Lake Shawnee–Highlands Trail, 4 sights
8.2 mi · ▲ 1,121 ft · 3 hr 18 min
Lake Shawnee–Highlands Trail, 4 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back near Milton, NJ. The route reaches Lake Shawnee at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 1,121 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lake Shawnee–Highlands Trail, 4 sights
8.2 mi · ▲ 1,121 ft · 3 hr 18 min
Elevation 941–1,293 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Highlands Spur Trail · 41.01441, -74.55735
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:23 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Highlands Spur Trail, heading NW.
- 500 ftBear left onto Unmarked, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto White / Highlands Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Highlands Trail, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Yellow Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Yellow Dot Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Waldon Road, heading S.
- 250 ftReach Lake Shawnee, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Yellow Dot Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Highlands Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto White / Highlands Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Unmarked, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Highlands Spur Trail, heading NE.
- 350 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 2.2 mi in (~64 min). Leave by 5:59 PM for the 7:23 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:39 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Highlands Spur Trail Trailhead
- Pink Dot Trail & Pink Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 377 ft
- Highlands Trail via Yellow Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 692 ft
- Green Trail–Red Trail Loop, 3 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 397 ft
- Blue Trail–Highlands Trail, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 626 ft
- Green Trail–Highlands Trail, 3 sights 5.5 mi · ▲ 684 ft
- Ogden Mine Railroad Trail & White/Highlands Trail 6 mi · ▲ 486 ft
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