Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Ryker Lake–Blue Heron Lake, 7 sights
11.4 mi · ▲ 1,138 ft · 4 hr 22 min
Ryker Lake–Blue Heron Lake, 7 sights is an 11.4-mile out-and-back in Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area near Mahola, NJ. The route passes Blue Heron Lake before reaching Ryker Lake at the turnaround, 5.7 miles in. It climbs 1,138 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 49/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Ryker Lake–Blue Heron Lake, 7 sights
11.4 mi · ▲ 1,138 ft · 4 hr 22 min
Elevation 950–1,307 ft
Out & Back · Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Trailhead: Orange/Highlands Trail · 41.01593, -74.61429
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:23 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Orange/Highlands Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Blue Heron Lake.
- 150 ftBear left onto Tiger Blood, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Orange/Highlands Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Orange Trail, heading NE.
- 1.2 miBear right onto Green Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto White Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Highlands Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Blue/Highlands Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Highlands Trail, heading N.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Unmarked Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miReach Ryker Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.3 miTurn right onto Blue/Highlands Trail, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Highlands Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto White Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Green Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Orange Trail, heading NW.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Orange/Highlands Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Tiger Blood, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Orange/Highlands Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 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
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Orange/Highlands Trail Trailhead
- Arapaho Trail–Blue Half Moon Trail, 3 sights 3 mi · ▲ 330 ft
- Blue Heron Lake–Arapho Trail Loop, 7 sights 3 mi · ▲ 198 ft
- Morris County High Point–Blue Heron Lake, 6 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 308 ft
- Blue Heron Lake–Highlands Trail, 6 sights 8.7 mi · ▲ 501 ft
- Saffin Pond–Blue Heron Lake, 6 sights 9.4 mi · ▲ 964 ft
- Lake Shawnee–Saffin Pond, 6 sights 10 mi · ▲ 818 ft
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