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Ramapo Mountain State Forest (Upper Lot)
4.7 ★★★★★ 171 Google reviews · Running trail in Oakland, New Jersey · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Ramapo Mountain State Forest (Upper Lot)'s own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
State park offering numerous hiking trails through woods leading to a lake, castle ruins, and scenic views.
What runners say about Ramapo Mountain State Forest (Upper Lot)
“A beautiful trail that will challenge you for sure.”
“Great trail - clean, maintained, good signage.”
Beautiful place for hiking. Trails not made for beginners, some of them extremely hard.
Very nice ramapo mountain state park Many trails there and many people hiking in the woods Trails lead to the ramapo lake and view are amazing
A good challenge of a hike. There are a few difficult spots of terrain to navigate, including a very steep rock face on the Castle Loop Trail, so wear grippy shoes and take hiking poles.
Amazingly beautiful and breath taking views. We went to see the ruins and didn't realize it was a literal hike up a mountain, but it was totally worth it.
Trail conditions & character
“Very nice ramapo mountain state park Many trails there and many people hiking in the woods Trails lead to the ramapo lake and view are amazing”
“Spent about 4 hours doing a trail right across the free parking lot.”
“There are a few difficult spots of terrain to navigate, including a very steep rock face on the Castle Loop Trail, so wear grippy shoes and take hiking poles.”
“I brought my dog with me and I would not recommend it unless you have an active dog that is used to hiking and climbing rocks.”
“Unfortunately my dog did not have the energy level for this trail.”
“There are a few difficult spots of terrain to navigate, including a very steep rock face on the Castle Loop Trail, so wear grippy shoes and take hiking poles.”
“The Castle Loop can be shortened by cutting across the Cannonball trail, just be sure to keep an eye on the markers because they are a little hard to keep track of.”
Plan your run at Ramapo Mountain State Forest (Upper Lot)
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitenj.gov
- Phone+1 201-512-9348
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Oakland
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Ramapo Water Tower Ruins
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Orange Trail & Orange Black Trail Head
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Ramapo Lake Trailhead
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Vistas of a lake and ruins dot this leafy hiking destination featuring a mix of easy to challenging trails.
Addice Park
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