Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Gatun Pond–Duck Pond, 7 sights
5.9 mi · ▲ 678 ft · 2 hr 18 min
Gatun Pond–Duck Pond, 7 sights is a 5.9-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Duck Pond and Gatun Pond. It climbs 678 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 65/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Gatun Pond–Duck Pond, 7 sights
5.9 mi · ▲ 678 ft · 2 hr 18 min
Elevation 512–787 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail · 41.12013, -74.23815
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Duck Pond.
- 150 ftBear left onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Defiance Road, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Gatun Pond.
- 150 ftBear right onto Boulder Way South, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Ice Pond Road, heading S.
- 250 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading SE.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
- 200 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
- 1 miReach Gatun Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miBear right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading N.
- 100 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading N.
- 250 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Ice Pond Road, heading NE.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:02 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:22 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:50 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Five Ponds Loop Trail Trailhead
- Ringwood State Park Viewpoint–Swan Pond, 3 lakes 1.4 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint–Five Ponds Viewpoint Loop, 7 sights 1.8 mi · ▲ 311 ft
- Gatun Pond–Duck Pond, 5 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 351 ft
- Warm Puppy Rock–Duck Pond, 4 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 383 ft
- Shepherd Lake–Swan Pond, 5 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 367 ft
- Swan Pond–The Bog, 8 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 460 ft
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