Ringwood State Park
Shepherd Lake–Ringwood State Park Beach, 5 sights
3.7 mi · ▲ 912 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Shepherd Lake–Ringwood State Park Beach, 5 sights is a 3.7-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Shepherd Lake and Ringwood State Park Beach. It climbs 912 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Shepherd Lake–Ringwood State Park Beach, 5 sights
3.7 mi · ▲ 912 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elevation 643–978 ft
Out & Back · Ringwood State Park
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.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Boulder Way North, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Weyble Pond Road/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Halifax Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftSharp right onto Pierson Ridge Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miReach Shepherd Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Halifax Trail, heading NE.
- 400 ftBear right onto Weyble Pond Road/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Boulder Way North, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail, heading N.
- 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 W.
- 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 (~1 min). Leave by 7:00 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 12 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
- 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
- Monroe Ridge–Shepherd Lake, 7 sights 9 mi · ▲ 1,497 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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