AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
2013-05-12 14 46 42 Waterfall along the MacEvoy Trail near the shore of Ramapo Lake in Ramapo Mountain State Forest.jpg
Famartin · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake, 10 sights

5.1 mi · ▲ 840 ft · 2 hr 7 min

Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake, 10 sights is a 5.1-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Erskine, NJ. The route passes Castle Viewpoint, Wanaque Reservoir Overlook, Water Tower Ruins and 2 more. It climbs 840 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 15/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi335 – 899 ft · steepest grade: 24%5.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail 41.05940, -74.25053
Nearest town Erskine, NJ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake, 10 sights

5.1 mi · ▲ 840 ft · 2 hr 7 min

Elevation 336–898 ft

Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest

Trailhead: Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail · 41.05940, -74.25053

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading S.
  2. 0.6 miBear right onto Cannonball Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.1 miTurn right onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  4. 50 ftPass Castle Viewpoint.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  6. 250 ftBear right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miTurn left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.2 miPass Wanaque Reservoir Overlook.
  9. 50 ftPass Water Tower Ruins.
  10. 0.3 miPass Ramapo Lake.
  11. 100 ftBear right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading W.
  12. 50 ftSharp left onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading SW.
  13. 250 ftPass East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Viewpoint.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Loop Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
  16. 50 ftBear right onto Ramapo Lake Spur/Castle Loop Trail, heading SE.
  17. 200 ftContinue straight onto Ramapo Lake Spur Trail, heading S.
  18. 0.5 miReach Water Tower Ruins, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Ramapo Lake Spur/Castle Loop Trail, heading NW.
  20. 200 ftBear left, heading W.
  21. 50 ftBear right onto East Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop/Castle Loop Trail, heading W.
  22. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  23. 350 ftSharp right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading W.
  24. 50 ftBear left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NW.
  25. 0.5 miTurn right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road, heading N.
  26. 0.1 miBear left onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
  27. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Loop Trail, heading NE.
  28. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cannonball Trail, heading NE.
  29. 0.1 miBear left onto Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, heading E.
  30. 0.5 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/water-tower-ruins-ramapo-lake-out-back-10-sights

Trail surface

98% dirt2% paved

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Cannonball / Hoeferlin Memorial Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Erskine, New Jersey