Nook Hill–Orange Reservoir, 8 sights
7.7 mi · ▲ 1,015 ft · 3 hr 4 min
Nook Hill–Orange Reservoir, 8 sights is a 7.7-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Reservation near Saint Cloud, NJ. The route passes Flamingo, Big Cat Country, Orange Reservoir and Campbells Pond before reaching Nook Hill at the turnaround, 3.8 miles in. It climbs 1,015 ft. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Nook Hill–Orange Reservoir, 8 sights
7.7 mi · ▲ 1,015 ft · 3 hr 4 min
Elevation 202–546 ft
Out & Back · South Mountain Reservation
Trailhead: Zoo Loop (Green Dot) · 40.77003, -74.27783
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Flamingo.
- 0.2 miPass Big Cat Country.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Orange Reservoir.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Reservoir Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Hillspur Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Unblazed, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Yellow Bypass, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear left onto West Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 1.3 miPass Campbells Pond.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 500 ftReach Nook Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto West Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miBear right onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Yellow Bypass, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Unblazed, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Hillspur Road, heading E.
- 100 ftBear left onto Reservoir Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading NE.
- 0.4 miArrive 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
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 5:53 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Zoo Loop (Green Dot) Trailhead
- Bramhall Terrace–Big Cat Country, 8 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 281 ft
- Big Cat Country–Flamingo, 8 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 509 ft
- Hemlock Falls–Hobble Falls, 11 sights 5.1 mi · ▲ 485 ft
- Crater View–Big Cat Country, 9 sights 5.6 mi · ▲ 281 ft
- Washington Rock–Big Cat Country, 9 sights 6.6 mi · ▲ 306 ft
- Big Cat Country–Campbells Pond, 10 sights 6.9 mi · ▲ 640 ft
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