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Scarlet Oak Pond Walk
4.7 ★★★★★ 169 Google reviews · Running trail in Mahwah, 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 Scarlet Oak Pond Walk'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.
Park featuring a lake and wooded areas, popular for hiking and dog walking.
What runners say about Scarlet Oak Pond Walk
“Great easy trails, decent amounts of parking, a beautiful small waterfall and we got to see swans even though it was mid November.”
“Great easy trails, decent amounts of parking, a beautiful small waterfall and we got to see swans even though it was mid November.”
“Nice serene place to walk my dogs or just walk by myself”
We parked at the Ramapo trailhead near Scarlet Oak Pond and followed the Vista Loop Trail on AllTrails. Parking lot was empty around 8am when we started but was full by noon when we ended.
We parked here to hike the Vista Loop Trail (via AllTrails) at around 12:30pm on a Saturday afternoon. By then, the large parking lot was nearly full, so definitely plan to get there earlier if you can. By the time we left at 3:30, there was a sheriff stationed at the entrance of the lot to deal with crowd control.
Beautiful park with plenty of trails to keep everyone of all ages and abilities occupied. The pond, street, brooks are very picturesque with well maintained paths and grass areas, natural, not manicured. There were too many dogs, which made a mess and threw up in the water where kids were playing.
Great easy trails, decent amounts of parking, a beautiful small waterfall and we got to see swans even though it was mid November. The trail we did (yellow) was easy enough for my 70 year old mother.
Trail conditions & character
“Great easy trails, decent amounts of parking, a beautiful small waterfall and we got to see swans even though it was mid November.”
“Trail was varied and had a bit of everything - hills, mini scrambles, wooded areas, panoramic viewpoints, lake, waterfall, little bridges.”
“There were too many dogs, which made a mess and threw up in the water where kids were playing.”
“We parked at the Ramapo trailhead near Scarlet Oak Pond and followed the Vista Loop Trail on AllTrails.”
“I didn't see any functional restrooms there, so be mindful of that.”
Plan your run at Scarlet Oak Pond Walk
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, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitescarlet-walk.keeq.io
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 Mahwah
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Ramapo River Access - Ramapo Reservation
4.9 ★★★★★ 12 reviews
Darlington Schoolhouse and New York, New Jersey Trail Conference
5 ★★★★★ 2 reviews
Continental Soldiers Park
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Clean field featuring a playground for kids as well as sporting grounds.
Ramapo Valley County Reservation
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,006 reviews
Vast park on 3,313 acres with rugged trails & dog-friendly walking paths, a pond, reservoir & views.
Bergen County Campgaw Mountain Reservation
4.6 ★★★★★ 30 reviews
A tiny downhill ski area with a rental shop is the main draw in this park also offering hiking.