AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ringwood State Park

Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 8 sights

4.6 mi · ▲ 614 ft · 1 hr 50 min

Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 8 sights is a 4.6-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Duck Pond and Gatun Pond before reaching Upper Erskine Lake at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 614 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 68/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi568 – 787 ft5.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail 41.12013, -74.23815
Nearest town Skylands, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Upper Erskine Lake–Gatun Pond, 8 sights

4.6 mi · ▲ 614 ft · 1 hr 50 min

Elevation 569–787 ft

Out & Back · Ringwood State Park

Trailhead: Five Ponds Loop Trail · 41.12013, -74.23815

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SE.
  2. 0.2 miSharp right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.3 miPass Duck Pond.
  4. 150 ftBear left onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right onto Defiance Road, heading S.
  7. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miPass Gatun Pond.
  9. 150 ftBear right onto Boulder Way South, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading SE.
  12. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  13. 50 ftTurn right onto Ice Pond Road, heading S.
  14. 250 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading SE.
  15. 0.6 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 50 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
  19. 0.1 miBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
  20. 200 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading S.
  21. 100 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading S.
  22. 500 ftBear right, heading SW.
  23. 50 ftBear left onto Spruce Place Access, heading SW.
  24. 0.1 miTurn right onto Spruce Place Connector, heading SW.
  25. 350 ftBear right onto Spruce Place Access, heading SW.
  26. 150 ftReach Upper Erskine Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  27. 150 ftBear left onto Spruce Place Connector, heading SW.
  28. 350 ftTurn left onto Spruce Place Access, heading SW.
  29. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  30. 50 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading W.
  31. 450 ftBear right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NW.
  32. 100 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading W.
  33. 250 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
  34. 0.1 miTurn right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading E.
  35. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  36. 50 ftTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  37. 100 ftBear right onto Catnest Trail-Renegade, heading NE.
  38. 0.6 miBear left onto Ice Pond Road, heading NE.
  39. 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  40. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NE.
  41. 250 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  42. 50 ftTurn right onto Boulder Way South, heading NE.
  43. 50 ftBear left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  44. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road, heading N.
  45. 50 ftTurn left onto Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  46. 50 ftContinue straight onto Defiance Road/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  47. 0.2 miBear right onto Defiance Road/Crossover/Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  48. 0.3 miSharp left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading N.
  49. 0.2 miArrive 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-8-sights

Trail surface

84% dirt16% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

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.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Five Ponds Loop Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Skylands, New Jersey