Castle Viewpoint–Lake Vreeland, 9 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Lake Vreeland and Castle Viewpoint. It climbs 1,370 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 28/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi213 – 945 ft · steepest grade: 24%8.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Millstone Trail 41.06224, -74.23758
Nearest town Erskine, NJ
Directions
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Castle Viewpoint–Lake Vreeland, 9 sights
8.2 mi · ▲ 1,370 ft · 3 hr 25 min
Elevation 214–946 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Millstone Trail · 41.06224, -74.23758
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Millstone Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Lake Vreeland.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Castle Viewpoint.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading W.
- 0.4 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 SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cresent, heading NW.
- 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 NW.
- 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 S.
- 350 ftSharp left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading SE.
- 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.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Millstone Trail, heading NE.
- 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
73% dirt5% gravel1% paved21% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Millstone Trail Trailhead
- Matapan Rock–Lake Vreeland, 4 sights 1.6 mi · ▲ 343 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–Lake Tamarack, 4 lakes 2.5 mi · ▲ 254 ft
- Twin Hill–North Lookout, 9 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 485 ft
- Lake Vreeland–Millstone Trail Loop, 6 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 669 ft
- Suzi's Rock–Middle Valley Lookout Loop, 10 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 462 ft
- Todd Hill–Todd Lookout, 6 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 364 ft
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