Highlands Preserve (West Milford, N.J.)
Directions to trailhead
Take I-287 to Exit 57 and continue on Skyline Drive to its western end at Greenwood Lake Turnpike in Ringwood. Turn right and proceed for 8.4 miles to a Y intersection with Union Valley Road. Take the right fork and continue ahead on Warwick Turnpike. In 0.1 mile, turn right into the parking area for the Highlands Preserve (the sign for the Preserve is not easily visible from the road).
Hike Description
The 268-acre Highlands Preserve, located between Abram S. Hewitt State Forest and Greenwood Lake, offers the opportunity for an easy lollipop-loop hike that traverses an interesting forest.
To begin the hike, go through the pedestrian gate towards the west end of the parking area, head uphill and bear left. You’ll notice a green blaze on a tree, which marks the start of the Green Trail, a woods road. Follow this trail into the woods. You’ll soon encounter a number of intersecting trails and roads, so pay careful attention to the green blazes.
After crossing an intermittent stream, the trail bears right at a fork. At the next intersection, the Green Trail continues ahead as another woods road leaves to the left. A short distance beyond, the Blue Trail begins on the right. This will be your return route, but for now, continue ahead on the Green Trail.
In another third of a mile, you’ll notice a triple white blaze on the right, which marks the start of the White Trail. Turn right onto the White Trail, a pleasant footpath that loops through the woods. In a quarter mile, the White Trail ends at a second junction with the Green Trail. Turn right onto the Green Trail, continuing to head north.
A short distance beyond, the Green Trail crosses an intermittent stream and bears right. It then crosses another stream on rocks and bears right at a fork. After crossing a third stream, the Green Trail bears left at a fork and, just ahead, ends at a junction with the Yellow Trail.
Turn left onto the Yellow Trail (which follows another woods road). Just ahead, follow the trail as it bears right at a fork and climbs a little. Soon, you’ll notice a double blue blaze on the right. Turn right and follow the Blue Trail. This footpath is the most interesting segment of the hike.
At first, the Blue Trail proceeds through a mixed forest of hemlock, pine and mountain laurel, with an understory of blueberry. It bears right at a fork (the Red Trail begins on the left) and continues through a dense hemlock forest. After crossing an old stone wall, the Blue Trail climbs a little and passes through a white pine forest at the crest of the rise. It then descends to reach a T-intersection with a woods road.
Follow the Blue Trail as it turns right onto the woods road. It turns left at the next intersection, then turns right, crosses a wooden truss footbridge over a stream, and ends at a junction with the Green Trail. Turn left and follow the Green Trail back to the parking area where the hike began.