Living in Ringwood: A Real Estate and Lifestyle Guide to Ringwood, New Jersey
Ringwood, New Jersey—A quiet community surrounded by state parks, lakeside living, and plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors
Where Is Ringwood Located in New Jersey?
Ringwood is located along the New Jersey-New York border in northern Passaic County in New Jersey, an estimated 40 miles from New York City. It is surrounded by Bloomingdale, Wanaque, and Oakland to the south, West Milford to the west, and Mahwah to the east in New Jersey, and Tuxedo, Warwick, and Ramapo to the north in New York. There are no major highways in Ringwood and only one traffic light at Skyline Drive and Erskine Road. The most-used roads include County Route 511, extending from Morris Township to West Milford; Skyline Drive, allowing access to I-287; and I-287, serving the northern part of New Jersey and through Rockland and Westchester in New York.
What Are the Transportation Options in Ringwood?
Commuters traveling to New York City by car can take I-287 to Route 4 and either US-9 toward the George Washington Bridge or Route 17 South to I-80 East to I-95 toward the Lincoln Tunnel. Both trips are 5-38 miles and take around an hour (or more, depending on traffic).
NJ Transit has bus service (Bus 196 and 197) from the Ringwood Park and Ride to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York. Travel time is around an hour.
Coach USA’s Shortline bus also has routes starting in surrounding areas with travel to New Jersey and New York destinations. Nearby train stations are in Mahwah, Ramsey, Allendale, Waldwick, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Ridgewood, as well as Suffern in New York (all between 10-17 miles away).
What Is the Architecture of Ringwood?
Ringwood has a mix of home styles from ranches, split-levels, and Cape Cods to colonials and Tudors, and even log cabins.
What Schools Are in Ringwood?
The Ringwood School District is composed of four schools, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Peter Cooper Elementary School and Robert Erskine Elementary School are for kindergarten through third grade. Eleanor G. Hewitt Intermediate School is for fourth and fifth grade. And Martin J. Ryerson Middle School is for sixth through eighth grade. High school students, in ninth through twelfth grade, attend Lakeland Regional High School in Wanaque.
Private schools in the area include Barnstable Academy, for fifth through twelfth grades, in Oakland, and Academies at Gerrard Berman Day School, a Jewish day school for pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
There are also early childhood learning and daycare centers in town and the surrounding areas.
Things to See and Do in Ringwood
Ringwood State Park
This 4,444-acre state park is located in the Ramapo Mountains is home to the New Jersey Botanical Garden and Skylands Manor House (more details below); Ringwood Manor, the former country home to ironmasters nearly 200 years ago; and Shepherd Lake Recreation Area with a picnic area, playground, and boating and fishing access. The park is a popular spot for hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling, as well as boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and hunting.
New Jersey Botanical Garden at Skylands
Located in Ringwood State Park, the New Jersey Botanical Garden is home to a variety of smaller gardens throughout the property—Azalea Garden, Perennial Garden, Lilac Garden, Annual Garden, Wildflower Garden, Winter Garden, and so many more. Free guided tours are available at 2 p.m. every Sunday from May through October. Skylands Manor House, a castle-like building that hosts private events, is located on the grounds, and tours are offered on select Sundays. The garden hosts events throughout the seasons, including garden walks, plant sales, and family hikes. It is listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
Thunder Mountain Trap & Skeet
This shotgun and clay target-only shooting range is located in Ringwood State Park and is open year-round. They offer lessons, gun rental, ammunition, and a choice of shooting fields.
Highlands Natural Pool
Open to the public, Highlands Natural Pool is a man-made Olympic-sized, stream-fed swimming pool with a picnic grove, beach sand volleyball court, softball field, and nearby hiking options at adjacent Norvin Green State Forest. There is a pool snack stand on-site to purchase hot and cold snacks, ice cream, and drinks. Annual memberships and day passes are available.
Flatwater Paddle Co.
With plenty of lakes in town, Flatwater Paddle Co. hosts its lessons in Monksville Reservoir, made up of 505 acres and spanning three miles (through Ringwood and West Milford). Residents can rent a single kayak, tandem kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and a Dragon board, a four-person racing-style paddleboard. Lessons are available, as well as 90-minute SUP yoga classes taken on a paddleboard.
Where to Eat in Ringwood?*
Maggie’s
This American grill and tap bar serves up salads, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, seafood, and more. Try the Skyline sandwich (named after a street in town) with grilled chicken, roasted peppers, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic glaze on a garlic roll, or the buffalo burger with custom-blended Angus beef with buffalo sauce and bleu cheese crumb. The beer list ranges from local lagers and IPAs to classics like Coors Light and Yuengling.
Artemio’s Prime and Proper
A fine dining restaurant, Artemio’s menu consists of northern Italian dishes made with USDA Prime and dry-aged meats, wild game, seafood, and organic fruits and vegetables. Starters include dishes such as burrata with grilled peaches and oysters Rockefeller, while entrees range from Colorado rack of lamb, Long Island duck breast, and honey-bourbon glazed Ora king salmon to dry-aged Delmonico rib-eye and dry-aged USDA Prime bone-in New York strip. Pair your meal with one of their wine by the glass selections. The restaurant also hosts events and parties.
*Review dining websites for COVID-19 protocols
How Many People Live in Ringwood?
Population: 12,198*
What Is the Average Home Value in Ringwood?
Price: $366,400**
What Are the Property Taxes in Ringwood?
Median Cost: $11,720***
Some of the data relating to the real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange Program of the NJMLS. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Christie's International Real Estate New Jersey are marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. Some properties listed with the participating brokers do not appear on this website at the request of the seller. Listings of brokers that do not participate in Internet Data Exchange do not appear on this website.