AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
McMillan Brook - Mahwah, New Jersey 2023-01-18 (01).jpg
Ryan Hodnett · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ramapo Valley County Reservation

Pool Hollow Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 19 sights

15.3 mi · ▲ 2,126 ft · 6 hr 10 min

Pool Hollow Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 19 sights is a 15.3-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Valley County Reservation near Darlington, NJ. The route passes Scarlet Oak Pond, Vista, MacMillan Reservoir and 7 more before reaching Pool Hollow Viewpoint at the turnaround, 7.7 miles in. It climbs 2,126 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 43/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi240 – 945 ft · steepest grade: 19%16.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.07729, -74.18699
Nearest town Darlington, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pool Hollow Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 19 sights

15.3 mi · ▲ 2,126 ft · 6 hr 10 min

Elevation 241–946 ft

Out & Back · Ramapo Valley County Reservation

Trailhead: 41.07729, -74.18699

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:43 AM · sunset 6:59 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 250 ftBear left onto Vista Spur Trail, heading W.
  3. 350 ftPass Scarlet Oak Pond.
  4. 250 ftPass Vista.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Pond/Vista Loop Trail, heading NW.
  6. 150 ftContinue straight onto Vista-Ridge Connector Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.2 miBear left onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading SW.
  8. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Ridge/Vista Loop Trail, heading NW.
  9. 300 ftPass MacMillan Reservoir.
  10. 150 ftTurn left onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading NW.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Reservoir Loop, heading W.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.3 miPass Mill Race Ruins.
  14. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Rocky Mountain Connector, heading W.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left onto Schuber Trail, heading N.
  16. 1 miTurn left, heading W.
  17. 0.4 miSharp right onto Yellow Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading SW.
  19. 0.3 miPass Middle Valley Lookout.
  20. 200 ftTurn left onto Old Guard Trail, heading SW.
  21. 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  22. 0.1 miPass Laurel Hollow.
  23. 0.2 miBear right onto Old Guard/Schuber Trail, heading S.
  24. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading SW.
  25. 0.3 miSharp right onto Hilltop Road, heading W.
  26. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading SW.
  27. 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading N.
  28. 0.4 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading SW.
  29. 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  30. 350 ftPass Castle Viewpoint.
  31. 350 ftTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  32. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  33. 250 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading S.
  34. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading W.
  35. 250 ftBear left onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading W.
  36. 0.2 miPass Ramapo Lake.
  37. 400 ftContinue straight onto Wanaque Ridge/Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  38. 450 ftTurn right onto North Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  39. 400 ftPass North Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Cannonball Viewpoint.
  40. 50 ftPass Ramapo Lake Loop/Cannonball Viewpoint.
  41. 450 ftBear left onto Ramapo Lake Loop/Cannonball Trail, heading S.
  42. 0.6 miBear left onto South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading S.
  43. 250 ftContinue straight onto LeGrande-Lake Connector Trail, heading S.
  44. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  45. 0.1 miSharp right onto Pool Hollow Trail, heading S.
  46. 250 ftReach Pool Hollow Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  47. 250 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  48. 0.1 miBear left onto LeGrande-Lake Connector Trail, heading SE.
  49. 0.1 miContinue straight onto South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading SE.
  50. 250 ftBear right onto Ramapo Lake Loop/Cannonball Trail, heading S.
  51. 0.6 miBear right onto North Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Cannonball Trail, heading N.
  52. 0.2 miTurn left onto Wanaque Ridge/Cannonball Trail, heading N.
  53. 450 ftContinue straight onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading N.
  54. 0.2 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading N.
  55. 250 ftContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading NE.
  56. 0.5 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  57. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
  58. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
  59. 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading NE.
  60. 0.6 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading N.
  61. 0.4 miBear right onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading NE.
  62. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Hilltop Road, heading N.
  63. 0.2 miSharp left onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading N.
  64. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Guard/Schuber Trail, heading E.
  65. 0.2 miBear left onto Old Guard Trail, heading NE.
  66. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  67. 150 ftTurn right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading N.
  68. 0.3 miTurn right onto Yellow Trail, heading NE.
  69. 0.1 miSharp left onto Schuber Trail, heading NE.
  70. 0.4 miTurn right onto Mountain Road, heading NE.
  71. 1 miTurn right onto Rocky Mountain Connector, heading E.
  72. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading NE.
  73. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Reservoir Loop, heading NE.
  74. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading NE.
  75. 0.1 miTurn right onto Ridge/Vista Loop Trail, heading NE.
  76. 450 ftContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading N.
  77. 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  78. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Vista-Ridge Connector Trail, heading E.
  79. 250 ftContinue straight onto Pond/Vista Loop Trail, heading SE.
  80. 100 ftContinue straight onto Vista Spur Trail, heading SE.
  81. 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
  82. 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/cactus-ledge-out-back

Trail surface

57% dirt5% gravel4% paved34% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:43 AMSunset 6:59 PM

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Darlington, New Jersey