# climbs in Northern NJ



## wicz (May 2, 2006)

i live in essex county and i need to find good climbs to do regularly. making the transistion from vermont to NJ does not help my climbing.


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## jmoryl (Sep 5, 2004)

Where do you normally ride in Essex Co.? I live in South Orange and for my local riding I need to head west (the only sensible direction) which will always take me over the hill where the South Mountain Reservation is. Not a bad climb, but one can grow tired of the acceptable routes pretty quickly. 

Otherwise, I head north and west. A lot of riders around here head for the Great Swamp area, which is nice and also close to where I work, but doesn't have much in the way of climbing. If you head west from that area you will get some better hills (e.g. Tempewick or Hardscrabble Rd.). I enjoy riding around the Gladstone/Pottersville/Califon/Mountainville area, which I guess is mostly Hunterdon Co. Try Black River Rd. north of Pottersville for a climb. 

Yesterday I did about 60 mi. in the Warren and Sussex Co. area and found some good hills around Hope and Mtn. Lakes. The climb on Co. Rt. 611 heading south from Hope was a bit of an unpleasant surprise given the hot weather we have been having!

Check out njbikemap.com for other possibilities. There are some more brutal climbs up in the far NW corner of the state around Vernon and High Point.


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## capt_phun (Jun 14, 2004)

If you want bigger, longer hills I would go to Vernon, West Milford, Greenwood lake area. Lots of nice roads, moderate traffic, and you can make loops into lower NY state for a change of scenery.


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## mr meow meow (Jan 29, 2004)

*I live in Chatham*

Usually, If I'm looking to climb I'll head out west like the previous poster suggested. Some good climbing can be had in Tewksbery, Califon, Lebanon. Granted, you may want to drive out to Peapack /Gladstone and start from there as the ride from Essex to Tewskbery is rather long given the terrain. Northern Somerset and eastern Hunterdon counties is what I'm talking about. If you ride the Tewksbery 'Time Trial course you'll be challanged with some brutal climbing but some beautiful scenery (not that you'll know it at the time!)

The following link shows the elevation profile and course map. 


http://www.tewks-t-t.com/flyer.html

http://www.tewks-t-t.com/courseprofile.html


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## goldsbar (Apr 24, 2002)

You're not going to find those long 1,000+ foot vertical climbs that you had in Vermont. Highpoint is one exception but it's not exactly close to you. Plenty of 400-600 foot climbs with challenging grades at times. More than adequate for training purposes so your climbing shouldn't be suffering but not exactly epic. Go West and NorthWest as the others have stated.


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## HouseMoney (Oct 28, 2002)

When I lived in Lebanon, Hunterdon County, all I had to do was go outside my front door and there were climbs aplenty. Stanton Mountain (Round Valley) in Lebanon, Cokesbury, Tewksbury, Mountainville, High Bridge, etc. Since I moved to Union County last year, I have to work a little harder to find them. (like you, I love to climb, although climbing doesn't always love me) 

In order to get anywhere, I need to climb over the Watchung Reservation to get into Somerset Cty. Short (< 1 mile) climbs, but they'll get the heart rate going. Toughest way over I've found is Summit Road from Rte 22 up, which is one of the hardest climbs I've ever done, including in Hunterdon. You can get to it by riding through Springfield, which I believe borders Essex Cty in spots. Johnston Drive in Watchung is another nice, short climb, which I sometimes hit on my return. Warren has some nice climbs, too. As the others have mentioned, once in Somerset Cty, you can head north towards Mendham in Morris Cty or west towards Hunterdon Cty. 

I've never ridden in Essex County, but from driving through it seems very flat, with the exception of the West Orange and South Mtn Reservation areas. Heading way north/west towards Passaic or Sussex counties will provide really nice climbs, but they're not as close as some other options.


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## normZurawski (Jul 25, 2006)

If you get yourself in the Basking Ridge area, you should shoot for Bernardsville. Those are the best hills mile for mile. You can set up a whole lot of grinding in a few loops. Check out njbikemap.com for that specific section.


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## Coppi51 (May 30, 2002)

I live in Sussex county and theres a ton of climbing to be had. Like most mentioned before...climbs like High Point and around Vernon are longer and you can set a pace. Back side of High Point (starting by Port Jervis) is about a 3.5-4 mile climb up to the 1800ft summit. Also all along the Appalachian Ridge there's plenty of roads that go up...
I'm sure if you head up to Ramapo and Ringwood there are some good climbs as well...

I work in Gladstone/Peapack (an area mentioned above) and here too are some good climbs. Heading out past Tewksbury you'll find tons of little climbs mashed together...both on smaller one lane backroads and wider shouldered county roads.


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## mr meow meow (Jan 29, 2004)

*Peapack / Gladstone rules*



Coppi51 said:


> I live in Sussex county and theres a ton of climbing to be had. Like most mentioned before...climbs like High Point and around Vernon are longer and you can set a pace. Back side of High Point (starting by Port Jervis) is about a 3.5-4 mile climb up to the 1800ft summit. Also all along the Appalachian Ridge there's plenty of roads that go up...
> I'm sure if you head up to Ramapo and Ringwood there are some good climbs as well...
> 
> I work in Gladstone/Peapack (an area mentioned above) and here too are some good climbs. Heading out past Tewksbury you'll find tons of little climbs mashed together...both on smaller one lane backroads and wider shouldered county roads.



A bit off topic but I've really fallen in love with Pea-Stone. I used to just pass through on my bike but now I end up bringing my family and friends there for a picnic in Memorial Park, lunch at the Opah Grille, or dinner at the newly renovated Gladstone Tavern. If I can convince my wife to move I would be happy to spend the rest of my days in Pea-Stone....


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## Bozizle (Jan 2, 2003)

*Ringwood*

You can doo a loop through Skyline Drive at ringwood up to Wawayanda St park on some good roads which brings you up Warwick Turnpike to upper Greenwood lake and take that up to Warwick for more rolling stuff or loop it around back to the Ringwood area. Some tuff climbs and I usually see quite a few members of the Chapstick/Skyline womens team among other racers train their all the time....weekend morning are practically car free up there.


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## lawndart (Oct 4, 2004)

Bozizle said:


> You can doo a loop through Skyline Drive at ringwood up to Wawayanda St park on some good roads which brings you up Warwick Turnpike to upper Greenwood lake and take that up to Warwick for more rolling stuff or loop it around back to the Ringwood area. Some tuff climbs and I usually see quite a few members of the Chapstick/Skyline womens team among other racers train their all the time....weekend morning are practically car free up there.



if you go this route just want to let ya know that the road surface from Monksville Res. leading to the turnoff to Greenwood lake (ABC Paintball/Old A&W Shop) is in the midst of getting repaired so its all tore up.


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## mtn_goat (Jul 26, 2006)

here is a detailed hilly alternative to avoid the construction on Warwick Tpke:
- from Oakland, go up and over Skyline Drive
- make a right onto Ringwood Ave
- make a left onto Stonetown, go over the dam, then go up steep climb
- then make a right (at triangle) onto Westbrook
- at the top of Westbrook, make a right onto Macopin (or do option B below)
- make right onto Union Valley
- at 2nd light, make a left (still Union Valley)
- make a left onto White Road
- make a left onto Warwick Tpke (bottom of Upper Greenwood Lake climb)

to get back, reverse option B, continue to the top of Warwick Tpke (past the Utopia Deli), left onto Clinton, Larue, Union Valley, Gould, Macopin, Westbrook, Stonetown, Ringwood Ave, Skyline Drive.

Option B:
- at top of Westbrook, make a left onto Macopin
- make a right onto Gould (CAUTION: this road starts out going downhill, then flat, then small climb, the downhill with a crazy 160 degree right turn, extremely sharp)
- make left onto Union Valley
- make right onto Larue Road
- make right onto Clinton Road (10 miles of rolling, flat, no houses except for the first 1 mile and last 2 miles, pure woods, recently re-paved [road is in the Weird NJ book, look it up])
- Clinton Road ends at Warwick Tpke on the top in Upper Greenwood Lake, to the left goes into Warwick, to the right heads back towards Ringwood 

to get back, reverse the first set of directions, Warwick Tpke, White, Union Valley, Macopin, Westbrook, Stonetown, Ringwood Ave, Skyline Drive

This works out to about 40-50 hilly miles.


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## mleptuck (Jul 29, 2002)

*Yea!*

Awesome route, mtn_goat!

I'm heading up there (my sister lives literally right on Macopin Road not too far from where Westbrook comes in) next Saturday to participate in a Christening, and figured I'd try and get a ride in...

I was looking for ~50 miles on Sunday morning, and it looks like your route will fit the bill -- I was going to head down Gould, up Clinton, then all the way around Upper Greenwood Lake on Lake Shore, and then down Warwick to Greenwood Lake Tpke. From there, I wanted to do an out-and-back on Skyline down to almost 287 to get the Ramapo Mountain climb x2, and then home over the dam and up Westbrook.

How bad is the construction on Warwick Turnpike? Is it ridable, or should I try and avoid the stretch altogether? There doesn't seem to be an easy way to close that loop and still get most of the highlights of my intended ride....

Thanks!
Mike


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## mtn_goat (Jul 26, 2006)

Mike, 
The construction on Warwick Tpke (near the old Jungle Habitat) is horrendous, not even fit for a car (IMO). I would do everything to get around the construction, I don't think that it is safe to be on that section of road on a bike at this time. It is scheduled for completion in May/June of 2008!

You have a few options:
1. Go down the mountain, past A&P, at the Paintball place (old A&W rootbeer) make a right onto Marshall Hill, go up, left at stop sign (still Marshall Hill), left onto Morsetown, left onto Westbrook, then left onto Ringwood Ave, then right to go up Skyline Drive, turn around and back up again.

OR:

2. From UGL on Warwick Tpke at the Utopia Deli, make a left onto Lake Shore, take that into Warwick NY, down Cascade to 211 (I believe), then make a right to go over Mt Peter into Greenwood Lake, then follow the signs to Sterling Forest (to the left), go over that mountain into Sterling Forest, make a right onto Long Meadow, 9 miles to Sloatsburg Road, make right, head back into NJ, at stop sign, make right onto Ringwood Ave, make left onto Stonetown, up Stonetown to Westbrook.

#2 will give you lots of hills - Mt Peter, Sterling Forest, Stonetown, Westbrook.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

I'm the exact opposite. I just moved from Chicago. The largest climb in almost a hundred miles was a speed bump! 
I'm in north brunswick, and love the opportunities here! Too bad its friggin freezing!


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## prunepit (Nov 19, 2006)

Look to Hackelbarney area.Do Black River rd and head out to Naughright rd .Look to a map but if you include those 2 climbs in any loop you make up it will be a good day of climbing.Maybe start out at Peapack-Gladstone.Still nothing by Vermont standards though.


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## thegock (May 16, 2006)

*One word: Hillier*

Check out the Hillier Than Thou century route in NW New Jersey with 10k of climbing. The Central Jersey Bike club runs it in Sept and it is a blast if you love to climb.


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## mleptuck (Jul 29, 2002)

*Nice weather*

So, I drove up to NJ Saturday morning with the wife and kids. Didn't even bring the bike with me (no time on Saturday when the weather was BEAUTIFUL) on account of the forecast for Sunday.

What the h*ll? It's mid-April for crying out loud...


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## Lawrencer2003 (Nov 26, 2006)

Moved from Sparta to Chicago's north shore in 2001. Man do I miss riding in Jersey! From Sparta West to the Delaware Water Gap and NW to High Point you can blow your mind! There are so many great roads, killer climbs and breath taking drops. Big issue with Essex are the crowded roads.


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