Sawmill Lake offers hike-in privacy, waterfront property, and the best part, it's less than 60 miles from the Times Square IRT station. While admittedly not deep wilderness, High Point comes surprisingly close. It offers 14,218 acres of dense hardwood forest, easy access to the Appalachian Trail, and the tallest peak in New Jersey (though, granted, it's only 1,803 feet high). And quiet reigns, even on holiday weekends, thanks to strict noise-regulation enforcement. Of Sawmill Lake's 50 sites, numbers 24-26 and 34-41 are the most coveted, the former for their prime north-shore location and the latter for their seclusion.

The Stuff

To get the complete I-can't-believe-this-is-Jersey effect, hike from the visitor center to High Point Monument, a 220-foot war veterans' memorial with the following 360-degree view: Poconos to the west, Catskills to the north, Delaware Water Gap to the southwest. A peaceful 7.5-mile loop starts east of the visitor center on the AT and winds south through the forest to Iris Trail, which overlooks Lake Rutherford. (Iris is also open to bikes, as are several well-maintained paths in the park's 18-mile network.) You can cast for trout in stocked Sawmill or for a natural selection of bass and catfish in Lakes Marcia and Steenykill. Pick up a fishing license at the Wal-Mart in Franklin (route 23 about 15 miles south of High Point) and rent a canoe at Silver Canoe for a float down the Delaware.

The Specs

The drive from Manhattan to High Point State Park takes about 90 minutes. Follow I-80 over the George Washington Bridge to the town of Totowa, and turn north on New Jersey 23, which bisects the park. Campsites cost $15 per night, though this will likely go up to $20 in the near future. Call 973-875-4800 for park information.

Next Time Try

Location: 65 miles north of Chicago
Details: 63 sites; pit toilets; $12 per night, plus $9.50 reservation fee and $10 vehicle permit
Prime Time: June to mid-October
Contact: 608-266-2181

Angel Island State Park, San Francisco Bay, California
Alcatraz views, minus the claustrophobia. For the lights of Fisherman's Wharf, request a site on the south side; to catch sunrise over the Berkeley hills, grab the east side. And to forget city life entirely, stick with the island's three shaded interior sites.

Location: five miles north of San Francisco
Details: nine campsites; pit toilet; $10 per night
Prime Time: April-October
Contact: 415-435-5390