AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ramapo Valley County Reservation

Old Guard Viewpoint–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 10 sights

8 mi · ▲ 1,082 ft · 3 hr 12 min

Old Guard Viewpoint–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 10 sights is an 8-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Valley County Reservation near Wanaque-Midvale, NJ. The route passes Castle Viewpoint, Laurel Hollow, Middle Valley Lookout and Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint before reaching Old Guard Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4 miles in. It climbs 1,082 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 44/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi571 – 1,040 ft · steepest grade: 17%8.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Wolfe Drive Trailhead 41.05448, -74.26330
Nearest town Wanaque-Midvale, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Old Guard Viewpoint–Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 10 sights

8 mi · ▲ 1,082 ft · 3 hr 12 min

Elevation 572–1,040 ft

Out & Back · Ramapo Valley County Reservation

Trailhead: Wolfe Drive Trailhead · 41.05448, -74.26330

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail, heading SE.
  2. 450 ftBear right, heading S.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading SE.
  5. 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading E.
  6. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
  7. 0.1 miPass Castle Viewpoint.
  8. 100 ftTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading E.
  9. 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.6 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading N.
  11. 0.4 miBear right onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading E.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Hilltop Road, heading NE.
  13. 0.2 miSharp left onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading NE.
  14. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Guard/Schuber Trail, heading E.
  15. 0.2 miBear left onto Old Guard Trail, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miPass Laurel Hollow.
  17. 0.2 miPass Middle Valley Lookout.
  18. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  19. 350 ftBear right onto Old Guard/Cannonball Trail, heading N.
  20. 0.3 miTurn left onto Old Guard Trail, heading N.
  21. 0.5 miPass Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint.
  22. 150 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  23. 50 ftBear left onto Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  24. 450 ftContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
  25. 50 ftReach Old Guard Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  26. 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Guard/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
  27. 450 ftBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NW.
  28. 50 ftTurn right onto Old Guard Trail, heading NW.
  29. 0.5 miTurn right onto Old Guard/Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  30. 0.3 miBear left onto Old Guard Trail, heading SW.
  31. 300 ftTurn right, heading S.
  32. 0.4 miBear right onto Old Guard/Schuber Trail, heading S.
  33. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading SW.
  34. 0.3 miSharp right onto Hilltop Road, heading S.
  35. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading SW.
  36. 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading SW.
  37. 0.4 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading SW.
  38. 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading S.
  39. 0.1 miTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  40. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  41. 250 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading SW.
  42. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  43. 0.2 miTurn right onto Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail, heading W.
  44. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  45. 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/old-guard-viewpoint-old-guard-ringwood-ramapo-viewpoint-out-back-12-sights

Trail surface

71% dirt1% paved28% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Wolfe Drive Trailhead Trailhead

Hikes near Wanaque-Midvale, New Jersey