Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Bergen and Passaic Counties,
New Jersey
Hiking Trail:
Skyline Connector Trail: White/Red blaze
Cannonball Trail: Red blaze
Macevoy Trail: Blue blaze
Castle Point Trail: Red blaze
Total Time: 1:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.6 Miles
Pros: Scenic area, nice views, and pretty lake
Cons: Homes take away from wilderness feel at first part of trail
There was still plenty of snow here from the big storm a week and a half prior. I had hike this area in 2012, and remembered it being very scenic. I was never along these trails in the winter, and I did a reverse hike than the one I did in 2012. I parked I parked on the upper parking area on Skyline Drive, and took the short Skyline Connector Trail to the Cannonball Trail. I took the Cannonball Trail down towards Ramapo Lake as it descended the ridge, and then too a short bushwack near Ramapo Lake to the Macevoy Trail.
I took some pictures at the lake, and then continued on the Macevoy Trail along the northern shore of Ramapo Lake for a very short distance to the Castle Point Trail. I took the Castle Point Trail up the steep hill to the castle ruins, a large home built by stockbroker William Porter in 1910, and abandoned in the 1940's, and then ruined in the 1950's. At this area there is also a nice view of the Wanaque Reservoir and Wyanokies. I continued along the Castle Point Trail to the Cannonball Trail, and then back to the Skyline Connector Trail, and then back to my car.
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| Map of the Route |
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| Skyline Connector Trail, Full of Snow |
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| Ramapo Lake, Northern Part |
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| Another View at Ramapo Lake |
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| Me at Ramapo Lake |
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| Ramapo Lake Islands |
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| Ramapo Lake Facing South |
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| Another View of Ramapo Lake |
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| Castle Point Trail Sign |
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| View Southwest from Castle Point |
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| View West from Castle Point Overlooking Wanaque Reservoir |
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| View of Rockland Lake from Castle Point |
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| Another View of Ramapo Lake |
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| Overlooking Castle from Across the Mountain |
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| View from Castle Point Facing East to High Point and NYC Skyline |
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| Zoomed in to NYC Skyline |
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| Wanaque Reservoir from Castle Point |
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| Selfie at Castle Point |
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| Another NYC Skyline View |
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| The Abandoned Castle |
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| Another View of the Abandoned Castle |
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| Inside the Castle |
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| The Trail in the Castle |
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| The Next View at Castle Point, Further Up |
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| Another View of the Wanauqe Reservoir |
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| And Another |
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| And One More |
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| Another Structure North of the Castle |
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| A Closer View |
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| View Right Before Descending |
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