virtual efforts to keep you informed.

Big Skylands Country

Merrill Creek Reservoir
Warren County's Scott's Mountain is known locally as Montana Mountain, named for the small hamlet that sits on its scenic plateau. Nearby Merrill Creek Reservoir, with its vast open waters and network of wooded trails, is deserving of any excursion up the mountain. The trip back down into and through the Pohatcong Valley is equally rewarding for students of history and devotees of the outdoors.

Park Place

One day this fall you are likely to find yourself headed to New Jersey’s northernmost corner in search of autumn adventure. You may be guided by way of either of two well-known parks; the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and High Point State Park which converge at the top of the state in the Township of Montague. Although few visitors care what zip code they’re in, some exploration beyond the park borders can be quickly rewarded.

Denville Detour

Jonathan's Woods. Photo by Dan Balogh.
Even today, if you needed a natural hideout—a really good one—Jonathan’s Woods could work. This six hundred plus acre pocket of undeveloped property, speckled with high and low ferns and Indian paintbrush, crossed by slender streams and marked by sharply rising rocky outcroppings, lies not far from one of Morris County’s busiest highways: Interstate Route 80. And yet the tract offers unexpected isolation. You could, as they say, get lost here!

Fare To Midlands

Part of the former the Kuser Estate on top of Bald Pate Mountain.
Just a few miles south of Lambertville lies an area ripe for weekend adventure and exploration. At Bald Pate Mountain, components of local, national, and natural history are well represented, as well as brilliant prospects for craft seekers, hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and picnickers. To get there, head south from Lambertville on Route 29, enjoying glimpses of the Delaware & Raritan Canal feeder and the Delaware River along the way.

Planet Jersey

A visit to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, PA, during the fall raptor migration of 1964, inspired Len and Diane Soucy's special interest in birds of prey, and led to their life's work at The Raptor Trust in Millington. Although watching birds of prey doesn't have to define your life, you may find yourself with a bit of raptor fever after a taste of the annual fall migration. Some species, like the northern goshawk, golden eagle, and red-tailed hawk actually increase in numbers in November, but each species has its own window of time. You can start with this primer for watching these magnificent and magical birds. Then head for Merrill Creek Reservoir, Raccoon Ridge, Wildcat Ridge or several other prime spots in the region.

Primetime!





Thanks for joining us in our appreciation of Northwest New Jersey and all the brilliant ways to get out and enjoy the pleasures of the season. Tap our calendar for the best events for you and your family, or check our current stories. Pick from a multitude of daytrip itineraries and watch out for our virtual efforts to keep you informed. For the more aerobically inclined, the Outdoor Map shows the way to go, or choose among dozens of natural attractions or outdoor activities suggested on our website.
Like many other small, independent and specialized information sources, our operation increasingly relies on reader donations. Help us keep you informed about all the great stuff to do in and around Northwest New Jersey! If you like what we offer, we hope you'll consider a contribution.

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