Stephens Lake–Castle Viewpoint, 10 sights is a 5.9-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Lake Vreeland and Castle Viewpoint before reaching Stephens Lake at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It climbs 1,033 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 33/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi440 – 945 ft · steepest grade: 21%6.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Millstone Trail 41.06224, -74.23758
Nearest town Erskine, NJ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Stephens Lake–Castle Viewpoint, 10 sights
5.9 mi · ▲ 1,033 ft · 2 hr 29 min
Elevation 441–946 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Millstone Trail · 41.06224, -74.23758
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Millstone Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Lake Vreeland.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Castle Viewpoint.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miReach Stephens Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading E.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Millstone Trail, heading SE.
- 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
69% dirt7% gravel1% paved23% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Millstone Trail Trailhead
- Matapan Rock–Lake Vreeland, 4 sights 1.6 mi · ▲ 343 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–Lake Tamarack, 4 lakes 2.5 mi · ▲ 254 ft
- Twin Hill–North Lookout, 9 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 485 ft
- Lake Vreeland–Millstone Trail Loop, 6 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 669 ft
- Suzi's Rock–Middle Valley Lookout Loop, 10 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 462 ft
- Todd Hill–Todd Lookout, 6 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 364 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Erskine, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Erskine, New Jersey