AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Hilltop Reservation

Mills Reservation–Cedar Grove Reservoir, 9 cliffs

4.8 mi · ▲ 514 ft · 1 hr 51 min

Mills Reservation–Cedar Grove Reservoir, 9 cliffs is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Hilltop Reservation near Cedar Grove, NJ. The route passes Cedar Grove Reservoir, Sir Maginot Drop, Big Ma Maginot Drop and 3 more before reaching Mills Reservation at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 514 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi262 – 512 ft7.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: 2nd Mountain Trail 40.85227, -74.24519
Nearest town Cedar Grove, NJ
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mills Reservation–Cedar Grove Reservoir, 9 cliffs

4.8 mi · ▲ 514 ft · 1 hr 51 min

Elevation 261–513 ft

Out & Back · Hilltop Reservation

Trailhead: 2nd Mountain Trail · 40.85227, -74.24519

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on 2nd Mountain Trail, heading N.
  2. 350 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  3. 450 ftBear left onto Old Hilltop Trail, heading N.
  4. 150 ftBear left onto Spruce Trail - Inner Loop, heading N.
  5. 100 ftSharp right onto Endor, heading N.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  7. 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 200 ftSharp right, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 150 ftBear right onto Lenape Trail, heading E.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Endor, heading E.
  12. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftTurn left onto Boogaloo, heading SE.
  14. 0.1 miContinue straight onto West Essex Trail, heading E.
  15. 250 ftBear left onto Boogaloo, heading E.
  16. 50 ftBear right onto West Essex Trail, heading E.
  17. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Disco Stu, heading NE.
  18. 50 ftContinue straight onto West Essex/Roller Connector, heading NE.
  19. 50 ftContinue straight onto Disco Stu, heading NE.
  20. 100 ftSharp left onto Tenacious SOBs, heading NE.
  21. 50 ftBear right onto Disco Stu, heading NE.
  22. 250 ftContinue straight onto Powerline Trail, heading NE.
  23. 50 ftTurn left onto Tenacious SOBs, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftTurn right onto Disco Stu, heading NE.
  25. 200 ftTurn right onto Mini ST, heading NE.
  26. 50 ftContinue straight onto West Essex/Powerline Connector, heading NE.
  27. 50 ftTurn right onto Mini ST, heading NE.
  28. 50 ftContinue straight onto West Essex/Powerline Connector, heading NE.
  29. 50 ftTurn left onto West Essex Trail, heading NE.
  30. 350 ftContinue straight onto Bypass, heading NE.
  31. 250 ftTurn right onto High Voltage, heading NE.
  32. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading NE.
  33. 300 ftPass Cedar Grove Reservoir.
  34. 350 ftPass Sir Maginot Drop.
  35. 200 ftContinue straight onto Ligne Maginot, heading NE.
  36. 200 ftPass Big Ma Maginot Drop.
  37. 100 ftBear right, heading SE.
  38. 50 ftPass Maginot Mountain.
  39. 150 ftPass little daddy Maginot.
  40. 200 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  41. 100 ftPass Cedar Grove Reservoir.
  42. 50 ftBear left onto Ligne Maginot, heading N.
  43. 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  44. 50 ftTurn right onto Ligne Maginot, heading N.
  45. 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  46. 100 ftContinue straight onto Ligne Maginot, heading N.
  47. 100 ftBear right onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  48. 100 ftBear right onto Ligne Maginot, heading NW.
  49. 50 ftReach Mills Reservation, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  50. 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail, heading NW.
  51. 100 ftBear left onto Ligne Maginot, heading NE.
  52. 100 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  53. 100 ftBear right onto Ligne Maginot, heading N.
  54. 50 ftTurn left onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  55. 50 ftBear right onto Ligne Maginot, heading N.
  56. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  57. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading N.
  58. 150 ftContinue straight onto Ligne Maginot, heading N.
  59. 350 ftBear right, heading N.
  60. 350 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading E.
  61. 0.2 miContinue straight onto High Voltage, heading SE.
  62. 0.2 miTurn left onto Bypass, heading SE.
  63. 250 ftContinue straight onto West Essex Trail, heading S.
  64. 350 ftTurn right onto West Essex/Powerline Connector, heading SE.
  65. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mini ST, heading SE.
  66. 50 ftTurn left onto West Essex/Powerline Connector, heading S.
  67. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mini ST, heading S.
  68. 50 ftTurn left onto Disco Stu, heading S.
  69. 200 ftTurn left onto Tenacious SOBs, heading S.
  70. 50 ftTurn right onto Powerline Trail, heading S.
  71. 50 ftContinue straight onto Disco Stu, heading S.
  72. 250 ftBear left onto Tenacious SOBs, heading S.
  73. 50 ftSharp right onto Disco Stu, heading S.
  74. 100 ftContinue straight onto West Essex/Roller Connector, heading S.
  75. 50 ftContinue straight onto Disco Stu, heading S.
  76. 50 ftContinue straight onto West Essex Trail, heading SW.
  77. 0.8 miBear left onto Boogaloo, heading NW.
  78. 50 ftBear right onto West Essex Trail, heading NW.
  79. 250 ftContinue straight onto Boogaloo, heading NW.
  80. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  81. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  82. 150 ftContinue straight onto Endor, heading NW.
  83. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading NW.
  84. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  85. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  86. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  87. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  88. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  89. 150 ftTurn left onto Endor, heading SW.
  90. 0.2 miSharp left onto Spruce Trail - Inner Loop, heading W.
  91. 100 ftBear right onto Old Hilltop Trail, heading W.
  92. 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
  93. 450 ftSharp left onto 2nd Mountain Trail, heading SW.
  94. 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/mills-reservation-cedar-grove-reservoir-out-back-10-cliffs-8-km-c487

Trail surface

47% dirt6% grass4% paved43% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from 2nd Mountain Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Cedar Grove, New Jersey