Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Matapan Rock–Castle Viewpoint, 5 sights
3.7 mi · ▲ 539 ft · 1 hr 30 min
Matapan Rock–Castle Viewpoint, 5 sights is a 3.7-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Wanaque-Midvale, NJ. The route passes Castle Viewpoint before reaching Matapan Rock at the turnaround, 1.9 miles in. It climbs 539 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Matapan Rock–Castle Viewpoint, 5 sights
3.7 mi · ▲ 539 ft · 1 hr 30 min
Elevation 572–989 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Wolfe Drive Trailhead · 41.05448, -74.26330
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miPass Castle Viewpoint.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 300 ftReach Matapan Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
- 250 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 100 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
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Wolfe Drive Trailhead Trailhead
- Stephens Lake & Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail via Wanaque Ridge Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 346 ft
- Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake, 6 viewpoints 2.4 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–Castle Viewpoint, 4 viewpoints 3.3 mi · ▲ 651 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–Castle Viewpoint, 4 viewpoints 3.3 mi · ▲ 525 ft
- Todd Hill–Todd Lookout, 5 viewpoints 3.6 mi · ▲ 713 ft
- Ramapo Lake–Castle Viewpoint, 8 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 504 ft
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