Ringwood State Park
Ringwood State Park Viewpoint–Swan Pond, 3 lakes
1.4 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 30 min
Ringwood State Park Viewpoint–Swan Pond, 3 lakes is a 1.4-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Swan Pond and The Bog before reaching Ringwood State Park Viewpoint at the turnaround, 0.7 miles in. It is mostly level, with 80 ft of elevation gain. It scores 52/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Ringwood State Park Viewpoint–Swan Pond, 3 lakes
1.4 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 30 min
Elevation 597–677 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
- Start on Swan Pond Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Swan Pond.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miPass The Bog.
- 150 ftBear right, heading N.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
- 100 ftBear left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading N.
- 350 ftBear left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left onto East Cottage Road, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Crabapple Vista, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftReach Ringwood State Park Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftBear left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 450 ftBear right onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading N.
- 350 ftBear right onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Swan Pond Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 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 right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:02 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:22 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:50 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Five Ponds Loop Trail Trailhead
- Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint–Five Ponds Viewpoint Loop, 7 sights 1.8 mi · ▲ 311 ft
- Gatun Pond–Duck Pond, 5 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 351 ft
- Warm Puppy Rock–Duck Pond, 4 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 383 ft
- Shepherd Lake–Swan Pond, 5 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 367 ft
- Swan Pond–The Bog, 8 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 460 ft
- Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 8 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 614 ft
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