AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ringwood State Park

Governor Mountain–Swan Pond, 9 sights

8.1 mi · ▲ 927 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Governor Mountain–Swan Pond, 9 sights is an 8.1-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Swan Pond and The Bog before reaching Governor Mountain at the turnaround, 4 miles in. It climbs 927 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 35/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi364 – 742 ft8.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail 41.12013, -74.23815
Nearest town Skylands, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Governor Mountain–Swan Pond, 9 sights

8.1 mi · ▲ 927 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Elevation 364–742 ft

Out & Back · Ringwood State Park

Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail · 41.12013, -74.23815

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Swan Pond Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
  2. 0.2 miPass Swan Pond.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  4. 0.1 miPass The Bog.
  5. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  6. 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
  8. 100 ftBear left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading N.
  9. 250 ftContinue straight onto Arbor Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Morris Road, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miBear right onto Crossover Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 0.5 miSharp left onto Alligator, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftBear right onto Crossover Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Cupsaw Brook/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  16. 50 ftBear left onto Cupsaw Brook Trail, heading NE.
  17. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Cooper Union Trail, heading W.
  18. 0.8 miBear left onto Cooper Union Bypass Trail, heading SW.
  19. 150 ftBear left onto CU Bypass Trail, heading SW.
  20. 250 ftBear right onto Cooper Union Bypass Trail, heading SW.
  21. 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  22. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 100 ftTurn left onto Cooper Union Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.8 miReach Governor Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  25. 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  26. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  27. 150 ftBear left onto Cooper Union Bypass Trail, heading NW.
  28. 0.4 miBear left onto CU Bypass Trail, heading E.
  29. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  30. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cooper Union Bypass Trail, heading NE.
  31. 100 ftBear right onto Cooper Union Trail, heading N.
  32. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Cupsaw Brook Trail, heading NE.
  33. 0.3 miBear right onto Crossover/Cupsaw Brook/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
  34. 50 ftContinue straight onto Crossover Trail, heading N.
  35. 0.1 miBear left onto Alligator, heading NE.
  36. 50 ftSharp right onto Crossover Trail, heading NE.
  37. 0.5 miTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading SE.
  38. 0.3 miBear left onto Crossover Trail, heading SW.
  39. 50 ftBear left onto Old Morris Road, heading SW.
  40. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Arbor Trail, heading NE.
  41. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading E.
  42. 250 ftBear right onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  43. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  44. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  45. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  46. 0.1 miTurn right onto Swan Pond Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
  47. 350 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/ringwood-ramapo-viewpoint-five-ponds-viewpoint-out-back-13-sights

Trail surface

71% dirt4% boardwalk25% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~21 min). Leave by 6:41 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:53 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Five Ponds Loop Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Skylands, New Jersey