long pond ironworks state park

Boat on Monksville resavoir Fishings good ,My get luckey and spot some of the resident otters ,Or site one of the local black bears the historic buildings which are being restored give a sense of the history of area worth a vist

Although it would be nice if they had more signage around showing 'older times', it is still a nice little park showing the ironwork process. There are also some nice hiking trails off the main one - particularly if you cross the little bridge. Also nice area to canoe or kayak from the boat launch.

We took our children years ago and loved seeing the historic buildings and walking the trails. Recently visited after Superstorm Sandy and was a little sad to see how much damage occurred to some of the bldgs. Still a pretty place to do some hiking and you can still see the ironwork ruins, buildings & waterwheels. I don't know if it was storm related, but some of the trails were closed too. We read that leashed dogs were permitted & brought ours, but be warned the main entrance pathway was strewn with glass. The rest of the paths were fine. When leaving, we found a more roundabout way to avoid the glass entirely. I hope they get the necessary funds to restore this place to its former glory. Even as it is, it's still a beautiful place to spend a few hours in the outdoors.

This New Jersey State park features the Long Pond Ironworks, founded in 1766 and operated continually until 1882, making iron for a wide range of purposes. Today, the ruins of three furnaces and other unique structures remain in a beautiful setting. An important bridge over the Wanaque River was destroyed by Hurricane Irene in 2011; I am working with a number of groups to raise funds too replace the bridge with a new, iron bridge on secure buttresses. We will run a Kick Starter proprigram to raise the final tranche of money.Yesterday I toured the site again, was inspired once again, and George Trakas, an internationally known environmental sculptor, was equally inspired and has agreed to design and build the bridge. We expect to finish the installation by April, 2015.Even without the bridge, this is a beautiful site, filled with history and wonderful natural features.Friends of the Ironworks are at http://longpondironworks.org/ An excellent review appears at: http://www.thehistorygirl.com/2013/07/the-industrial-remains-of-long-pond.html

If you are a history buff or hiker or just like seeing and experiencing very interesting things Long Pond Ironworks is a great place to go.... There are remnants of the iron industry in this abandoned town dating from the revolution to after the civil war... There are water wheels, ruins of the old town, and an abundance of hiking trails leading to old iron mines etc. Bring a magnet and you'll be able to pick up iron ore that once fueled the areas economy..

Nice hiking, but doe to the bad winter and Superstorm Sandy, the buildings are again in need of repair.

It is always fun to hike, walk around and take pictures at Long Pond Ironworks year round. Be sure to bring a camera with you!

Went to see an outdoor Shakespeare production and loved seeing the show in the middle of a beautiful setting. Park is well laid out with lovely trails and views. Visitors center offers many interesting facts. Staff was helpful and pleasant. I will definitely be going back for more exploring!

I’ve fished and hiked area for years. Great water and even historic iron works ruins, tours of these ruins are available through a friends organization.

The review ny howlyn really sums it up. This place is wonderful. I love hiking the trails and the old buildings make for some really nice photographs. I love to imagine what this place used to look like back in its time. The reservoir is wonderful for paddling, one if my most favorite places to go. Just watch out for the submerged trees in a few spots. Lots of interesting stuff to see as well. Cant wait to go back soon!

Trails are nice - very scenic with trees, mountains, river, resevoir and a small waterfall. There are (run-down) historic sites to see with informational posts - could really be worthwhile if fixed up. Unfortunately, there was a significant amount of broken glass from bottles in many areas of the trails. So, save your doggie's feet and leave the pup at home.

We go to this park fairly often, so parts of this review may combine visits. Long Pond was established to preserve the local iron mining/manufacturing history of the former village of Hewitt. There are several preserved/stabilized buildings, some from the 18th and 19th century iron village, and some relocated here prior to the flooding of the adjacent Monksville Reservoir. The historical highlights of the park are the remains of three iron furnaces, dating consecutively from 1766 and 1865, along with the stabilized/reconstructed waterwheels/pits, and water raceway. A visit starts at the visitor center/museum, which has previously been (e.g.) a restaurant, store and residence. There you can get informative brochures and, if it is open, information from the staff of volunteers from the Friends of Long Pond Ironworks.History isn' the only thing here. My wife and I enjoy the paths/trails, which lead to, among other things, the Wanaque River source of the Monksville Reservoir. Wildlife sightings are not uncommon. There is a section of the Highlands Trail, and the visitor center has information on the trail to a nearby iron mine site.While not technically part of the park, the Monksville Reservoir is a nice place for a relaxing canoe/kayak ride, and it has excellent fishing. We have met first-time kayakers, competitive kayakers practicing, and even teams practicing in racing shells. The motorized fishing boats are not so plentiful as to be a nuisance. Out on the water, sightings of birds are fairly plentiful, including swallows, cormorants, ducks, swans, herons, etc. There are plentiful places to pull out of the water to relax or have a small picnic.Altogether, a nice place to enjoy a day in the country without having to drive far. We have never been disappointed with a visit to this park.