Ringwood State Park Conditions

Sergey

Member
As for discouraging: in the last 5 years that I regularly hike/bike Ringwood I don't remember seeing any rangers outside of Botanical gardens/Shepherd lakes area. They might venture into the woods unbeknownst to me, but then I guess they go undercover. Like riding dirt bikes, may be? Without any enforcement nothing could be done. Just last weekend I saw a car driving out of the Parking A and turning right, which is a wrong direction on a one-way road. Immediately next to this car there came a ranger truck that turned left from the parking and left.
 

onetracker

Well-Known Member
Dirt bikes are never legal in any NJ SP on fire roads or singletrack. Tags/no tags; does not matter. Earlier this summer, I saw a patrol of 4 Park Police on quads looking for illegal riders. But I only witnessed that once. Wayway used to have one officer who patrolled on a moto but not sure where that stands (he was promoted). Not much you can really do beyond dropping a dime on the NJ DEP app. If you make a mental note of the tag you can put that in your submission on the DEP app.

Good conditions at RSP today...
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
I finally managed to get a few miles on the SS (or bike in general, the living room floor took al my time but it is DONE now, we’ll for a little bit at least) and rode some fire roads and a little bit of Race Trail and Ramapo-Ringwood Trail in the park. Even had a nowadays rare sighting of the elusive @Paul H at Shepherd’s Pond.

While climbing on Ice Pond Rd I was passed by three dirt bikes. They were ‘resting’ at the top of the climb so I asked them if they were aware that there’s no riding motor propelled vehicle in the park, to which the dick-head in charge replied they had tags. I asked him if that they had permits and he said they were legal. Now, that kind of ended the conversation and I told them to enjoy their ride (I really meant F U but didn’t see the point antagonizing them). Their tag were perfectly horizontal and impossible to read other than from the sky, and once the mud was wiped off of them. I guess it’s normal.

My question is if there such a thing as legally riding a dirt bike in RSP and if that is not the case what would be the best course of action to discourage such behavior (@Patrick will reply ‘the DEP App’ but I don’t see it how that would be effective).

@pixychick are you aware of dirt bikes being issued permits to ride in the park? I only saw them riding on the fire road but by the time I caught up with them they were already off the road and on a trail head, e be en though they were not technically riding at the moment.
Good to see you today!
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Dirt bikes are never legal in any NJ SP on fire roads or singletrack. Tags/no tags; does not matter. Earlier this summer, I saw a patrol of 4 Park Police on quads looking for illegal riders. But I only witnessed that once. Wayway used to have one officer who patrolled on a moto but not sure where that stands (he was promoted). Not much you can really do beyond dropping a dime on the NJ DEP app. If you make a mental note of the tag you can put that in your submission on the DEP app.

Good conditions at RSP today...
I knew the dickhead was bullshitting me, but nothing I could do really. Arguing was pointless and as I said their tags were conveniently facing the sky so no luck there either (which is why I don’t think the DEP App can help that much if the park police doesn’t follow immediately). During the cleanup after the storm with RTC a woman told us how she tried to report a guy with a shotgun roaming the park out of hunting season claiming to be ‘legal’...nobody would show up, not Ringwood police jurisdiction and park police being understaffed is a major understatement to say the least. I can’t imagine the damage they have done to the trails in this wet conditions given the amount of torque and the size of their tires...
 

onetracker

Well-Known Member
You did the right thing; a confrontation was not the answer. Unfortunately, not much can be done with limited park staff.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
is there is a difference between a State Park Ranger and Park Police?

I know the somerset county rangers have little in the way of enforcement capabilities,
but if they call the sheriff, i bet someone shows up.

probably should take this outside the conditions thread?
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
is there is a difference between a State Park Ranger and Park Police?

I know the somerset county rangers have little in the way of enforcement capabilities,
but if they call the sheriff, i bet someone shows up.

probably should take this outside the conditions thread?
Not sure, I go by what they have written on the side of the truck. I’ll take a picture next time a see one, I think someone mentioned that NJ doesn’t have park rangers but park police? Same difference. I tried to report the incident with DEP. I wasted 5 minutes, seems designed for reporting illegal dumping, plus I could not figure out which missing mandatory field was preventing me from posting the report...
 

Cannonbill

Active Member
You need a permit to drive a car/truck back there, such as a the one they offer for downed tree/firewood removal. I can’t imagine it is different for dirt bikes, aside from the fact that I cannot imagine a dirt bike would be used to clean up and remove downed trees.
 

a.s.

Mr. Chainring
For tommorrow (Sunday). Are the trails from the School, Ice or Frozen Dirt? Thanks.
Was hiking there today. Ground water still seeping up and flowing in many spots. I suspect tomorrow the standing water will be frozen so be careful of the ice, especially on the fire roads. Singletrack should be fine with crunchy dirt.
 

Cannonbill

Active Member
Ringwood was excellent yesterday and today. It was starting to thaw towards the end of the ride today. I think best bet is to ride early otherwise its going to make that hard shift to thaw mud. Hi temps and rain at the end of the weeks will shut things down for a while I think.
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Nice and frozen today. Glare ice in a few isolated spots but no biggie. 2 big trees down on Race Trail about halfway between Shepards and Skylands. 1 big cluster of trees at the bottom of the new crossover switchbacks as it drops down onto that trail that runs above Alligator.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Nice and frozen today. Glare ice in a few isolated spots but no biggie. 2 big trees down on Race Trail about halfway between Shepards and Skylands. 1 big cluster of trees at the bottom of the new crossover switchbacks as it drops down onto that trail that runs above Alligator.
Leave it to me to step both feet into an otherwise inexplicable wet patch of mud on a fire road...those trees have been down for a while, I'll see if I can clear some with my manual saw or try to get RTC to bring a chainsaw there. @pixychick , when Art is in Arizona who is the licensed JORBA chainsaw man for Ringwood ?
 
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gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Leave it to me to step both feet into an otherwise inexplicable wet patch on mud on a fire road...those trees have been down for a while, I'll see if I can clear some with my manual saw or try to get RTC to bring a chainsaw there. @pixychick , when Art is in Arizona who is the licensed JORBA chainsaw man for Ringwood ?
Don't think a hand saw is going to cut it for these logs (see what i did there?). The Alligator cluster you can at least climb through. One on the race trail already has a goaround and the other could be left if you build it up a little bit with logs or rocks on either side.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Don't think a hand saw is going to cut it for these logs (see what i did there?). The Alligator cluster you can at least climb through. One on the race trail already has a goaround and the other could be left if you build it up a little bit with logs or rocks on either side.
I reported the trees on the sewer line (bottom of crossover near alligator) because I knew where they are, they will be taken care of (not sure when).

Not sure where the ones on Race Trail are, I'll try to check the trail out so I can point them out to the RTC. Are they near the the new work that was done this summer?
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
I reported the trees on the sewer line (bottom of crossover near alligator) because I knew where they are, they will be taken care of (not sure when).

Not sure where the ones on Race Trail are, I'll try to check the trail out so I can point them out to the RTC. Are they near the the new work that was done this summer?
yes, both where in what looked like newly worked sections toward the middle of the trail.
 

a.s.

Mr. Chainring
Very big tree down on white crossover trail. It’s north of Lot A, at the intersection of White and Shepard Pond Trail. Definitely chainsaw work.
 

Sergey

Member
I wonder if someone found an orange Silky Gomboy Saw, 300mm. If I lost it in Ringwood, as I suspect, it would be some time in October-November, may be on Old Morris. Or it could just escaped from my backpack, anywhere between Shepherd and Ryerson. I know, it's a long shot, but ...
 

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