Buttermilk Falls–Ancients Pond, 7 sights
8.8 mi · ▲ 1,330 ft · 3 hr 36 min
Buttermilk Falls–Ancients Pond, 7 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in High Mountain Park Preserve near North Haledon, NJ. The route passes Ancients Pond and Buttermilk Falls. It climbs 1,330 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Buttermilk Falls–Ancients Pond, 7 sights
8.8 mi · ▲ 1,330 ft · 3 hr 36 min
Elevation 410–787 ft
Out & Back · High Mountain Park Preserve
Trailhead: Woodland Trail · 40.97945, -74.20461
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:28 AM · sunset 7:25 PM
Transit-accessible: Paterson Hamburg Tpke at Duncan Ln stop 645 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Woodland Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Summit Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Indians Double Track, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Ancients Pond.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dyn-O-Mite!, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.5 miSharp left, heading N.
- 450 ftBear left onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading W.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto North Ancients- 2, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left onto North Ancients- 2, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading S.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto North Ancients- 3, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Buttermilk Falls.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Purple Trail, heading NW.
- 1.6 miReach Buttermilk Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftBear right, heading W.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading N.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto North Ancients- 3, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading E.
- 500 ftTurn left onto North Ancients- 2, heading SE.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left onto North Ancients- 2, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Dyn-O-Mite!, heading S.
- 250 ftBear left, heading S.
- 450 ftBear left, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Indians Double Track, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Summit Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Woodland Trail, heading N.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.9 mi in (~113 min). Leave by 5:12 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:30 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Paterson Hamburg Tpke at Duncan Ln stop 645 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Woodland Trail Trailhead
- Ancients Pond & Jack's via Summit Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 428 ft
- High Mountain–American Flag Rock, 5 viewpoints 2.3 mi · ▲ 393 ft
- Ancients Pond–Indians Loop, 3 sights 2.4 mi · ▲ 398 ft
- Mount Cecchino–Woodland Sunset Point, 4 sights 4.2 mi · ▲ 343 ft
- Beech Mountain-Clove Viewpoint–Ancients Pond, 5 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 828 ft
- Beech Mountain–Ancients Pond, 5 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 716 ft
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