New Jersey's Once-Thriving Drive-Through Safari Is Now In A State Park With Scenic Biking And Hiking Trails

For wildlife enthusiasts, there's nothing quite like a drive-through zoo experience. It's a chance to see rare animals up close, like at Florida's Lion Country Safari, where a 4-mile route leads visitors past hundreds of big cats, giraffes, rhinos, and the largest zebra herd in the U.S. But not all "safari parks" stand the test of time. Some are forced to shutter, like New Jersey's Jungle Habitat, which closed after dangerous encounters between animals and humans. Luckily, there's a second chapter for the once-thriving drive-through safari in West Milford, New Jersey. It's now part of a state park with scenic trails for hiking and biking.

The now-defunct Jungle Habitat, run by Warner Bros., first opened in 1972. The safari park was home to 1,500 animals, per NJ.com, and there were two sections: a petting zoo-style area to explore on foot, and another home to elephants, lions, chimpanzees, tigers, bears, and more. Problems quickly developed in the area where wild animals roamed freely. A lion attacked a visitor through an open car window, and some animals made a run for it. After a tumultuous few years, the safari park closed in 1976, sending its resident animals to other zoos and sanctuaries.

The 800-acre property was abandoned before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks and Forestry purchased it in 1998, notes the New Jersey Herald. The land was incorporated into Ringwood State Park, a serene escape in the Ramapo Mountains with a lake, trails, and gardens.

According to dedicated Facebook group Jungle Habitat Fan Club, you can spot remnants of the old safari while exploring. Members shared recent photos of a swimming pool-like facility for otters and a rundown "pet center" tucked in the woods. But most come to enjoy Ringwood State Park's beautiful multi-use trails.

The popular Ringwood State Park Loop is a moderately difficult 9-mile loop that leads hikers and past picturesque ponds, gardens, streams, and scenic overlooks. "Great hike with picturesque views," said one hiker on AllTrails, who went in the fall. The hike takes about four hours to complete. For something shorter, try the idyllic New Jersey State Botanical Gardens at Skylands trail, a 1.4-mile loop around Swan Pond that's framed by colorful flowers and plants. It's also possible to just visit the formal gardens, open year-round, or wander the wooded paths.

Biking is permitted on the majority of the park's trails. Mountain bikers might explore the natural beauty on the trails around the postcard-like Shepherd Lake. Less adventurous cyclists can pedal along the gravel carriage roads in the area around Ringwood Manor, an 18th-century Victorian country house sitting in the heart of the park. Ringwood State Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Depending on the season, the entrance fee is $5 to $10 for New Jersey residents and $10 to $20 for non-residents. Love the park? Don't miss New Jersey's High Point State Park, a highland escape for hiking, fishing, and camping.