Ball's Bluff Trail–Elmdale Trail (Blue) Loop, 4 sights
4.1 mi · ▲ 579 ft · 1 hr 39 min
Ball's Bluff Trail–Elmdale Trail (Blue) Loop, 4 sights is a 4.1-mile loop in South Mountain Reservation near Newstead, NJ. It climbs 579 ft. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Ball's Bluff Trail–Elmdale Trail (Blue) Loop, 4 sights
4.1 mi · ▲ 579 ft · 1 hr 39 min
Elevation 240–546 ft
Loop · South Mountain Reservation
Trailhead: Lenape Trail (Yellow) · 40.75557, -74.29297
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Yellow Bypass, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading E.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading S.
- 250 ftBear right onto Reservior Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Longwood Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Summit Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Ball's Bluff Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Ball's Bluff Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto River Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Rahway Trail (White) / Rahway Low Ext / West Connector, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Rahway Trail (White) / West Connector, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto West Connector Green/White, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Elmdale Trail (Blue) / West Connector, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right onto West Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 0.5 miThe loop closes 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 0.9 mi in (~27 min). Leave by 6:38 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:06 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Lenape Trail (Yellow) Trailhead
- Hemlock Falls Viewpoint & Reservior Road via Openwood Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 310 ft
- Hillspur Trail–Longwood Trail, 5 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 286 ft
- Flamingo & Oakdale Trail (Red) 3.2 mi · ▲ 197 ft
- Aqual Trail–Reservior Road, 3 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 279 ft
- Crater View–Grassy Trail, 4 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 258 ft
- Orange Reservoir–West Ridge Sunset Point Loop, 7 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 345 ft
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