Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Brushwood Pond–Gatun Pond, 4 sights
4.4 mi · ▲ 363 ft · 1 hr 39 min
Brushwood Pond–Gatun Pond, 4 sights is a 4.4-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Brushwood Pond and Gatun Pond before reaching Gatun Pond at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It climbs 363 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 64/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Brushwood Pond–Gatun Pond, 4 sights
4.4 mi · ▲ 363 ft · 1 hr 39 min
Elevation 498–816 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Cheshire Lane Access · 41.08106, -74.24847
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Bikes allowed on the whole route
- Start on Cheshire Lane Access, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading NE.
- 1 miBear right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading N.
- 100 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Brushwood Pond.
- 500 ftBear right onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miPass Gatun Pond.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Ice Pond Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Gatun Pond.
- 150 ftReach Brushwood Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Ice Pond Road, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
- 200 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
- 1 miBear left onto Cheshire Lane Access, heading SW.
- 350 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
Weather
Good to know
- Bikes allowed on the whole route
More from Cheshire Lane Access Trailhead
- Upper Erskine Lake–Catnest Trail-Renegade, 3 sights 4 mi · ▲ 521 ft
- Duck Pond–Black Bear Trail, 4 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 536 ft
- Ilgenstein Rock–Cheshire Lane Trail, 4 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 586 ft
- Old Guard Viewpoint–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 4 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 559 ft
- Brushwood Pond–Weyble Pond, 6 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 628 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Erskine, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Erskine, New Jersey