AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

High Mountain Park Preserve

Buttermilk Falls–Ancients Pond, 7 sights

9 mi · ▲ 1,293 ft · 3 hr 39 min

Buttermilk Falls–Ancients Pond, 7 sights is a 9-mile out-and-back in High Mountain Park Preserve near North Haledon, NJ. The route passes Ancients Pond and Buttermilk Falls. It climbs 1,293 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 11/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi410 – 787 ft · steepest grade: 23%10.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: WP Double Track 40.95374, -74.19693
Nearest town North Haledon, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Buttermilk Falls–Ancients Pond, 7 sights

9 mi · ▲ 1,293 ft · 3 hr 39 min

Elevation 410–787 ft

Out & Back · High Mountain Park Preserve

Trailhead: WP Double Track · 40.95374, -74.19693

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:28 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on WP Double Track, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  3. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Woodland Trail, heading NW.
  4. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Black Bear, heading W.
  5. 150 ftContinue straight onto Woodland Trail, heading NW.
  6. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  8. 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  9. 400 ftSharp right onto Grandpa's Favorite, heading S.
  10. 0.1 miPass Ancients Pond.
  11. 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  12. 150 ftBear left, heading W.
  13. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto Dyn-O-Mite!, heading NW.
  15. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  16. 100 ftBear left, heading N.
  17. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  18. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  19. 0.5 miSharp left, heading N.
  20. 400 ftBear left onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading N.
  21. 100 ftContinue straight onto North Ancients- 2, heading N.
  22. 50 ftTurn right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading N.
  23. 150 ftTurn left onto North Ancients- 2, heading N.
  24. 350 ftTurn right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading N.
  25. 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  26. 0.3 miTurn left onto North Ancients- 3, heading S.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 0.4 miBear right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading NW.
  29. 200 ftPass Buttermilk Falls.
  30. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  31. 350 ftContinue straight onto Purple Trail, heading NW.
  32. 1.6 miReach Buttermilk Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  33. 450 ftBear right, heading NW.
  34. 1.5 miContinue straight onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading SE.
  35. 300 ftTurn right, heading N.
  36. 450 ftBear left, heading N.
  37. 0.4 miTurn left onto North Ancients- 3, heading NE.
  38. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  39. 0.3 miTurn left onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading SE.
  40. 500 ftTurn left onto North Ancients- 2, heading E.
  41. 350 ftTurn right onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading S.
  42. 100 ftTurn left onto North Ancients- 2, heading S.
  43. 50 ftContinue straight onto Beech Mountain-Clove Trail, heading SE.
  44. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  45. 400 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  46. 0.5 miBear left onto Dyn-O-Mite!, heading N.
  47. 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
  48. 450 ftBear left, heading SE.
  49. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  50. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  51. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  52. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  53. 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
  54. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Grandpa's Favorite, heading S.
  55. 100 ftSharp left, heading S.
  56. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  57. 100 ftBear left, heading S.
  58. 50 ftTurn right onto Woodland Trail, heading S.
  59. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Black Bear, heading S.
  60. 150 ftContinue straight onto Woodland Trail, heading S.
  61. 0.5 miBear left onto WP Double Track, heading N.
  62. 50 ftArrive 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/buttermilk-falls-ancients-pond-out-back-8-sights-15-km

Trail surface

99% dirt1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:28 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.0 mi in (~113 min). Leave by 5:12 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:35 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from WP Double Track Trailhead

Hikes near North Haledon, New Jersey