Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Algonquin Gas Service Road–Black Birch Way, 3 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,408 ft · 3 hr 38 min

Algonquin Gas Service Road–Black Birch Way, 3 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Skylands, NJ. It climbs 1,408 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 70/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi591 – 974 ft · steepest grade: 22%9.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail 41.12697, -74.23633
Nearest town Skylands, NJ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Algonquin Gas Service Road–Black Birch Way, 3 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,408 ft · 3 hr 38 min

Elevation 590–976 ft

Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Trailhead: East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail · 41.12697, -74.23633

Weather Sep 7: Overcast, high 74°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail, heading NW.
  2. 200 ftSharp right onto Crossover Trail, heading N.
  3. 150 ftTurn right onto Old Morris Road, heading E.
  4. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading E.
  5. 0.4 miTurn left onto Skylands Trail, heading SE.
  6. 100 ftBear right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading SE.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left onto Black Birch Way, heading S.
  8. 0.5 miBear left onto Cape Road, heading NE.
  9. 400 ftBear right, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miBear right onto Woods Road, heading E.
  11. 1.7 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading NE.
  12. 0.3 miBear right onto Mountain Road, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading NE.
  14. 0.5 miReach Old Morris Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 0.5 miTurn right onto Mountain Road, heading W.
  16. 50 ftBear left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading W.
  17. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  18. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Woods Road, heading S.
  19. 1.4 miBear left, heading SW.
  20. 0.2 miBear left onto Cape Road, heading W.
  21. 400 ftBear right onto Black Birch Way, heading W.
  22. 0.5 miTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading W.
  23. 0.2 miBear left onto Skylands Trail, heading W.
  24. 50 ftTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading W.
  25. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Old Morris Road, heading NW.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left onto Crossover Trail, heading SW.
  27. 100 ftSharp left onto East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail, heading SW.
  28. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

39% dirt61% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 74°F53°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV6Humidity66%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago (0.4″ over the last week)
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:30 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:22 PM
Tue 77°57°
Wed 82°59°
Thu 78°63° 30%
Fri 74°53° 19%
Sat 78°53°
Sun 82°57°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:59 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:40 PM — 10 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail Trailhead