Elmdale Trail (Blue)–Lenape Trail (Yellow) Loop, 8 sights
5.3 mi · ▲ 668 ft · 2 hr 6 min
Elmdale Trail (Blue)–Lenape Trail (Yellow) Loop, 8 sights is a 5.3-mile loop in South Mountain Reservation near Vauxhall, NJ. It climbs 668 ft. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Elmdale Trail (Blue)–Lenape Trail (Yellow) Loop, 8 sights
5.3 mi · ▲ 668 ft · 2 hr 6 min
Elevation 222–553 ft
Loop · South Mountain Reservation
Trailhead: 40.73940, -74.28778
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Crest Trail, heading N.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Openwood Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Summit Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right onto Longwood Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Reservior Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading W.
- 200 ftBear right onto Hillspur Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Yellow Bypass, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Elmdale Trail (Blue) / West Connector, heading SE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto West Connector Green/White, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Orange Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Overlook Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Rahway Trail (White), heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Overlook Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Overlook Trail, heading E.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lane, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Summit Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 300 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 5:57 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Grassy Trail & Swampy Trail Loop via Lenape Trail (Yellow) 2 mi · ▲ 280 ft
- Ball's Bluff Trail–Overlook Trail, 5 sights 2.4 mi · ▲ 417 ft
- Crest Trail–Summit Trail, 3 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Red Blaze & Swampy Trail via Pingry Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 283 ft
- Overlook Trail–Summit Trail, 3 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 90 ft
- Openwood Trail–Reservior Road, 4 sights 2.9 mi · ▲ 54 ft
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Hikes near Vauxhall, New Jersey