Ramapo Valley County Reservation
A recreational oasis from the hustle and bustle of the NYC burbs
Just 5 minutes west of my home, there’s a county park / preserve with many trails, a couple of lakes, a few rocky outcroppings with views of the NYC skyline, and a waterfall.
Beyond the immediate park grounds, I think a lot about how this little county park is an entry point to a completely wild existence if one so chooses. Within the park, you can connect with trails that eventually connect with the Appalachian Trail or many other trail networks and could hike for weeks from this unassuming county park. Just on the edge of the park boundary is the headquarters for the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference, which provides a wealth of information about hiking in NJ and NY, along with maintaining the trails it represents.
This is all just 5 minutes west of a bustling NYC suburb.
I really don’t spend enough time in the park. It’s that thing where when things are right in your neighborhood, you tend to forget to enjoy them. Like when I lived just outside of Washington DC for many years and rarely enjoyed the natural and museum spaces in and around town.
Last winter, I did spend a few hours at Ramapo Reservation (as the local call it) after a snowstorm and was rewarded with some amazing imagery.
As local NYC sports-reporting legend Warner Wolf would say, “Let’s go to the video tape still imagery!”
If you want to learn more…
Ramapo Valley County Reservation
New York - New Jersey Trail Conference
My photography not only focuses on the liminality of simply getting outside with nature, but also exploring a range of liminal interpretations of nature through abstraction and experimentation. It’s an expressive form of imagery that speaks to seeing what’s beyond what we think we see…in order to not just “see” but begin to notice.
Love the images Joe!