Ringwood State Park

The Ringwood NJ Botanical Gardens are located in the Ringwood State Park in Ringwood, NJ in the heart of the Ramapo Mountains. A vast area set over 4,444 acres of state park, enjoy hiking trails, biking trails, boating, fishing, and more.

Ringwood is a New Jersey suburb, about 40 miles north of Manhattan. A feeling of wilderness and serenity, while minutes from bigger cities, Ringwood has been described as feeling more like the Catskills than a NJ suburb by the New York Times and often voted one of the best places to live in New Jersey.

What to Expect at the Ringwood NJ Botanical Gardens

The Ringwood NJ Botanical Gardens are full of rich history and natural beauty. Walking through the park feels like a fairy tale. Lush and green, always beautiful seasonal flowers bloom on these exquisitely maintained grounds. Discover the Ringwood NJ Botanical Gardens with 15 specialty gardens, Historic buildings like The Pump House and The Carriage House (now the Visitor’s Center), Skylands Manor (Now booking events), and Shepherd Lake, all within Ringwood State Park.

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Ringwood State Park Parking and Information

Parking

There is a fee from Memorial Day thru Labor Day
NJ Residents – $5 weekdays, $10 weekends and holidays
Non NJ Residents – $10 weekdays, $20 weekends and holidays
Parking lots A, B, and C by the Botanical Gardens, separate lot for Shepherd Lake

Park Hours & Info

Open Daily 8am to 8pm March thru November
Open Daily 8am to 6pm November thru March
Park Office open daily from 8am to 4:30pm
Address: 1304 Sloatsburg Rd, Ringwood NJ
Phone: 973-962-7031

Good to Know

There are picnic areas and a playground at Shepherd Lake
No picnicking, ball playing, or lawn games at the Botanical Gardens
Garden tours, Family Woodland Hikes, and Skylands Manor Tours are available
Special annual events include Ringwood Day, The Harvest Festival, NJ Mountain Bike Festival, and the Plant Sale

Shepherd Lake Recreation Area

Shepherd Lake is a Spring-fed 74-acre lake in Ringwood State Park. While swimming is not always permitted due to a lack of lifeguards, there are plenty of other fun activities to do and adventures to be had.

The Flatwater Paddle Co. offers Kayak, Rowboat, Pedal Boat, and Paddle Board Rentals during the summer. Or, you can bring your own kayak, canoe, or boat! (electric motors only though).

Fishing is permitted (anyone aged 16 and up must have a NJ fishing license) and the NJDEP Fish & Wildlife stocks trout.

A network of trails surrounds the area. There are many trails geared toward mountain biking and hiking, with a variety of terrain for the adventurous outdoorsmen. Some trails can also be used for cross country skiing in the winter.

Picnicking, playing, kite flying, and many other fun summer outdoor activities are permitted on the grassy lawn. Ringwood Day is also hosted here every September with a spectacular fireworks show and live music!

Picnicking at Shepherd Lake

Enjoy a barbeque on a sunny day! There are plenty of picnic tables and grills at Shepherd Lake. They are offered on a first-come, first serve basis. The picnicking area doesn’t generally get very busy though, unless there is an event. Pets are allowed, just make sure they are on a leash!

Past Lake Activities

In the 1960’s, Shepherd Lake operated as a Ski area! The old ski slope is mostly overgrown, but remains can still be found on the trails. There used to be sledding permitted too, until the danger of sledding into the lake arose…and there is no ice skating allowed on Shepherd Lake either.

Boat Launch and Boat House

The boat house does not offer any food or drinks, but does offer rentals for watercraft. Right behind the boat house you will find a great multi-use trail called Cannonball Trail. Hiking, biking, and even horse back riding are permitted, just get back before dark. (Embarrassingly, I have been lost back there on a bike before!).

The Church Of St. Luke

A beautiful stone building right next to Shepherd Lake is The Church of St. Luke. Dating back to 1895, this church was commissioned as a memorial for Dr. Alfred Loomis. The church sits upon a hill overlooking Shepherd Lake, which was once part of Dr. Loomis’ estate. It sort of “looms” over you, so it is fitting!

The Ringwood NJ Botanical Gardens

The Ringwood New Jersey Botanical Gardens are a true hidden gem, set deep in the woods off Sloatsburg Road. Spread across 1000 acres of woodland are almost 100 acres of gorgeous gardens, strategically placed and cared for. No matter the time of year, there is a beautiful experience waiting for you.

To truly experience the gardens and grounds, give yourself a good 3 hours. The Botanical Gardens are the perfect place to unwind, decompress, think, and enjoy nature. You could really spend the whole day just walking around appreciating the seasonal flowers, exploring history, and taking pictures.

The Carriage House

The Carriage House is another historic building from the 1800s still standing today. The idea was to model a farm with practical structures that blended with the landscape, as to accentuate the natural beauty that was already there. Today, the carriage house is the Visitor Center and offers guided tours of the gardens and holds special events like the Harvest Festival, Plant Sale, Summer Concerts, and more.

The Manor Gardens

Located throughout the Botanical Gardens are 15 specialty gardens. They are across from, behind, and next to Skylands Manor. These change of course throughout the year, with Spring being the most opportune time to visit. However, there are always stunning gardens on display.

The Annual Garden

The layout of the Annual Garden at Skylands does not change, but the flowers change from season to season and from year to year. There are benches to sit and enjoy the views and statues throughout, with Four Season statues in the corners behind each bench. A great place to spend some time and marvel at pure beauty! *(These photos were taken in early September, hence the bright pops of yellow, orange, and red)

The Perennial Garden

The Perennial Garden is comprised of a hearty mix of perennials, cultivated each season. In these September photos, enjoy the rich purple of the Beauty Berry Bush and the vibrant yellow of the Black-Eyed Susans. The colorful display changes to a fury of pinks in the Spring and Summer.

The Crabapple Vista

A sight to behold in early May is the Crabapple Vista. It is a burst of beautiful pink blossoms that stretches half a mile. The experience will leave you breathless and basking in the natural beauty surrounding you. Make sure to bring your camera!

The Summer Garden

The Summer Garden is filled with a bright and colorful mixture of perennials and annuals. Once a rose garden, large hedges made maintenance difficult so it became summer-blooming flower garden with an array of cheerful flowers.

The Pollinator Gardens

There are 2 pollinator gardens in the Botanical Gardens too. There is a Butterfly Garden and a Hummingbird Garden, dedicated to helping restore the Monarch Butterfly and offer accessible feeding for hummingbirds. Nectar plants, host plants, milkweed, and tubular flowers are among the plants in the pollinator gardens. If you are quiet and still, the chances of at least seeing a butterfly are high. I have seen many hummingbirds around Ringwood, too!

Many other gardens call the Skylands NJ Botanical Gardens home, too. Some of my favorite Spring gardens are the Lilac Garden and the Peony Garden. Omg, the smells you smell here! There are so many plants in one space that it is like walking into the most natural, wonderful perfume.

There is also a wildflower garden, an azalea garden, an octagonal garden, a winter garden, and a magnolia walk. All the gardens are so special in their own ways. It’s really worth checking out the botanical gardens at least once a season to enjoy the myriad of colors, plants, and scents, noticing something different each time you go. Each visit can be a completely different experience.

Statues at the NJ Botanical Gardens

Down past the crab apple vista, you will find this collection of 4 gorgeous statues. They are life-size limestone statues and represent four continents. Special headgear and costumes help make each statue identifiable as Asia, Africa, America, and Europe, but the elements have been eroding them for quite some time. It gives them an eerie, secretive, yet absolutely beautiful feel to them that you just have to see in person to experience.

Around the NJ Botanical Gardens, there are various statues. Diana, the Goddess of the Hunt is off to the side and can be found while wandering. She is originally thought to have been an indigenous woodland goddess. The Buddha statue is found between the annual and perennial gardens, easier to spot at certain times, as the leaves can overgrow a bit around him to give him his peace. There are many cherubs around the grounds, and this one can be found right beside The Castle at Skylands Manor.

Skylands Manor

Designed by architect John Russel Pope in the late 1920s, Skylands Manor was actually made to look centuries old. Clarence McKenzie Lewis purchased Skylands and wanted to make it his own. He tore down the original Stetson country estate that was there and hired the most prominent landscapers and architects of his time. Skylands Manor was built as a summer home, consisting of 44 rooms and measuring a whopping 35,000 square feet.

Most of the trees framing the Manor today were planted in the late 1920s. Lewis spent 30 years collecting plants from all over the world (including NJ roadsides!) to make the gardens what he wanted – and to appeal to the senses. He wanted the gardens to portray color, texture, symmetry, and form while exuding fresh fragrance.

Botanical Gardens Wedding

Imagine getting married at the Skylands NJ Botanical Gardens – feeling like a princess in a legit castle! Or outside in a tent on the picturesque grounds… surrounded by loved ones and the most beautiful scenery for everlasting wedding photos. Well, you can! Skylands Manor is now used as a venue accommodating up to 600 guests. There’s a private chapel (that overlooks Shepherd Lake!), an on-site wedding suite, and a variety of spaces for ceremonies and cocktail hour.

Frungillo Hospitality Group offers catering and service personnel, along with set up, clean up, tables, chairs, rooms, and more. There are 21 guest rooms in the castle, a ballroom, and a majestic garden to serve all your needs. Experience fine architecture, fine food, and the best memories that will last a lifetime. It’s also a great place to visit every year on your anniversary!

Botanical Garden Tours

A great way to familiarize yourself with the expansive grounds, learn the history of Skylands Manor, or just be nosy, is to take a tour! Of course self-guided tours of the grounds you can enjoy at any time, but helpful guided tours are also available.

There are FREE guided tours every Sunday at 2pm (from May thru October) that cover most of the Botanical Gardens. Expand your knowledge of plants and get your bearings! These tours meet at the Carriage House.
Select Sundays, there are tours of Skylands Manor. This tour is guided and covers the ground floor of the castle. Learn about the history and check out the architecture! (These one cost $10 per adult, $7 per child)
Group tours are also available upon request and need a reservation
Learn more about the tour experience here!

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What to Expect at the Ringwood NJ Botanical Gardens