AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ringwood State Park

High Mountain–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 12 sights

7.1 mi · ▲ 927 ft · 2 hr 50 min

High Mountain–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 12 sights is a 7.1-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Duck Pond, Gatun Pond, High Mountain and Erskine Lookout before reaching Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint at the turnaround, 3.5 miles in. It climbs 927 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 72/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi591 – 1,102 ft7.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail 41.12013, -74.23815
Nearest town Skylands, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

High Mountain–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 12 sights

7.1 mi · ▲ 927 ft · 2 hr 50 min

Elevation 592–1,102 ft

Out & Back · Ringwood State Park

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

  1. Start on Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
  2. 0.2 miSharp right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.3 miPass Duck Pond.
  4. 150 ftBear left onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right onto Defiance Road, heading S.
  7. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miPass Gatun Pond.
  9. 150 ftBear right onto Boulder Way South, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading SE.
  12. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  13. 50 ftTurn right onto Ice Pond Road, heading S.
  14. 250 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading SE.
  15. 0.6 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
  19. 200 ftSharp left onto Erskine Connector Trail, heading S.
  20. 0.6 miTurn right onto Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading SE.
  21. 0.4 miPass High Mountain.
  22. 50 ftPass Erskine Lookout.
  23. 0.5 miTurn right onto Old Guard Trail, heading S.
  24. 0.1 miPass Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint.
  25. 300 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftBear left onto Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading W.
  27. 400 ftReach High Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  28. 450 ftBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
  29. 50 ftTurn right onto Old Guard Trail, heading NW.
  30. 0.2 miTurn left onto Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading S.
  31. 0.9 miTurn left onto Erskine Connector Trail, heading NE.
  32. 0.6 miSharp right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
  33. 150 ftTurn right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NW.
  34. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  35. 50 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
  36. 50 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading NW.
  37. 0.6 miBear left onto Ice Pond Road, heading N.
  38. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  39. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NE.
  40. 250 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  41. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading N.
  42. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  43. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road, heading NE.
  44. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  45. 50 ftContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  46. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  47. 0.3 miSharp left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NW.
  48. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/high-mountain-old-guard-ringwood-ramapo-viewpoint-out-back-13-sights

Trail surface

89% dirt11% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

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.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Five Ponds Loop Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Skylands, New Jersey