AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ringwood State Park

Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 15 sights

9.2 mi · ▲ 1,334 ft · 3 hr 44 min

Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 15 sights is a 9.2-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Eagle Valley, NY. The route passes The Bog, Swan Pond, Duck Pond and Gatun Pond before reaching Upper Erskine Lake at the turnaround, 4.6 miles in. It climbs 1,334 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi420 – 787 ft10.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: State Line Trail 41.14637, -74.24244
Nearest town Eagle Valley, NY
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 15 sights

9.2 mi · ▲ 1,334 ft · 3 hr 44 min

Elevation 421–787 ft

Out & Back · Ringwood State Park

Trailhead: State Line Trail · 41.14637, -74.24244

Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on State Line Trail, heading SE.
  2. 0.3 miBear right onto Cooper Union Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left onto Crossover/Cupsaw Brook/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
  5. 50 ftContinue straight onto Crossover Trail, heading S.
  6. 0.1 miBear left onto Alligator, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftSharp right onto Crossover Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.5 miTurn right onto Tennesee Gas Service Road, heading SE.
  9. 0.3 miBear left onto Crossover Trail, heading S.
  10. 50 ftBear left onto Old Morris Road, heading S.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Arbor Trail, heading SE.
  12. 400 ftPass The Bog.
  13. 150 ftContinue straight onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading SE.
  14. 250 ftBear right onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  17. 350 ftPass Swan Pond.
  18. 150 ftBear left, heading S.
  19. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Crossover Trail, heading SW.
  20. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  21. 0.3 miPass Duck Pond.
  22. 100 ftBear left onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  23. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  24. 50 ftTurn right onto Defiance Road, heading S.
  25. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  26. 0.2 miPass Gatun Pond.
  27. 100 ftBear right onto Boulder Way South, heading S.
  28. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  29. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading S.
  30. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  31. 50 ftTurn right onto Ice Pond Road, heading S.
  32. 250 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading S.
  33. 0.6 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
  34. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  35. 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
  36. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  37. 0.1 miBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading SW.
  38. 200 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading SE.
  39. 100 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading SE.
  40. 500 ftBear right, heading S.
  41. 50 ftBear left onto Spruce Place Access, heading S.
  42. 0.1 miTurn right onto Spruce Place Connector, heading S.
  43. 350 ftBear right onto Spruce Place Access, heading SW.
  44. 150 ftReach Upper Erskine Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  45. 150 ftBear left onto Spruce Place Connector, heading SW.
  46. 350 ftTurn left onto Spruce Place Access, heading SW.
  47. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  48. 50 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading SW.
  49. 450 ftBear right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading SW.
  50. 100 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading W.
  51. 250 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  52. 0.1 miTurn right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading W.
  53. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  54. 50 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
  55. 50 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading SE.
  56. 0.6 miBear left onto Ice Pond Road, heading N.
  57. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  58. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading N.
  59. 250 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  60. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NW.
  61. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NW.
  62. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road, heading NE.
  63. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  64. 50 ftContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  65. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  66. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Crossover Trail, heading N.
  67. 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
  68. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  69. 50 ftTurn left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading W.
  70. 50 ftBear left onto Swan Pond Road/Crossover Trail, heading W.
  71. 250 ftContinue straight onto Arbor Trail, heading W.
  72. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Morris Road, heading N.
  73. 0.1 miBear right onto Crossover Trail, heading N.
  74. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  75. 0.5 miSharp left onto Alligator, heading N.
  76. 50 ftBear right onto Crossover Trail, heading N.
  77. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Cupsaw Brook/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading W.
  78. 50 ftTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading W.
  79. 0.4 miTurn right onto Cooper Union Trail, heading N.
  80. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  81. 0.3 miContinue straight onto State Line Trail, heading NE.
  82. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/upper-erskine-lake-gatun-pond-out-back-21-sights

Trail surface

62% dirt3% boardwalk35% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.8 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 6:10 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:24 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from State Line Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Eagle Valley, New York