South Mountain Reservation

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

0 mi223 – 554 ft5.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.73940, -74.28778
Nearest town Vauxhall, NJ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
  3. 0.4 miTurn left onto Crest Trail, heading N.
  4. 250 ftContinue straight onto Openwood Trail, heading NW.
  5. 0.1 miTurn right onto Summit Trail, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftBear right onto Longwood Trail, heading NW.
  8. 0.1 miSharp left onto Reservior Road, heading NE.
  9. 0.3 miBear left onto Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading W.
  10. 200 ftBear right onto Hillspur Road, heading NW.
  11. 100 ftTurn left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading NW.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NW.
  13. 350 ftContinue straight onto Yellow Bypass, heading N.
  14. 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading N.
  15. 0.6 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading NW.
  16. 0.7 miTurn left, heading S.
  17. 150 ftTurn left onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading S.
  18. 0.5 miTurn right onto Elmdale Trail (Blue) / West Connector, heading SE.
  19. 350 ftContinue straight onto West Connector Green/White, heading N.
  20. 0.2 miTurn right onto Orange Trail, heading SW.
  21. 0.4 miBear right onto Overlook Trail, heading SW.
  22. 50 ftTurn left onto Rahway Trail (White), heading SW.
  23. 50 ftTurn right onto Overlook Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.4 miBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading E.
  25. 50 ftContinue straight onto Overlook Trail, heading E.
  26. 100 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lane, heading E.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left onto Summit Trail, heading SE.
  28. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SE.
  29. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  30. 450 ftSharp right, heading N.
  31. 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

26% dirt74% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:25 PM

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.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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