Ringwood State Park
Shepherd Lake–The Bog, 4 lakes
2.5 mi · ▲ 264 ft · 58 min
Shepherd Lake–The Bog, 4 lakes is a 2.5-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes The Bog and Shepherd Lake before reaching Ringwood State Park Beach at the turnaround, 1.1 miles in. It climbs 264 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Shepherd Lake–The Bog, 4 lakes
2.5 mi · ▲ 264 ft · 58 min
Elevation 639–830 ft
Out & Back · Ringwood State Park
Trailhead: East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail · 41.12697, -74.23633
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass The Bog.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Arbor Trail, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Old Morris Road, heading E.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miPass Shepherd Lake.
- 50 ftPass Ringwood State Park Beach.
- 150 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftReach Shepherd Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Old Morris Road, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Arbor Trail, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftArrive 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
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from East Cottage Road/Crossover Trail Trailhead
- Warm Puppy Rock–Swan Pond, 6 lakes 2.2 mi · ▲ 206 ft
- Old Morris Road & White's Road via Tennesee Gas Service Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 314 ft
- Potake Pond–The Bog, 3 lakes 2.5 mi · ▲ 315 ft
- Ringwood State Park Beach–Crossover Trail, 3 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 224 ft
- Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint–Five Ponds Viewpoint Loop, 8 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 406 ft
- Warm Puppy Rock–Swan Pond, 6 lakes 3.5 mi · ▲ 356 ft
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