Springtime at Skylands

The first time my family discovered Skylands at Ringwood, we had just moved to the area (neighboring West Milford, specifically). It was the whole family, too. My parents and my brother, as well as my grand parents and, I think, my aunt. Indeed, it seemed very nice.

I don't remember my second trip there as much, but I know this: it became one of the favorite haunts for the entire family. We did not go there every weekend, but we went there quite often. When you have a park nearby that offers so much beauty and peace, chances are, you'll want to go frequently.

And so it has been since. Trips to Skylands became commonplace for me. I would take some friends there, including my girlfriend that, ultimately, became my wife (now ex-wife). In fact, it was in this park on some spring day that I actually proposed to her.

We toyed with the idea of holding the wedding there. At the very least, we toyed with the idea of holding the actual ceremony there, and then driving over to the place where we actually had the wedding (it was The Regency, on Route 23).

After the marriage failed, I met and/or took some women there, once I had started dating again.

And sometimes, I find myself going there on my own. With a weird, unconventional work schedule, there are weekdays that I had off that few others had, and so it was commonplace to see the park virtually abandoned, with few to no people around. I would bring some good walking shoes (this place offers a lot of walking, and even hiking, if you want to), as well as a good book or two.

There was one time, on April 11, 1996 (yes, I remember the date), that we got a light dusting of snow. Actually, it might have been a couple of inches or so, but it was that kind of snow where the roads are not affected. I decided to go to Skylands, as well as nearby Wawayanda State Park, and take some pictures of winter scenes. Some of them really came out beautifully, if I do say so myself.

These days, I like to still go there, and have taken my son a few times. He enjoys it, although he is probably a bit too young yet to truly appreciate it. Little boys are not usually going to be distracted from their own little world because a place has a lot of flowers and gardens, and some old, stone architecture that is reminiscent of old Europe. The mansion here has always reminded me of an English Manor House (although, admittedly, I've never yet been to England, unfortunately).

The gardens are fairly formal at points, and the grounds are pretty throughout. The floral arrangements change with the season, of course. There are the gardens, with water fountains, near the mansion, which sits perched atop a hill that overlooks the surrounding area, providing glimpses of the wooded foothills of the region.This can be particularly spectacular during the peak of the autumn colors.

I have said this before, and I will say it again here: New Jersey is not as bad as many people around the country dismiss it as being. Yes, everyone knows about the Jersey Shore, and indeed, this is worth a visit. In the northwestern region of the state, where I grew up, there is the Kittatinny Range that provides great hiking opportunities, and wonderful views from the tops of hills, where you can enjoy views of the region, sometimes including glimpses of the distant New York City skyline! There are lakes and streams spotting the region, as well, and even some old, New England-style swimming holes!

And, of course, there are some surprise treasures that you can find here and there. I just visited Princeton, a charming village with the main focal point being a very highly prestigious university, of course. I have posted on Duke Farms, in Hillsborough, where I presently reside, that also offers trmeendous beauty similar that that offered at Skylands. And in Ringwood, you have both Skylands Botanical Gardens (the grounds pictures here became the official botanical gardens of New Jersey in 1985), as well as historic Ringwood State Park, with a mansion there dating back to the 1700's, to pre-Revolutionary days. It also has beautiful grounds, and there are historical points of interest there, such as an old cemetery with tombstones dating back hundreds of years, as well as some Civil War-era cannons and chains nearby the mansion that illustrate the region's importance for iron ore mining back in the 19th century.

Here, I have focused on Skylands Manor, specifically. In commemorating these grounds to be the official botanical gardens for the state, then Governor Thomas Kean (I still remember him for the "New Jersey & You, Still Perfect Together" message that were very commonplace in the eighties, when he would say these in many commercials, his New England accent bleeding through), suggested that this place was "a symbol of our state's natural and man-made heritage."

Indeed, it is that and more. And it is a place that, if you have not already done so, you should visit if and when the opportunity presents itself. Whether you are a resident of the state, or live nearby in another state, or just happen to be visiting New Jersey (particularly northern New Jersey) at some point, this is one place that is not to be missed!

I would recommend it to anyone and everyone! Don't miss it!