AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
2013-05-12 13 25 52 View towards the Wanaque Reservoir from the Wanaque Ridge Trail in Ramapo Mountain State Forest.JPG
Famartin · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Wanaque Ridge Viewpoint–Middle Valley Lookout, 13 sights

13.7 mi · ▲ 1,671 ft · 5 hr 24 min

Wanaque Ridge Viewpoint–Middle Valley Lookout, 13 sights is a 13.7-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Iaoapogh Lake, Cannonball Lake, Middle Valley Lookout and 3 more before reaching Wanaque Ridge Viewpoint at the turnaround, 6.8 miles in. It climbs 1,671 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 54/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi449 – 945 ft14.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Copper Hill Park Access 41.08973, -74.24617
Nearest town Erskine, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Wanaque Ridge Viewpoint–Middle Valley Lookout, 13 sights

13.7 mi · ▲ 1,671 ft · 5 hr 24 min

Elevation 448–946 ft

Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Trailhead: Copper Hill Park Access · 41.08973, -74.24617

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

  1. Start on Copper Hill Park Access, heading E.
  2. 0.2 miBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.4 miBear right onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NE.
  4. 100 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading NE.
  5. 250 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  6. 400 ftBear right onto Erskine Connector Trail, heading NE.
  7. 0.9 miPass Iaoapogh Lake.
  8. 50 ftPass Cannonball Lake.
  9. 200 ftTurn right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SE.
  10. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Old Guard/Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  11. 0.3 miBear left onto Old Guard Trail, heading S.
  12. 100 ftPass Middle Valley Lookout.
  13. 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  14. 0.1 miPass Laurel Hollow.
  15. 0.2 miBear right onto Old Guard/Schuber Trail, heading S.
  16. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading SW.
  17. 0.3 miSharp right onto Hilltop Road, heading SW.
  18. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading N.
  19. 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading SW.
  20. 0.4 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading SW.
  21. 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  22. 450 ftPass Castle Viewpoint.
  23. 250 ftTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
  24. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
  25. 250 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading S.
  26. 0.5 miTurn right onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  27. 1 miPass Profile Rock.
  28. 0.4 miReach Wanaque Ridge Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  29. 1.4 miTurn left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading N.
  30. 0.5 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading S.
  31. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
  32. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
  33. 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading NE.
  34. 0.6 miBear right onto Algonquin Gas Service Road, heading N.
  35. 0.4 miBear right onto Matapan Rock Trail, heading NE.
  36. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Hilltop Road, heading N.
  37. 0.2 miSharp left onto Mary Post Road/Schuber Trail, heading N.
  38. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Guard/Schuber Trail, heading E.
  39. 0.2 miBear left onto Old Guard Trail, heading NE.
  40. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  41. 350 ftBear right onto Old Guard/Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
  42. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
  43. 0.5 miTurn left onto Erskine Connector Trail, heading N.
  44. 1 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
  45. 450 ftBear right onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading NW.
  46. 200 ftBear left onto Catnest Swamp Road, heading NW.
  47. 100 ftBear left onto Cheshire Lane Trail, heading NW.
  48. 0.4 miBear right onto Copper Hill Park Access, heading W.
  49. 450 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/wanaque-ridge-viewpoint-wanaque-ridge-viewpoint-out-back-17-sights-22-km

Trail surface

84% dirt1% paved15% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

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