AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

South Mountain Reservation

Big Cat Country–Campbells Pond, 10 sights

6.9 mi · ▲ 640 ft · 2 hr 37 min

Big Cat Country–Campbells Pond, 10 sights is a 6.9-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Reservation near Saint Cloud, NJ. The route passes Flamingo and Big Cat Country before reaching Campbells Pond at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 640 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 8/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi203 – 558 ft7.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Zoo Loop (Green Dot) 40.77003, -74.27783
Nearest town Saint Cloud, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Cat Country–Campbells Pond, 10 sights

6.9 mi · ▲ 640 ft · 2 hr 37 min

Elevation 204–559 ft

Out & Back · South Mountain Reservation

Trailhead: Zoo Loop (Green Dot) · 40.77003, -74.27783

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
  2. 50 ftPass Flamingo.
  3. 0.2 miPass Big Cat Country.
  4. 0.2 miBear left onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
  5. 0.1 miBear left onto Ravine Trail, heading SW.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Turtle Back (Orange), heading SE.
  7. 0.1 miBear right onto Hillspur Trail, heading S.
  8. 250 ftBear left onto Longwood Trail, heading SW.
  9. 0.6 miBear left, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftBear right onto Girl Scout Bridge / Summit Trail, heading SW.
  11. 0.8 miTurn right onto Bear Lane, heading SW.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Overlook Trail, heading S.
  13. 100 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear right onto Overlook Trail, heading S.
  15. 0.4 miTurn left onto Rahway Trail (White), heading NW.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  17. 50 ftTurn right onto River Trail, heading W.
  18. 350 ftPass Campbells Pond.
  19. 250 ftContinue straight onto Rahway Trail (White);River Trail, heading S.
  20. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Rahway Trail (White), heading SW.
  21. 150 ftContinue straight onto River Trail, heading SE.
  22. 100 ftReach Big Cat Country, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Rahway Trail (White), heading SW.
  24. 150 ftContinue straight onto Rahway Trail (White);River Trail, heading S.
  25. 0.1 miContinue straight onto River Trail, heading SW.
  26. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 50 ftTurn right onto Rahway Trail (White), heading SW.
  28. 0.2 miTurn right onto Overlook Trail, heading NW.
  29. 0.4 miBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading N.
  30. 50 ftContinue straight onto Overlook Trail, heading N.
  31. 100 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lane, heading N.
  32. 0.1 miTurn left onto Summit Trail, heading E.
  33. 0.8 miBear left, heading NE.
  34. 50 ftBear right onto Longwood Trail, heading NE.
  35. 0.6 miBear right onto Hillspur Trail, heading NE.
  36. 250 ftBear left onto Turtle Back (Orange), heading NE.
  37. 0.1 miTurn left onto Ravine Trail, heading NE.
  38. 0.2 miBear right onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading N.
  39. 0.1 miBear right onto Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading NE.
  40. 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/big-cat-country-flamingo-out-back-10-sights-10-km

Trail surface

68% dirt1% gravel31% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Zoo Loop (Green Dot) Trailhead

Hikes near Saint Cloud, New Jersey