📍Skylands (North), New Jersey

Ease into the trip with a late-afternoon visit to the monument — the crowds that build up by midday have mostly thinned by now, and the light starts to soften into something more forgiving for photos. Walk the short, mostly flat approach to the obelisk's base and let the wind do the talking; from here, three states roll out beneath you in layers of green and blue haze. It's a low-effort, high-payoff way to say hello to the region without taxing anyone after a travel day.

Arrive by 7:30am and the monument is nearly yours — just a handful of early hikers and the sound of wind pushing across open rock. Climb toward the obelisk as morning light rakes low across the ridgelines, painting the tri-state vista in gold before the haze of the day sets in. By 9am the parking lot fills and the quiet evaporates, so this early window is worth the alarm clock, especially for teens who'll appreciate having the summit platform to themselves for photos.

Drive a short distance to the trailhead and climb toward a windswept rocky overlook where the Delaware Water Gap spreads out in layers of ridge and valley mist. The trail has enough scramble and texture to keep teens engaged — cool stone under palms, the smell of pine and damp earth — while the payoff view at the crest makes for one of the trip's best group photos. Give this one real time with kids in the mix; the uneven footing rewards a slower pace.

Arrive early while the forest is still cool and the parking areas are nearly empty — by 8am the air is thick with pine and damp earth, and the only sounds are hawks overhead and your own footsteps on the trail. Head toward Tillman Ravine for the stream cascades, where cold water rushes over smooth stones and teens can wade or skip rocks while parents soak in the quiet. This is the kind of unhurried, sensory morning that contrasts nicely with the previous day's ridge climbs.

After a midday break, continue exploring a different stretch of the forest — perhaps the Appalachian Trail ridge crossing for valley views, or a quieter loop near Stony Lake. The afternoon light shifts the mood from cool and shaded to warm and golden, and this is a good window for teens to range a little ahead on a well-marked loop, building a small sense of independence while staying within easy earshot.

For families who loved the ridge walk earlier in the trip, an early return offers a completely different mood — mist still clinging to the valley below, the rocky overlook bathed in soft dawn light, and almost no one else on the trail. This is a good moment for teens to take the lead on route-finding over familiar ground, building confidence without real risk. Those who'd rather skip a repeat hike can instead sleep in and meet the group for a midday start in Newton.

Close out the trip the way it began — with one more early visit to the monument, when the air is still cool and the view feels earned rather than crowded. There's something fitting about bookending the trip at New Jersey's highest point, watching the same three-state panorama that greeted you on day one, now with a week of trails and stream crossings behind you. Keep it short and easy; this is a farewell stop, not another full hike.