AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Watchung Reservation

Lake Surprise–Seeley's Pond, 5 lakes

7.2 mi · ▲ 859 ft · 2 hr 50 min

Lake Surprise–Seeley's Pond, 5 lakes is a 7.2-mile out-and-back in Watchung Reservation near Murray Hill, NJ. The route passes Lake Surprise and Seeley's Pond before reaching Little Seeley's Pond at the turnaround, 3.4 miles in. It climbs 859 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi226 – 440 ft8.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Purple Trail 40.68368, -74.38822
Nearest town Murray Hill, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Surprise–Seeley's Pond, 5 lakes

7.2 mi · ▲ 859 ft · 2 hr 50 min

Elevation 225–441 ft

Out & Back · Watchung Reservation

Trailhead: Purple Trail · 40.68368, -74.38822

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 77°F / low 65° · precip 1% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Purple Trail, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 500 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto White Trail, heading SE.
  5. 300 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  6. 0.2 miPass Lake Surprise.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Purple Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  9. 250 ftTurn right onto Orange Trail, heading SW.
  10. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Blue Trail, heading SW.
  11. 150 ftTurn left onto White Trail, heading S.
  12. 50 ftTurn right onto Blue / White Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.1 miContinue straight onto White Trail, heading SW.
  14. 350 ftBear right onto Purple Trail, heading SW.
  15. 500 ftTurn left, heading W.
  16. 400 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  17. 250 ftBear right onto Sierra Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.6 miBear left onto White Trail, heading W.
  19. 0.9 miSharp right, heading SW.
  20. 0.4 miPass Seeley's Pond.
  21. 50 ftPass Little Seeley's Pond.
  22. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  23. 100 ftReach Lake Surprise, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  25. 1.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  26. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sierra Trail, heading NE.
  27. 0.5 miBear left, heading NE.
  28. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  29. 400 ftTurn right onto Purple Trail, heading NE.
  30. 500 ftBear left onto White Trail, heading E.
  31. 350 ftContinue straight onto Blue / White Trail, heading NE.
  32. 0.1 miTurn left onto White Trail, heading N.
  33. 50 ftTurn right onto Blue Trail, heading N.
  34. 100 ftContinue straight onto Orange Trail, heading N.
  35. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  36. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  37. 0.1 miTurn left onto Purple Trail, heading NE.
  38. 0.3 miSharp left onto White Trail, heading E.
  39. 0.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
  40. 500 ftTurn left onto Purple Trail, heading N.
  41. 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/lake-surprise-seeleys-pond-out-back-7-lakes

Trail surface

33% dirt1% gravel66% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 77°F65°
Precip1%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity73%
Rained 0.4″ 2 days ago (2.1″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°65°
Sunrise 6:29 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:25 PM
Sun 73°60°
Mon 80°61°
Tue 83°63°
Wed 86°66°
Thu 84°68°
Fri 74°59°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Purple Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Murray Hill, New Jersey