The trail is very rocky, with a minor half-scramble and then an easy rock hop over a small stream. After passing a stone foundation on a rock ledge, the trail comes to a T-intersection with a woods road. Soon, the trail reaches a stone wall on a rock ledge at water level, with a view over the lake, and continues to parallel the lake. In another half a mile, the trails cross a stream in a wet area and emerge from the woods near Skyline Drive, where they pass to the right of a fenced-in structure for a gas pipeline in an open area. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/skyline-drive Cover and disguise the cathole when finished. Continue ahead, following the yellow and red trails as they pass through a barrier of concrete slabs, reenter the woods, and climb on switchbacks. Variation. [Schuber (ORANGE) also goes to the left.]. Walk a short ways and turn RIGHT, still following the TODD (WHITE). It is a circuit (not round trip), park on west side of Skyline Drive, just south of Hogback Overlook, at mile 21; hike begins at south end of parking lot, at trail head marker (cement post), start with blue-blazed Sugarloaf Trail. Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites. Turn right, continuing to follow the Tamarack Loop along the road. Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow. This area was once the site of a millstone quarry, and the stones that you see were damaged during quarrying or abandoned when the quarry operation shut down. The trail steeply ascends a rock outcrop, then descends through mountain laurel. /// Shorter option – 1.2 miles round trip: Turn around here for an easy hike, or go around the lake all or part-way for a short loop ///, 1.1 – Near the end of the lake, BLUE (MacEvoy) turns RIGHT away from the lake and heads uphill through 2 stone posts. A quarter mile beyond, the two trails split. Trail Blog: “Ramapo Mountain – Hoeferlin & Cannonball“, Copyright © 2020 | site by OPAQUE DESIGN LLC, njHiking.com | facebook.com/njhiking | twitter.com/njhiking | instagram.com/njhiking | youtube.com/njhiking, Ramapo Mountain State Forest – Van Slyke Castle. Note 7/2020: Major changes to trail names and blazes are being made that affect this hike. 10 miles. Cross the pipeline cut. 1.6 – Arrive at a large stone tower that used to hold a water cistern for the mansion. 5.3 – Continue following Old Guard (GREEN LEAF on WHITE) which is now also Schuber (ORANGE). While not quite as bad as Frogger, it can be tricky nonetheless. 6.4 – Turn RIGHT and follow YELLOW (Diamond)/Millstone (WHITE). Drive from Big Meadows to Trailhead – 53 min. Ramapo Mountain State Forest, located in Bergen and Passaic Counties, contains a popular, extensive network of trails. But the further you hike away from the lake/castle area, the less crowded this park becomes. M®®èSÁ§Z’—`ºUpúü…ñ‚xa¼ ^/)�wÜEäQ#0ï"¸‹Ğ?ÕMè/ğúü…ş¡¿À_u‡¿²æŠš+İnJ7…›ÒMá¦tS¸)İnJ7…›²ÎŠ:+=�º!oŒW8§È‹"5Ê£#Ğ2ÖÙş³Û[ŒÖŠ©ıS¢ûú!|ş!Ó8yËÂp ª€Ó endstream endobj 142 0 obj <> endobj 143 0 obj <> endobj 144 0 obj <> endobj 145 0 obj <> endobj 146 0 obj <>stream Parts of the route does suffer from road noise. After passing cliffs on the left, the trail turns right, climbs a little, then descends towards Todd Lake. The Trail Conference is a 2015 Leave No Trace partner. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Bear right and follow the white-on-red-blazed Cannonball Trail, which descends a little and soon begins to follow a secondary ridge, with a wetland below on the left. Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires. Busy Skyline Drive must be crossed twice. Scatter strained dishwater. Continue on Castle Point (WHITE) as it turns RIGHT onto a pipeline clearing for a bit, before turning back into the woods. From the northwest end of the parking area, cross Skyline Drive and follow the yellow blazes of the Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, which curves to the north and parallels Skyline Drive. There are some picnic tables in the camp. Bathroom buildings here were locked. From the northwest end of the parking area, cross Skyline Drive and follow the yellow blazes of the Hoeferlin Memorial Trail, which curves to the north and parallels Skyline Drive. The trails soon bear left, ascending to the ridgeline, and passing a large glacial erratic on the right. While not quite as bad as Frogger, it can be tricky nonetheless. 9.1 – Cross Skyline Drive. Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches. The trail now veers away from the road so the road noise lessens. Turn LEFT and start following the Cannonball(RED circle with a WHITE C). Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Check the weather forecast before you head out. You are now following the route of the historic Cannonball Road, reputed to have been used by the colonists during the Revolutionary War to transport munitions without being intercepted by the British. Learn more about directions to Shenandoah and maps of the Park. Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Continue ahead (downhill), now following purple-on-white blazes. Parts of the route does suffer from road noise. After resting here for a bit, retrace your steps to the main trail, turn left, and proceed north along the joint Hoeferlin/Cannonball Trail, which immediately crosses a wide gravel road (to the left, this road leads to a radio tower). ///. Avoid cotton--it traps water against your skin and is slow to dry. Continue following Old Guard (GREEN LEAF on WHITE) as Schuber (ORANGE) turns right and crosses the water on a bridge. The entrance is pretty rutted, so take it easy if you have a low-clearance vehicle. Scroll down to see a list of suggested hikes with links to maps. You may also spot Cannonball (RED circle with a WHITE C) blazes, which is also co-aligned here]. Looking inside the walls of the castle ruins: Looking up at the stone walls of the castle: Follow the Castle Point (WHITE) markers around the edge of the ruins. Check out some map-reading basics here. The upper lot does not have one; but we have not been to it in awhile so not 100% sure on that. 5.5 – Camp Glen Grey buildings are in this area. Just beyond, the white-blazed Millstone Trail goes off to the right, but you should proceed ahead, continuing to follow the Yellow Trail. Yield to other users on the trail. Take I-287 to Exit 57 (Skyline Drive) and proceed north on Skyline Drive for about one mile to the upper parking area for Ramapo Mountain State Forest on the left side of the road, opposite the entrance to Camp Tamarack. You almost half-way in this route; now turning south back towards the parking lot. Two waterfalls and the trails into the Big Run Wilderness area are nearby. 1.4 – Arrive at the remains of the Van Slyke Castle – basically stone walls and some pipes. This loop hike traverses a portion of the historic Cannonball Trail through the Ramapo Mountains and ascends to several viewpoints, with broad vistas both east and west. Choose synthetic shirts, sweaters and/or vests and dress in layers for easy on and off. Keep fires small. Map: North Jersey Trails is best. Light - A flashlight or small, lightweight headlamp will be welcome gear if you find yourself still on the trail when darkness falls. 6.9 – Old millstones are laying on the ground, and this makes a nice rest spot. Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. AllTrails has 19 great hiking trails, trail running trails, forest trails and more, with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. Is daylight fading? The trail soon crosses a stone wall and begins a steady descent. The trail is immediately very pretty – the shady trail wanders near a stream and gently heads uphill towards the lake. First Aid Kit - Keep it simple, compact, and weatherproof. The trail steeply ascends a rock outcrop, then descends through mountain laurel. (There are two unmarked paths as well, coming from the other side of the ruin). If you are wearing wet cotton and must return to your starting point, you risk getting chills that may lead to a dangerous hypothermia. The trail is an easy woods road but is parallel to Skyline Drive so there is a lot of road noise. Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter. The Tamarack Loop bears right and continues ahead on the main woods road, but in 150 feet it turns left, leaving the road, and follows a footpath into the woods. The description below has not been updated to reflect these in-progress changes. Skyline Drive is a 105-mile byway that runs through Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Trail Project Panel: The Floating Walkway in Wawayanda, No reviews for this hike, click above rate experience link to review this hike, Hiking the Jersey Highlands: Wilderness in Your Back Yard, Trail Improvements in Ringwood State Park, Loop Trails Bring Safer, More Enjoyable Hiking to NJ Parks, Spotting Lanternfly: How to Identify + Report, Trail Structures: Working with Native Stone Webinar | Webinar. The Yellow Trail passes the stone foundations of some old Scout buildings, crosses a stream on a wooden footbridge, climbs to the crest of the rise, then descends steadily through a wooded valley. Whether you are going for a day hike or backpacking overnight, it is good practice to carry what we call The Hiking Essentials. H‰ì—[oÇ…ß÷Wô#È4û~’i ìD6äÁ0‚EIŒDÒf$ú÷ùªºwv)#� o;ì�™îêS眪ùesşêÒ™wß8sõíù7wÎ\. Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors. 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