Upper Yards Creek Reservior–Buckwood Trail, 4 sights

3.5 mi · ▲ 365 ft · 1 hr 21 min

Upper Yards Creek Reservior–Buckwood Trail, 4 sights is a 3.5-mile out-and-back near Mount Vernon, NJ. The route reaches Upper Yards Creek Reservior. It climbs 365 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 79/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,362 – 1,601 ft · steepest grade: 19%4.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Yards Creek Road 41.00011, -75.05408
Nearest town Mount Vernon, NJ

Directions

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Upper Yards Creek Reservior–Buckwood Trail, 4 sights

3.5 mi · ▲ 365 ft · 1 hr 21 min

Elevation 1,363–1,602 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Yards Creek Road · 41.00011, -75.05408

Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Upper Yards Creek Reservior.
  3. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Yards Creek Road, heading E.
  5. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
  8. 0.1 miSharp right onto Mount Tammany Fire Road, heading NE.
  9. 0.9 miSharp right onto Buckwood Trail, heading SW.
  10. 0.6 miReach Upper Yards Creek Reservior, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.6 miSharp left onto Mount Tammany Fire Road, heading S.
  12. 0.9 miSharp left onto Yards Creek Road, heading N.
  13. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  14. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  15. 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

17% gravel83% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:34 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:04 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:25 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:53 PM.

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