Ringwood State Park
Ringwood State Park, New Jersey is a 4,000-acre area that encompasses three main tourist attractions: Skylands Manor with the State Botanical Garden, Ringwood Manor and the Shepherd Lake Recreation Area. Located in the borough of Ringwood of the Ramapo Mountains, the park offers its visitors both wild wooded lands and elegantly manicured formal gardens. The manors are heavy with history and the place is famous for sheltering the passage of George Washington through the area.
Skylands Manor
Skylands Manor was built in the 1920s, but flaunts Jacobean architecture reminiscent of the English countryside buildings of the 17th century. The mansion boasts 44 rooms and offers impressive details of design, such as the 16th century stained glass medallions captured in some of its windows and a staircase with intricate carvings. The 96-acre Botanical Garden at Skylands Manor boasts a wealth of perennials that makes the place a beautiful place to visit in any season. With terraced gardens and paths through the woods, it opens to the breathtaking views of the Ramapo Mountains.
Ringwood Manor
Starting from the 1740s, Ringwood Manor spent 200 years under the ownership of a succession of well-known iron-masters. Prominent among them are Robert Erskine, Washington’s first geographer, and Abram S. Hewitt, the mid-19th century Mayor of New York City. George Washington himself visited this beautiful country house on more than one occasion.
Shepherd Lake Recreation Area
A 74-acre area centered around Shepherd Lake, this recreation site is open for activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, horseback-riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. A network of trails marks the place; some of them connect the distinct areas of the park. An oddity makes it possible to swim, or even get married, while hearing the sound of muffled guns: there are both trapshooting facilities and a chapel nearby.
Laden with history and blessed by nature with wonderful views and distinct charm, Ringwood State Park is one of the treasures of New Jersey and a place worth visiting.