Ramapo Valley County Reservation
Monroe Ridge–Shepherd Lake, 7 sights
9 mi · ▲ 1,497 ft · 3 hr 45 min
Monroe Ridge–Shepherd Lake, 7 sights is a 9-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Valley County Reservation near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Shepherd Lake, Ringwood State Park Beach and Monroe Ridge. It climbs 1,497 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 72/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Monroe Ridge–Shepherd Lake, 7 sights
9 mi · ▲ 1,497 ft · 3 hr 45 min
Elevation 643–1,026 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Valley County Reservation
Trailhead: Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop · 41.13537, -74.23180
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Shepherd Lake.
- 50 ftPass Ringwood State Park Beach.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading S.
- 1.9 miTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road/Halifax Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Algonquin/Tennessee Interconnect Service Road, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Tenessee Gas Service Road, heading SE.
- 0.5 miPass Monroe Ridge.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Havemeyer Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Vista Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Ridge/Vista Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miReach Monroe Ridge, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Vista Loop Trail, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left onto Ridge Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Havemeyer Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Tenessee Gas Service Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Algonquin/Tennessee Interconnect Service Road, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road/Halifax Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading N.
- 1.9 miTurn right onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop, heading N.
- 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 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:00 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 11 min before dark.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop Trailhead
- Potake Pond–Shepherd Lake Loop, 6 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 265 ft
- Shepherd Lake–Ringwood State Park Beach, 5 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 912 ft
- Warm Puppy Rock–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 11 sights 6.7 mi · ▲ 1,427 ft
- Governor Mountain–Shepherd Lake, 9 sights 8.9 mi · ▲ 1,029 ft
- Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint–Shepherd Lake, 15 sights 9.3 mi · ▲ 1,666 ft
- MacMillan Reservoir–Shepherd Lake, 12 sights 10.7 mi · ▲ 1,709 ft
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