Washington Rock–Big Cat Country, 9 sights
6.6 mi · ▲ 306 ft · 2 hr 21 min
Washington Rock–Big Cat Country, 9 sights is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Reservation near Saint Cloud, NJ. The route passes Flamingo and Big Cat Country before reaching Washington Rock at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 306 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Washington Rock–Big Cat Country, 9 sights
6.6 mi · ▲ 306 ft · 2 hr 21 min
Elevation 377–559 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
Transit-accessible: stop 384 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Flamingo.
- 0.2 miPass Big Cat Country.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Ravine Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Turtle Back (Orange), heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Hillspur Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftBear left onto Longwood Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right onto Girl Scout Bridge / Summit Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Swampy Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Pingry Trail, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Lenape Yellow Blaze, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Washington Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Pingry Trail, heading W.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Swampy Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Summit Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Longwood Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Hillspur Trail, heading N.
- 250 ftBear left onto Turtle Back (Orange), heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Ravine Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading NE.
- 0.3 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
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 384 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Zoo Loop (Green Dot) Trailhead
- Bramhall Terrace–Big Cat Country, 8 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 281 ft
- Big Cat Country–Flamingo, 8 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 509 ft
- Hemlock Falls–Hobble Falls, 11 sights 5.1 mi · ▲ 485 ft
- Crater View–Big Cat Country, 9 sights 5.6 mi · ▲ 281 ft
- Big Cat Country–Campbells Pond, 10 sights 6.9 mi · ▲ 640 ft
- Nook Hill–Orange Reservoir, 8 sights 7.7 mi · ▲ 1,015 ft
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