5.8 mile Horse Pond Mountain through Jungle Habit Ruins
Details
Let's "Bungle in the Jungle". If you know that song then you may be old enough to have visited the Jungle Habitat park in West Milford NJ, when you were young. Today, there is very little left to see, except some unimpressive ruins but its a quick way through to the spectacular views from Horse Pond Mountain in Ringwood.
We start off walking up the closed driveway leading to one of 2 gi-normous parking lots said to hold up to 5000 cars. It's silence is quite eerie. We then enter the actual park through the twin tunnels to see the remains of the ticket booth, past other debris to reach what's left of the birdcage and the otter slide. We quickly leave the park up the inside ridge opposite Horse Pond to experience a couple of viewpoints. Then down and up and over Horse Pond for spectacular views of the Monksville Reservoir. We will end the hike through the opposite end of Jungle Habitat near where we parked.
Elevation Gain = 1,017
Pace = about 2mph
Moderate challenging hike not for beginners
Hiking boots required. Snow, rain or several inches of snow still on the ground will postpone hike.
** Disclaimer
Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would take if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or any injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for this event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer, and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.