Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake, 6 viewpoints is a 2.4-mile out-and-back in Ramapo Mountain State Forest near Wanaque-Midvale, NJ. The route passes Ramapo Lake, Rock Beach, Wanaque Reservoir Overlook and Water Tower Ruins. It climbs 405 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 44/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi548 – 869 ft · steepest grade: 26%2.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Wolfe Drive Trailhead 41.05448, -74.26330
Nearest town Wanaque-Midvale, NJ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Water Tower Ruins–Ramapo Lake, 6 viewpoints
2.4 mi · ▲ 405 ft · 1 hr
Elevation 547–868 ft
Out & Back · Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Trailhead: Wolfe Drive Trailhead · 41.05448, -74.26330
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Algonquin Gas Transmission Service Road/Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 250 ftBear left onto Wanaque Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Ramapo Lake.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Wanaque Ridge/Cannonball Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left onto North Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Ramapo Lake Loop Spur Trail, heading S.
- 400 ftPass Rock Beach.
- 50 ftReach Water Tower Ruins, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftSharp right onto North Shore Drive/Ramapo Lake Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Foxcroft Road/Castle Loop Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Cannonball Trail / Castle Loop, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Castle Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miPass Wanaque Reservoir Overlook.
- 50 ftPass Water Tower Ruins.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 250 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
85% dirt15% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Wolfe Drive Trailhead Trailhead
- Stephens Lake & Wanaque Ridge Spur Trail via Wanaque Ridge Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 346 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–Castle Viewpoint, 4 viewpoints 3.3 mi · ▲ 651 ft
- Tamarack Viewpoint–Castle Viewpoint, 4 viewpoints 3.3 mi · ▲ 525 ft
- Todd Hill–Todd Lookout, 5 viewpoints 3.6 mi · ▲ 713 ft
- Matapan Rock–Castle Viewpoint, 5 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 539 ft
- Ramapo Lake–Castle Viewpoint, 8 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 504 ft
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