Ramapo Mountain State Forest (Upper Lot) — Attraction in Oakland

This is a fun & relatively short hike. About 4 miles I think. There are some steep inclines if you start the trail going left & steep declines if you start the trail to the right. Depending on which direction you start the loop will determine more ups or more downs. Either way, it's pretty rocky at times. Exploring the castle is the best part for sure. The lake is pretty nice too. I'd give it five stars BUT the trails are a bit confusing at times & the mosquitoes are absolutely INSANE! Maybe the worst I've ever experienced on a hike. Makes it hard to enjoy & almost damn near impossible to stop for a second. If I was to do it again I would definitely do it late fall or early winter to avoid the unholy bloodsucking scourge...

Definitely wear hiking boots. there was a lot more climbing on steep rocks than I expected. I brought my dog with me and I would not recommend it unless you have an active dog that is used to hiking and climbing rocks. Unfortunately my dog did not have the energy level for this trail. Other than that, it was absolutely spectacular! The views were amazing and the castle ruins were pretty cool. I enjoyed the hike, although I did not expect it to be as much rock climbing. I will definitely be doing this hike again without the dog!!...

Really nice hiking trail. Pretty easy- there are some parts with some big rocks that might be hard for some. Really cool history behind the landmarks there- you can take some really cool pictures. The only thing that is a downer is the parking. It is extremely difficult to get a spot- highly recommended getting there early (earlier than 9 am to be honest. When I got there at 9 both lots were already full!) and carpool if you’re going with others. As mentioned previously there are only two parking lots but not a lot of parking spots...