MacMillan Reservoir Overlook–MacMillan Reservoir, 11 sights is a 7.6-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Valley County Reservation near Darlington, NJ. The route passes Scarlet Oak Pond, Vista, MacMillan Reservoir and 2 more before reaching Laurel Hollow at the turnaround, 3.8 miles in. It climbs 1,439 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi240 – 942 ft · steepest grade: 20%8.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.07729, -74.18699
Nearest town Darlington, NJ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
MacMillan Reservoir Overlook–MacMillan Reservoir, 11 sights
7.6 mi · ▲ 1,439 ft · 3 hr 15 min
Elevation 241–940 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Valley County Reservation
Trailhead: 41.07729, -74.18699
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:43 AM · sunset 6:59 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 250 ftBear left onto Vista Spur Trail, heading W.
- 350 ftPass Scarlet Oak Pond.
- 250 ftPass Vista.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Pond/Vista Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Vista-Ridge Connector Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Vista Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass MacMillan Reservoir.
- 50 ftPass MacMillan Reservoir Overlook.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Reservoir Loop, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Brookside Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Rocky Mountain Connector, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Schuber Trail, heading S.
- 1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Yellow Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Middle Valley Lookout.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Old Guard Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Laurel Hollow.
- 200 ftReach MacMillan Reservoir Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Yellow Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Schuber Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Mountain Road, heading NE.
- 1 miTurn right onto Rocky Mountain Connector, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Brookside Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Reservoir Loop, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Vista Loop Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Vista-Ridge Connector Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Pond/Vista Loop Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Vista Spur Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
- 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 surface
39% dirt10% gravel51% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:43 AMSunset 6:59 PM
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Wanaque Ridge Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 17 sights 15.2 mi · ▲ 2,304 ft
- Pool Hollow Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 19 sights 15.3 mi · ▲ 2,126 ft
- LeGrande Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 17 sights 15 mi · ▲ 2,493 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–MacMillan Reservoir, 14 sights 10.8 mi · ▲ 1,650 ft
- MacMillan Reservoir–Mill Race Ruins, 5 lakes 2.7 mi · ▲ 398 ft
- Matapan Rock–MacMillan Reservoir, 11 sights 9.3 mi · ▲ 1,541 ft
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