South Mountain Reservation

Elmdale Trail (Blue)–Lenape Trail (Yellow) Loop, 8 sights

4.9 mi · ▲ 668 ft · 1 hr 58 min

Elmdale Trail (Blue)–Lenape Trail (Yellow) Loop, 8 sights is a 4.9-mile loop in South Mountain Reservation near Newstead, NJ. It climbs 668 ft. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi223 – 554 ft5.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.74621, -74.28166
Nearest town Newstead, NJ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Elmdale Trail (Blue)–Lenape Trail (Yellow) Loop, 8 sights

4.9 mi · ▲ 668 ft · 1 hr 58 min

Elevation 222–554 ft

Loop · South Mountain Reservation

Trailhead: 40.74621, -74.28166

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto Crest Trail, heading NW.
  3. 250 ftContinue straight onto Openwood Trail, heading NW.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right onto Summit Trail, heading NE.
  5. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  6. 50 ftBear right onto Longwood Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.1 miSharp left onto Reservior Road, heading NE.
  8. 0.3 miBear left onto Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading NW.
  9. 250 ftTurn left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading N.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading N.
  11. 350 ftContinue straight onto Yellow Bypass, heading NW.
  12. 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NW.
  13. 0.6 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.7 miTurn left, heading S.
  15. 150 ftTurn left onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading SW.
  16. 0.5 miTurn right onto Elmdale Trail (Blue) / West Connector, heading SE.
  17. 350 ftContinue straight onto West Connector Green/White, heading SW.
  18. 0.2 miTurn right onto Orange Trail, heading E.
  19. 0.5 miBear right onto Overlook Trail, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftTurn left onto Rahway Trail (White), heading SW.
  21. 50 ftTurn right onto Overlook Trail, heading SW.
  22. 0.4 miBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Overlook Trail, heading NE.
  24. 150 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lane, heading NE.
  25. 0.1 miTurn left onto Summit Trail, heading S.
  26. 0.6 miTurn right onto Openwood Trail, heading NE.
  27. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Crest Trail, heading NE.
  28. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  29. 50 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

36% dirt64% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~57 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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