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, 11 sights

5.7 mi · ▲ 938 ft · 2 hr 22 min

LeGrande Viewpoint–Water Tower Ruins, 11 sights is a 5.7-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Castle Viewpoint, Wanaque Reservoir Overlook, Water Tower Ruins and 2 more before reaching LeGrande Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.8 miles in. It climbs 938 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi499 – 899 ft · steepest grade: 24%6.0 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, 11 sights

5.7 mi · ▲ 938 ft · 2 hr 22 min

Elevation 499–898 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 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miTurn left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.2 miPass Wanaque Reservoir Overlook.
  9. 50 ftPass Water Tower Ruins.
  10. 0.3 miPass Ramapo Lake.
  11. 100 ftBear right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading W.
  12. 50 ftSharp left onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  13. 250 ftPass East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Viewpoint.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Loop Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.4 miBear right onto South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading E.
  16. 250 ftTurn left onto LeGrande Loop Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.8 miTurn left, heading W.
  18. 50 ftReach LeGrande Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 0.8 miTurn right onto South Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading N.
  20. 250 ftBear left onto East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Loop Trail, heading NW.
  21. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  22. 350 ftSharp right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading W.
  23. 50 ftBear left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  24. 0.5 miTurn right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading NE.
  25. 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
  26. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  27. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading E.
  28. 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading N.
  29. 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-11-sights-9-km-c28a

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