ABOUT THE PARK: NJ Division of Parks and Forestry / Van Slyke Castle
TRAIL MAP:
NY/NJ Trail Conference North Jersey Trails Map 115 / no maps at park
Online brochure from the NY/NY Trail Conference
PARKING DIRECTIONS: I-287 to exit 57; north on Skyline Drive briefly; turn left into parking lot.
DISTANCE: 7.5, 10 or 12 miles
HIKE DIRECTIONS:
I started to hike here several years ago and it was so crowded I left and went elsewhere. Thought I'd give it another shot. I arrived at 7 am and there were already 10 cars in the lot that holds about 30 cars. (When I finished at 1:30, the lot was full and cars were hovering waiting for spots to open up.) The blue trail leads from the parking lot to Ramapo Lake and it was already Grand Central Station at 7 am. But rest assured, once you reach the lake and head out on hiking trails, you do leave all of that behind. Only ran into a handful of mountain bikers on the trails. The busiest part of the park is the lake and the blue trail from the parking lot to the lake.
Trails are well-marked, intersections are not so watch carefully for turns.
Follow the blue-blazed trail from the parking lot.
This trail eventually joins with the yellow-blazed trail.
Stay on the blue/yellow-blazed trail.
At .6 miles turn left on the yellow-blazed trail crossing the dam.
At .8 mile turn left on the yellow/red blazed trail.
At 2.2 miles continue left on the yellow-blazed trail.
Views of Ramapo Lake from the yellow-blazed trail.
At 2.5 miles, turn right on the red-blazed Cannonball trail (white C on red circle)
At 2.75 miles, turn left on the red-blazed Indian Rock trail (white square with red triangle)
At 3 miles keep right at the fork (not marked) stepping over a log, turn right on the orange-blazed Wanaque Ridge trail a short distance ahead.
Along the Wanaque Ridge trail, views of the Wanaque Reservoir.
At 6 miles, turn right on the blue-blazed trail.
At 6.25 miles turn left on the blue-blazed/red-blazed Cannonball trail.
At 6.5 miles: For a 7.5 mile hike, stay on the blue-blazed trail for about a mile back to the parking lot, for 10 or 12 mile hikes, turn left on the red-blazed Cannonball trail briefly then left on the white-blazed Castle Point trail.
Great views of the New York City skyline, Ramapo Lake and Wanaque Reservoir just before Van Slyke Castle.
The castle ruins are very interesting and there are little side trails for wandering around and exploring but if you have a dog with you be careful - lots of broken glass on the ground.
At 7.7 miles turn right on the paved access road which is the red-blazed Cannonball trail.
The red-blazed trail leaves and rejoins the access road a few times along the way before turning right off of the road for the last time and continuing on switchbacks.
At 8.75 miles keep straight on the gravel road (not marked).
At 9 miles: For the 10 mile hike turn left on blue to arrive at parking lot in 1 mile or to continue for the 12 mile hike, turn right on the red-blazed Cannonball trail (white C on red circle) to Ramapo Lake staying on the trail (gravel road) around the lake.
At 10 miles leave the red-blazed trail turning left on an unmarked woods road. Follow this road to continue around the other side of the lake back to the dam.
At 11.2 miles, after crossing the dam, turn right on the blue/yellow blazed trail, staying on the blue-blazed trail back to the parking lot.
LITTER REPORT:
In addition to the random can here, water bottle there, a large amount of litter was on the grounds of the Van Slyke castle. I had a large bag with me and even though I did not want to ruin the rest of my hike lugging that much garbage around, I could not in all good conscience leave it there so it was packed out.
Before:
After:
The total haul before being divvied up between trash and recycling:
very detailed description, do you have the trail map? I just fishing last week on ramapo lake. It took me about 10 minutes hiking on blue trail to the lake from the parking lot. It is not very convenient for my uncle who is 75 years old and he can not walk too long, do you know any easier trail or closer distance from any parking lot to the ramapo lake? Thanks!!!
ReplyDeletemy email: foreveryizhu@hotmail.com
If you drive up the hill and lots easier to walk down to lake compare to walk up !!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the elevation above sea level at the castle summit?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea but if you can find the spot on Google Earth it will tell you.
DeleteDaniela
Years ago, I used to hike up to the "castle", although it was known by another name that I can't remember (the _____ mansion). A ranger once warned me about copperheads in the foundation.
ReplyDelete