Castle Viewpoint–Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, 3 sights is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Oakland, NJ. The route reaches Castle Viewpoint. It climbs 1,004 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 27/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi213 – 879 ft · steepest grade: 25%5.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Castle Loop Trail 41.04703, -74.25168
Nearest town Oakland, NJ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Castle Viewpoint–Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, 3 sights
5.5 mi · ▲ 1,004 ft · 2 hr 20 min
Elevation 214–880 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Castle Loop Trail · 41.04703, -74.25168
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Cannonball/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 450 ftBear right onto Deer Ledge Road/Cannonball/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Castle Viewpoint.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 250 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading SW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading SW.
- 1 miSharp right onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Pete's Path, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 100 ftBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cresent, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Pete's Path, heading N.
- 0.1 miReach Castle Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Cresent, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Pete's Path, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 400 ftSharp left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading E.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Deer Ledge Road/Cannonball/Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left onto Cannonball/Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 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
79% dirt4% paved17% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Castle Loop Trail Trailhead
- Castle Viewpoint & Hoeferlin Memorial Trail via Castle Loop Trail 1 mi · ▲ 96 ft
- Lake Tamarack & Schuber Trail via Castle Loop Trail 1 mi · ▲ 120 ft
- Todd Hill–Todd Lookout Loop, 6 viewpoints 1.7 mi · ▲ 320 ft
- Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake Loop, 8 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 431 ft
- Matapan Rock–Algonquin Gas Service Road, 4 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 252 ft
- Lake Tamarack–Lake Vreeland, 3 lakes 2.9 mi · ▲ 447 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Oakland, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Oakland, New Jersey