Take a Hike!

Written By: Victoria Tully

With all of the added stress that this pandemic has brought, it’s important to take time for yourself, to unwind and decompress. Some people enjoy meditation, napping, or taking a bath. Although these things are helpful for some people, they actually stress me out more. I prefer to clear my head by moving around. Most of the time, I unwind by going on a short run, but lately, I found that my new favorite way to de-stress is to go on a hike. Luckily, there are a lot of hikes nearby that are scenic and great for beginners.

Stairway to Heaven is one of the most popular hikes in New Jersey. This is partially because it’s not a hard trail, but also because of the beautiful view at the end. According to alltrails.com, the trail starts with a steep climb along Wawayanda Mountain, where you can see a mountain of boulders. Once you reach the top, you get an amazing view of the surrounding areas like Vernon Valley, Pochuck Mountain, the Kittatinny, Catskills, and the Black Dirt region. Here, I like to take a break, look at the view, and hydrate for the trip back down. On the way down, your route will shift from the Wawayanda Mountain to the Appalachian Trail Route. On the Appalachian Trail Route, you can see a few small waterfalls. Make sure to hike slowly and carefully on the way down because the trail gets steeper. I recommend, if hiking with children, to head back the same way you came.

Pine Meadow Trail is about 30 minutes from Pompton Plains, but it is worth the trip. According to alltrails.com, this trail is located in Harriman State Park. This 10 mile hike takes about three and a half hours to complete. It starts off at the parking lot of the Reeve’s Meadow Visitor Center. From here, you climb along Stony Brook for about two hours until you reach Pine Meadow Lake. I recommend taking a break and taking in the view before carrying on. After you have sufficiently recharged, you can continue around the lake. If this trail sounds too difficult, there is a slightly easier version, Pine Meadow Lake Loop Trail. This trail ends with the same gorgeous view, but is about 5 miles shorter and is considered a more moderate hike.

The Halfway Mountain hike may not seem like anything special to the outside eye, but for me it’s special because when I was younger I used to go on this hike with my grandfather. Located in Suffern, New York, Halfway Mountain is very short. Alltrails.com claims it’s only about 4 miles long and takes a little over an hour to hike. This hike is great for a warmer day because it’s a shaded, moderate level hike. The hike begins at the same place as the Pine Meadow Trail. As you head up Stony Brook to the Kakiat Trail, you pass a small wooden bridge and a beautiful running river. You can then take the HTS Trail up Halfway Mountain until you reach the intersection of 7 Hills Trail. There is a great view here, so it is a great place to take a break if you haven’t already. The climb down is a little steep so it’s important to be careful and take your time.

All of these trails are perfect for when you need to get out of the house and get some alone time. Let me know which ones you try and if there are any you would recommend!