Skylands Manor sits at the heart of the New Jersey Botanical Garden within Ringwood State Park, a Tudor-revival mansion built in 1922 by investment banker Clarence McKenzie Lewis. The 96-room granite manor house, designed by John Russell Pope (the architect behind the Jefferson Memorial), anchors one of the most remarkable public garden collections in the Northeast.

The surrounding botanical garden spans 96 acres of cultivated grounds featuring a lilac garden, peony collection, azalea garden, wildflower meadow, and a formal annual garden that peaks with vivid color from June through September. Beyond the cultivated areas, Ringwood State Park stretches across more than 4,000 acres of Ramapo Mountain woodland laced with hiking trails ranging from easy lakeside loops to rocky ridge climbs with views into New York State.

Visitors come for the unusual pairing of refined garden strolls and rugged backcountry hiking within a single park. Shepherd Lake offers swimming in summer, and the trails connect to a broader network across the Ramapos for mountain biking and cross-country skiing in winter. The manor house itself is open for guided tours on select weekends, and the grounds host a popular plant sale each spring.

Late May through mid-June is the best window, when the lilacs, peonies, and crabapple allées bloom in overlapping waves. Fall foliage season brings a second rush of visitors to the hardwood-covered ridges. Arrive early on weekends — parking at the botanical garden fills quickly during peak bloom.

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