Hilltop Reservation

West Essex Trail

2 mi · ▲ 251 ft · 48 min

West Essex Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back in Hilltop Reservation near Cedar Grove, NJ. It climbs 251 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi331 – 512 ft2.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: 2nd Mountain Trail 40.85227, -74.24519
Nearest town Cedar Grove, NJ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

West Essex Trail

2 mi · ▲ 251 ft · 48 min

Elevation 331–513 ft

Out & Back · Hilltop Reservation

Trailhead: 2nd Mountain Trail · 40.85227, -74.24519

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on 2nd Mountain Trail, heading N.
  2. 350 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  3. 450 ftBear left onto Old Hilltop Trail, heading N.
  4. 150 ftBear left onto Spruce Trail - Inner Loop, heading N.
  5. 100 ftSharp right onto Endor, heading N.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  7. 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 200 ftSharp right, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 150 ftBear right onto Lenape Trail, heading E.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Endor, heading E.
  12. 250 ftSharp right onto West Essex Trail, heading NE.
  13. 200 ftBear left, heading E.
  14. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  15. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  16. 300 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  17. 150 ftContinue straight onto Endor, heading NE.
  18. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lenape Trail, heading NE.
  19. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  21. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  22. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  23. 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 150 ftTurn left onto Endor, heading NE.
  25. 0.2 miSharp left onto Spruce Trail - Inner Loop, heading NW.
  26. 100 ftBear right onto Old Hilltop Trail, heading NW.
  27. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  28. 450 ftSharp left onto 2nd Mountain Trail, heading NW.
  29. 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

68% dirt11% paved21% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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