AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ringwood State Park

Warm Puppy Rock–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 11 sights

6.7 mi · ▲ 1,427 ft · 2 hr 57 min

Warm Puppy Rock–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 11 sights is a 6.7-mile out-and-back in Ringwood State Park near Skylands, NJ. The route passes Shepherd Lake, Ringwood State Park Beach, Five Ponds Viewpoint and 3 more before reaching Upper Erskine Lake at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 1,427 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 67/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi518 – 1,030 ft · steepest grade: 17%7.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop 41.13537, -74.23180
Nearest town Skylands, NJ
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Warm Puppy Rock–Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint, 11 sights

6.7 mi · ▲ 1,427 ft · 2 hr 57 min

Elevation 519–1,029 ft

Out & Back · Ringwood State Park

Trailhead: Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop · 41.13537, -74.23180

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

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftPass Shepherd Lake.
  3. 50 ftPass Ringwood State Park Beach.
  4. 0.2 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.1 miTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail, heading SE.
  6. 0.2 miBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SE.
  9. 0.6 miPass Five Ponds Viewpoint.
  10. 100 ftTurn left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading S.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
  12. 0.1 miPass Ringwood-Ramapo Viewpoint.
  13. 0.3 miBear left onto The Knob, heading W.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  15. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  16. 50 ftBear right onto The Knob, heading S.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.2 miPass Duck Pond.
  19. 250 ftTurn left onto The Knob, heading S.
  20. 50 ftBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
  21. 200 ftPass Warm Puppy Rock.
  22. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  23. 0.4 miSharp left onto Ice Pond Road/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading SW.
  24. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  25. 450 ftBear right onto Ryerson Access, heading NW.
  26. 250 ftContinue straight onto Black Bear Trail, heading S.
  27. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  28. 450 ftContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading S.
  29. 0.2 miTurn right onto Erskine Trail, heading SW.
  30. 0.2 miPass Upper Erskine Lake.
  31. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  32. 350 ftReach Warm Puppy Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  33. 0.3 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading W.
  34. 0.3 miTurn right onto Black Bear Trail, heading NE.
  35. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ryerson Access, heading NE.
  36. 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
  37. 450 ftBear left onto Ice Pond Road/Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
  38. 250 ftSharp right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading N.
  39. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  40. 450 ftBear left onto The Knob, heading E.
  41. 50 ftTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading E.
  42. 0.3 miContinue straight onto The Knob, heading NE.
  43. 50 ftBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  44. 400 ftContinue straight onto The Knob, heading SE.
  45. 150 ftBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading W.
  46. 0.4 miTurn left onto Five Ponds Loop Trail, heading NE.
  47. 50 ftTurn right onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading E.
  48. 0.6 miBear left onto Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading NW.
  49. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, heading NE.
  50. 0.3 miBear left onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail, heading N.
  51. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ringwood-Ramapo Trail/Mountain Bike Loop/Race Trail, heading NE.
  52. 0.1 miBear right onto Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop, heading NE.
  53. 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/warm-puppy-rock-ringwood-ramapo-viewpoint-out-back-13-sights

Trail surface

94% dirt6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:00 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 12 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Ringwood-Ramapo/Shepherd Lake Trail/Mountain Bike Loop Trailhead

Hikes near Skylands, New Jersey