Hawk Hill–West Ridge Sunset Point, 4 beaches
4.9 mi · ▲ 610 ft · 1 hr 56 min
Hawk Hill–West Ridge Sunset Point, 4 beaches is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Reservation near Saint Cloud, NJ. The route passes Flamingo and West Ridge Sunset Point before reaching Hawk Hill at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It climbs 610 ft. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Hawk Hill–West Ridge Sunset Point, 4 beaches
4.9 mi · ▲ 610 ft · 1 hr 56 min
Elevation 314–572 ft
Out & Back · South Mountain Reservation
Trailhead: West Ridge Access Trail · 40.76746, -74.28728
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 78°F / low 65° · precip 1% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on West Ridge Access Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Flamingo.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Oakdale Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading S.
- 350 ftBear right onto Oakdale Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading S.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading S.
- 0.7 miPass West Ridge Sunset Point.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto West Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading SW.
- 0.4 miReach Hawk Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right onto West Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Oakdale Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn right onto West Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Oakdale Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto West Ridge Access Trail, heading N.
- 500 ftArrive 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 0.4 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 6:50 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:50 PM — 3 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from West Ridge Access Trail Trailhead
- Mayapple Hill & Flamingo via Lenape Trail (Yellow) 1.6 mi · ▲ 200 ft
- Bramhall Terrace–Flamingo, 5 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 497 ft
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