Ramapo Mountain State Forest

I had been resisting going back to Ramapo Mountain State Forest. The last time I hiked here, Route 287 was still under construction and the Cannonball Trail and Hoferlin Memorial Trail had recently been re-routed onto a bridge crossing the new highway. Travelers on 287 will see the bridge with the sign “Cannonball Trail” as they pass near exit 57 for Skyline Drive. The proximity of the highway and the fact that the parking areas were always crowded led me to bypass this park and head to the nearby Wyanokie trails that offered a little more seclusion and little more  in the way of climbing and views. I should have broken down and re-visited this beautiful park sooner.

There have been changes to the trail system at this park. Read about them here. 

An early January visit was magical. A foggy day with drizzle and temperatures in the upper 50’s turned out to be a great day for a hike. Although you won’t be able to tell from the pictures taken on this particular hike, views of the Manhattan skyline to the east and of the Wyanokies and beyond to the west abound.  The hike I’ll describe here was just challenging enough in both distance and elevation to provide experienced hikers with a workout but also accessible for those not looking for an expedition into the wilderness.    

This hike clocks in at just over eight miles and will involve around 1,000 feet in elevation gain. Although none of the climbing is particularly steep, you’ll be going up and down a lot as you cover the route. There will also be a number of “escape” points where you can choose to cut the hike short if you’re tired, the kids are complaining, daylight is getting short, you hear thunder approaching or you’re just done with hiking for the day. Along the way you’ll pass beautiful Ramapo Lake, dozens of waterfalls and visit the ruins of Van Slyke Castle, an old mansion that is now just an old stone shell of a building after being burned by vandals in 1959. This is a popular place so you will likely encounter other hikers and the sound of traffic on 287 or Skyline Drive never quite fades away. However, you’ll still get that feeling of being deep in the woods and sighting a bear or two is not out of the question.  What you’ll probably remember more will be the sounds of the many waterfalls and the songs of the birds you encounter as you walk these woods. 

Directions

This isn’t a hard place to find. Your biggest difficulty may be finding a parking spot, particularly on autumn weekends. This hike starts at the “Lower Lot” on Skyline Drive. If this lot is full, you may find parking at the upper parking areas about a mile west and uphill on Skyline Drive. You can adjust the hike as necessary if you start from this alternate location. (I’ll note it in the hike description). To get here take Route 287 to exit 57 for Skyline Drive in Oakland, NJ.  If you’re coming from the north (southbound 287), bear to the right at the end of the exit. This will put you directly onto Skyline Drive and the entrance to the parking are will be on your left in about 500 feet.  If you’re coming from the south (287 North) the exit will take you to a traffic light at W. Oakland Avenue. Make a left at the light, bear left at the next traffic light and go back under 287. The parking are will be on your left in about 1,000 feet.

The Hike

This hike begins at the lower parking lot on Skyline Drive. At the far left side of the parking lot you will find a trail kiosk where the blue-blazed MacEvoy Trail heads off into the woods. You will be following the blue MacEvoy Trail, the red (with a “C”) Cannonball Trail,  the white Castle Point Trail, back to the MacEvoy Trail to the orange Wanaque Ridge Trail, to the red (with a “triangle”) Indian Rock Trail, back to the Cannonball Trail to an unmarked woods road to the yellow-blazed Hoferlin Memorial Trail, back to the blue MacEvoy Trail to return to the parking lot. It will take every bit of four hours to complete. As I said above, you can bail out at several points on this hike and cut it short to return sooner if you wish. You can download a trail map from the NJ Department of Parks & Forestry here, or from the NY-NJ Trails Conference here. I’ve always been partial to the Trails Conference maps. You can purchase the “North Jersey Trails” set of maps that includes this hike from the Trails Conference. Pay attention to the trail markings as there are numerous unmarked woods roads and trails that will intersect the marked trails.

See More Pictures From This Hike On The Photographs Page

Head out following the blue blazes of the MacEvoy Trail as you will travel up a moderate incline that follows a beautiful creek that tumbles down the hillside in a series of waterfalls. In about 1/4 mile the trail will bear right to cross a stream and the white blazes of the Castle Point Trail will leave to your right. Stay on the Blue and continue uphill as you scramble over several rock outcrops. About 1/2 mile in from the parking area the yellow blazes of the Hoferlin Memorial Trail leave to your right (also marked by a sign). Again stay on the blue trail (co-aligned with the yellow) straight ahead and you will quickly reach Ramapo Lake.   

At the lake you will emerge onto an unpaved road. The blue trail turns right onto this road and then quickly left onto unpaved “North Shore Road” to follow the north shore of the lake (go figure!). The trail hugs the lake’s shoreline passing several homes before reaching a junction with the white Castle Point Trail and the red “C” Cannonball Trail. Turn right at this junction. The white trail will head left and uphill while the Cannonball Trail heads further right and uphill following an unpaved road.  Take the Cannonball Trail at this point and head uphill. For the next mile the Cannonball Trail will follow this road or parallel it just a short distance into the woods.  You’ll be gaining elevation through this stretch, but nothing too taxing.  The trail makes a number of switchbacks through here which can be maddening. You will see where other hikers have headed straight uphill bypassing these twists in the trail. Just keep an eye on the blazes.  

Eventually, the red and white blazes of the co-aligned red “Skyline Connector” trail and the white Castle Point Trail will join the Cannonball Trail from your right. If you go right, this short trail leads to the upper parking areas on Skyline Drive (remember I said I would note where you could join this hike if you have to park here) in less than 1/4 mile. Head left at this junction and follow the co-aligned Cannonball and Castle Point Trail along the unpaved road you have been tracking for the past mile. The Cannonball Trail will head straight and the white blazes will turn left to leave the road and enter the woods. Follow the white blazes. The white trail will come to a rock outcrop that has view (but on the day I did this just a view off into the white void of clouds) before descending steeply.   

Keep an eye out for the white blazes through this section. The trail will cross (and briefly follow) a pipeline right-of-way where you can miss the turns. There are also several stream crossings here.  After leaving the pipeline right-of-way the trail will start to climb and you will soon see the remains of a stone water tower ahead of you. The trail reaches the crest of the hill and passes the water tower before heading to the ruins of Van Slyke Castle. You can read a bit about the history of this place here. Take some time to explore the site, just be careful. The white trail will head away from the ruins before descending sharply and you will quickly reach the junction with the blue trail and the Cannonball Trail you had previously passed. Turn right here and follow the co-aligned MacEvoy and Cannonball Trails for a short distance before they diverge where the blue blazes head right and the red “C” blazes head left. Turn right here and continue on the blue trail.  

The blue trail heads into some deeper woods here. In about 1/4 mile the trail will reach a pipeline right-of-way where it will turn right to follow the right-of-way for a short distance before turning left.  Just past this turn-off the blue trail will turn right  and straight ahead will be the orange-blazed Wanaque Ridge Trail (also marked by a sign). Head straight onto the orange trail. In a short distance, the orange trail will begin a substantial descent before turning sharply left.  You will pass through some deeper woods here before the trail begins a modest climb up to a ridgeline switching back several times before turning sharply left to follow the ridge. (a rougue “blue trail” joins here-just ignore it and follow the orange blazes).   There are several nice view points along this stretch, but again, on my hike I was just staring off into the fog.

You will descend from the ridge before climbing modestly (again), emerging back onto a pipeline right-of-way (turn right) before climbing some more on a set of rock steps (turn left). In about a 1/4 mile you will reach the end of the orange trail at a junction with the Indian Rock Trail marked by a red triangle. Head slightly left here (really straight ahead) following the triangles for a very short distance before you again intersect the Cannonball Trail. Turn left and follow the “C” once more.

In 1/4 mile the Cannonball Trail will turn sharply left while an unmarked woods road continues straight.  Stay on the unmarked road. In 250 feet, another unmarked road will head left. You can turn here to follow this road along the shore of Ramapo Lake back to the Blue Trail or you can continue straight ahead. If you continue straight (which I recommend) head through the woods for about 1/2 mile before reaching the yellow-blazed Hoferlin Memorial Trail which joins this road from your right. Head straight on the yellow trail (the unmarked road will turn off) and follow the yellow blazes to a view point overlooking Route 287. Continue following the yellow blazes. You will pass several more views as you head along a ridge. The red Lookout Trail will join in about 1/2 mile. Follow the yellow/red trails straight ahead. Eventually, the trail will reach the outlet of Ramapo Lake. Follow the road over the lake’s outflow and you will return to the blue MacEvoy Trail. Turn right and follow the blue blazes downhill back to the parking area.

I’m going to have to go back and take this hike again when you can actually enjoy the views. Nevertheless, it was a really nice hike even in the fog and drizzle. For all of the ups and downs, it wasn’t too difficult. No real heart-attack climbs and no really tough terrain to navigate. The exertion in this hike comes from the distance. The trails are well-maintained and well-marked and you don’t have to follow the complete route I described here (unless you want to). Just always keep in mind that this is a VERY popular hiking spot and can get crowded. Even during the week you will find cars in the lot. However, this is a very pleasant hike that is well worth the effort you will put in.