AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ringwood State Park

Gatun Pond–Swan Pond, 10 sights

6.8 mi · ▲ 725 ft · 2 hr 38 min

Gatun Pond–Swan Pond, 10 sights is a 6.8-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes The Bog, Swan Pond, Duck Pond and Gatun Pond. It climbs 725 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 64/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi512 – 787 ft7.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Crossover Trail 41.12748, -74.23706
Nearest town Skylands, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gatun Pond–Swan Pond, 10 sights

6.8 mi · ▲ 725 ft · 2 hr 38 min

Elevation 512–787 ft

Out & Back · Ringwood State Park

Trailhead: Crossover Trail · 41.12748, -74.23706

Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Old Morris Road, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Arbor Trail, heading SE.
  3. 400 ftPass The Bog.
  4. 150 ftContinue straight onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading S.
  5. 250 ftBear right onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  8. 350 ftPass Swan Pond.
  9. 150 ftBear left, heading SW.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Crossover Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  12. 0.3 miPass Duck Pond.
  13. 50 ftBear left onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  14. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Defiance Road, heading S.
  16. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.2 miPass Gatun Pond.
  18. 100 ftBear right onto Boulder Way South, heading S.
  19. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  20. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading SW.
  21. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  22. 50 ftTurn right onto Ice Pond Road, heading S.
  23. 300 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading S.
  24. 0.6 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  25. 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading SW.
  27. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
  28. 0.1 miBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
  29. 250 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
  30. 100 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
  31. 1 miReach Gatun Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  32. 1 miBear right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading N.
  33. 100 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading N.
  34. 250 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
  35. 0.1 miTurn right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NE.
  36. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  37. 50 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  38. 100 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading NE.
  39. 0.6 miBear left onto Ice Pond Road, heading NE.
  40. 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  41. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NE.
  42. 250 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  43. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NE.
  44. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  45. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road, heading N.
  46. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  47. 50 ftContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  48. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  49. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Crossover Trail, heading N.
  50. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  51. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  52. 50 ftTurn left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  53. 50 ftBear left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading N.
  54. 250 ftContinue straight onto Arbor Trail, heading N.
  55. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Morris Road, heading NE.
  56. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/gatun-pond-swan-pond-out-back-11-sights

Trail surface

79% dirt21% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:01 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 12 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Crossover Trail Trailhead

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