Orange Reservoir–Hawk Hill, 6 sights
6 mi · ▲ 719 ft · 2 hr 22 min
Orange Reservoir–Hawk Hill, 6 sights is a 6-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Reservation near Newstead North, NJ. The route passes Flamingo and Orange Reservoir before reaching Hawk Hill at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It climbs 719 ft. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Orange Reservoir–Hawk Hill, 6 sights
6 mi · ▲ 719 ft · 2 hr 22 min
Elevation 276–546 ft
Out & Back · South Mountain Reservation
Trailhead: 40.76635, -74.27504
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Flamingo.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hillspur Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading S.
- 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 W.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Elmdale Trail (Blue), heading SW.
- 0.4 miPass Hawk Hill.
- 150 ftReach Orange Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto West Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Yellow Bypass, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow), heading SE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail (Yellow) / Turtle Back Trail (Orange), heading NE.
- 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 E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Reservoir/Zoo Loop (Green Dot), heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Hillspur Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~63 min). Leave by 6:02 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Hemlock Falls Viewpoint–Flamingo, 3 beaches 3.5 mi · ▲ 223 ft
- Hemlock Falls–Hobble Falls, 9 sights 5.4 mi · ▲ 420 ft
- Mayapple Hill–Orange Reservoir, 7 sights 5.7 mi · ▲ 408 ft
- Flamingo–Longwood Trail, 6 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 581 ft
- Campbells Pond–Flamingo, 6 sights 5.9 mi · ▲ 421 ft
- Diamond Mill Pond–Flamingo, 7 sights 6.9 mi · ▲ 512 ft
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Hikes near Newstead North, New Jersey