I spent most of my summer backpacking/hiking through different states and mountain ranges, so you can probably imagine that spending the last month at school has felt rather confining. Fall has always been my favorite season, specifically for hiking (thanks to the foliage). With the workload piling up at this time in the semester, taking some time to do things you enjoy is crucial. If you like hiking, adventuring, and all things outdoors, here are 5 day trips you can take that are driving distance from Seton Hall.

1. Castle Point Trail-- Ramapo Mountain Reservation, New Jersey

This is by far my favorite hike in Jersey. If you haven’t done it, I cannot recommend it enough. It is a generally easy hike with a couple of great views thanks to fast elevation gains. After about 1.5/2 miles through the woods, you’ll reach the ruins of an abandoned castle from the early 1900s at the top of the mountain. The ruins are overgrown with different plants/vines, but still surprisingly intact. Take extreme caution if you decide to climb up on the ruins, as you could imagine, because of all the erosion (I found myself stuck on a 15-foot ledge for a couple of minutes with nowhere to go last time I went). There are three separate ruins sites for the castle—one: a main building, two: a watch tower that was actually used for water supply, three: an in-ground swimming pool.

This is an especially scenic hike between October 19 and October 29 (prime-time for foliage in north jersey)

Distance from Campus- 40 Minutes

Hiking Distance- 3 miles round-trip

Hiking Time- 2.5 hours + time spent at the ruins

Trailhead Coordinates (put these in Waze to reach trailhead parking): 41.047479, -74.251313

Trespassing? Nope, this is completely legal.

Precautions: Make sure you print a copy of trail directions. Jersey doesn’t always make it easy to stay on the trail. Beware of bears.

2. Overlook Mountain—Catskill Mountain Range, New York

This is one of my favorite hikes, but not the easiest. The first 1.9 miles is about a 1400 foot elevation gain, and it is generally pretty boring to put it bluntly. It is an underwhelming gravel path… UNTIL, you reach the ruins of an abandoned hotel. For me, this makes the first 1.9 worth it. There are two large buildings, still intact and tucked away in the woods. Once you’ve had your fill of the ruins, you only have to hike another 0.4 miles to reach the top. At the top, you’ll find a fire tower (90 foot tower you can climb up for an unobstructed view of the mountain range). As well as the tower, there is a *Overlook* that, in my opinion, is the best view in the entire mountain range. The peak is 3140’, so not the biggest in the range, but still a great view.

Distance from Campus- 1 hour, 50 minutes

Hiking Distance- 4 miles round-trip

Hiking Time- 3 hours +time spent at ruins & top

Trailhead Coordinates (put these in Waze to reach trailhead parking): 42.07106, -74.12255

Trespassing? Completely legal. I believe it used to be trespassing to enter the ruins, but locals told me that is no longer true.

Precautions: This is a great hike to see the stars on a New Moon, however, primitive camping is not possible on the mountain. Beware of rattlesnake habitats on the top of the mountain—a.k.a. don’t try to show off to your friends and enter them. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with those guys. Beware of bears. Beware of erosion on the ledge of the mountain—it’s a long, long way down.

3. Stairway to Heaven- Pochuck Valley to Pinwheel Vista, New Jersey

You’ve probably heard about this one a hundred times by now, but it’s the most popular hike in Jersey for good reason. 1 mile walk on a scenic boardwalk, a bridge, train tracks, a cow pasture (that you walk straight through), a boulder field—it’s really great. If you haven’t done it, I recommend it (specifically for the foliage).

Distance from Campus- 1 hour, 5 minutes

Hiking Distance- 7.3 miles

Hiking Time- 3-4 hours, depending on your pace & experience

Trailhead Coordinates (put these in Waze to reach trailhead parking): N41 14.084 W74 28.852

Precautions: It gets steep as you approach the Pinwheel Vista, be ready for it. It’s a long hike, bring enough water! The scenic overlook is not clearly marked—when you reach the top, there will be a huge pile of rocks. Make sure you make a left when you reach these rocks, otherwise you’ll continue on the Appalachian Trail until you reach Mount Katahdin in Maine.

4. Kaaterskill Falls & Fawn’s Leap Cliff Jumping, Catskill Mountain Region, NY

Kaaterskill falls is one of the easiest but most rewarding hikes in the northeast. Hike 0.5 miles and eventually you’ll reach a two tier waterfall—the biggest in New York at 260 feet. The trail just had renovations done to make it safer and more accessible and they really did a great job with it. After your hike, continue on the road you parked on and eventually you will reach Fawn’s Leap—a 26 foot waterfall with a cliff you can jump off of into the water below. It’s a really, really neat spot and a fun jump.

Distance from Campus- 2 hours

Hiking Distance- 1 mile round trip

Hiking Time- under an hour +time spent at falls

Trailhead Coordinates for Kaaterskill Falls Parking: 42.18983, -74.07401

Coordinates for Fawn’s Leap (find parking on side of the road—make sure your car is completely to the right of the white lines so you don’t get a ticket): N42 10.641 W74 03.459

Precautions for Kaaterskill: Be incredibly careful at the top of the waterfall—DO NOT get too close to the ledges. There have been numerous fatalities, and some occurred quite recently. It’s safe if you stay on the trail, and keep a safe distance from the ledge.

Precautions for Fawn’s Leap: Monitor how much rain has fallen in the week before you jump to ensure a safe water level (you typically can determine this by the strength of the waterfall). To avoid slipping and for a more comfortable jump, wear sneakers. Do not dive. Do not jump alone. Do not jump under the influence of anything. One wrong step or move can be costly.

5. The Abandoned Town of Centralia, Pennsylvania

This one is for my Halloween Enthusiasts out there. Centralia is the town that inspired the creation of horror film, Silent Hill. There is a fire that has been burning underneath the surface for over 50 years now. The town is still intact, but as of 2010 its population was just 10 people. There are a lot of stories about it and cool aspects of the town. If ghost towns interest you, I highly recommend researching and visiting. From my understanding it is not trespassing, just don’t go around destroying anything or breaking into places you don’t belong.

Distance from Campus- 2 hours, 20 minutes

With the exception of Centralia (I am still dying to go), I have personally done these trips multiple times. If you want any more information, or are looking for anything else to do around these areas, feel free to contact me at mikecap14@gmail.com.

Have fun out there!!