AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
2013-05-12 14 46 42 Waterfall along the MacEvoy Trail near the shore of Ramapo Lake in Ramapo Mountain State Forest.jpg
Famartin · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ramapo Mountain State Forest

LeGrande Viewpoint–Water Tower Ruins, 10 viewpoints

5.4 mi · ▲ 920 ft · 2 hr 16 min

LeGrande Viewpoint–Water Tower Ruins, 10 viewpoints is a 5.4-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Castle Viewpoint, Wanaque Reservoir Overlook, Water Tower Ruins and 3 more before reaching LeGrande Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.7 miles in. It climbs 920 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 19/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi541 – 899 ft · steepest grade: 24%5.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail 41.05940, -74.25053
Nearest town Erskine, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

LeGrande Viewpoint–Water Tower Ruins, 10 viewpoints

5.4 mi · ▲ 920 ft · 2 hr 16 min

Elevation 542–898 ft

Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Trailhead: Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail · 41.05940, -74.25053

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading S.
  2. 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.1 miTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  4. 50 ftPass Castle Viewpoint.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  6. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  7. 0.3 miPass Wanaque Reservoir Overlook.
  8. 50 ftPass Water Tower Ruins.
  9. 0.3 miPass Ramapo Lake.
  10. 150 ftBear right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading SW.
  11. 50 ftSharp left onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  12. 250 ftPass East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Viewpoint.
  13. 150 ftContinue straight onto East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Loop Trail, heading SE.
  14. 0.4 miBear right onto South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading E.
  15. 350 ftPass South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Viewpoint.
  16. 150 ftBear left onto LeGrande Loop Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.6 miReach LeGrande Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.6 miBear right onto South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading NE.
  19. 500 ftBear left onto East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Loop Trail, heading E.
  20. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  21. 400 ftSharp right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading W.
  22. 50 ftBear left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  23. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  24. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  25. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
  26. 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading N.
  27. 0.5 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/legrande-viewpoint-water-tower-ruins-out-back-10-viewpoints-9-km-0aea

Trail surface

97% dirt3% paved

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Erskine, New Jersey