Ringwood State Park
Bald Mountain–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 9 sights
8.4 mi · ▲ 1,344 ft · 3 hr 28 min
Bald Mountain–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 9 sights is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint and Glasmere Ponds before reaching Bald Mountain at the turnaround, 4.2 miles in. It climbs 1,344 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Bald Mountain–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 9 sights
8.4 mi · ▲ 1,344 ft · 3 hr 28 min
Elevation 592–1,161 ft
Out & Back · Ringwood State Park
Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail · 41.12013, -74.23815
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftSharp left onto The Knob, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miPass Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint.
- 150 ftBear right onto Skylands Trail, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear right onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miPass Glasmere Ponds.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Midwood Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading S.
- 300 ftBear left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Weyble Pond Road/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left onto Halifax Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading SE.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Halifax Trail, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Woods Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miReach Bald Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Halifax Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Halifax Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Weyble Pond Road/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Midwood Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Skylands Trail, heading W.
- 400 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto The Knob, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:02 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:22 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:50 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Five Ponds Loop Trail Trailhead
- Ringwood State Park Viewpoint–Swan Pond, 3 lakes 1.4 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint–Five Ponds Viewpoint Loop, 7 sights 1.8 mi · ▲ 311 ft
- Gatun Pond–Duck Pond, 5 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 351 ft
- Warm Puppy Rock–Duck Pond, 4 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 383 ft
- Shepherd Lake–Swan Pond, 5 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 367 ft
- Swan Pond–The Bog, 8 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 460 ft
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