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Quick Look
Difficulty Round trip Total climb Location Elevation Internet Maps
Trail difficultyTrail difficultyTrail difficultyTrail difficultyTrail difficulty 13.14 mi 2802 ft N41.1209 W74.2004 Bergen 1164 ft AllTrails

NJ1K peak map This description is for a hike that covers all four of the NJ1K peaks in the Ramapos. Bald Mountain, Ilgenstein Rock, Rocky Mountain and Drag Hill. It is long and can be broken into parts.

Park at the parking area for the Ramapo Reservation on Route 202. and get on the trail that passes over the dam for a pretty lake. A small building near the middle of the dam probably had something to do with controlling water distribution. After passing over the dam turn right on a woods road and trail that heads north by northeast. At .9 miles a spur trail leads down to Hawk Rock. The main trail continues straight ahead to the top of the hill before descending again and eventually turns to the northwest. After about 3 miles of walking on trails and roads, a woods road heads off slightly to the northeast. Stay on this road as it passes Herman Hill. After another .4 miles about 4.3 miles into the hike there will be the ruins of a stone building on the right with another farther up on the left. Just before this area is a road that goes to the summit of Bald Mountain. Walk up the road or bushwhack to the top. Walk around to find the highest spot and then walk back down and follow your route back to the trail junction and the main trail. This trail soon crosses a right of way and a road as it enters the woods. The trail approaches Bear Swamp and continues around it but after about .6 miles from the right of way, about 7 miles into the hike, you should turn right on a trail and ascend to the ridge. At the end of the ridge, after walking about 1,4 miles along the ridge and at 8.4 miles into the hike, is Ilgenstein Rock. From here the trail descends to the dam for Bear Swamp Lake and continues over the dam. A mile from Ilgenstein rock and 9.3 miles into the hike you must leave the trail and start to bushwhack the .2 miles to the top of Rocky Mountain. Cross a gas pipeline right of way and continue to the top of Rocky. Come back down to the right of way and turn right toward the northeast and head for Drag Hill. It is only .7 miles to the top of Drag Hill but you will descend and then ascend Drag Hill. At 10.25 miles into the hike walk off the right of way to the right and find the highest point. Walk back to the right of way and down the other side to a monitoring station for the pipeline. A road heads southeast or to the right from here and you can watch to your left in the woods to pick up a trail. After about .5 miles or 11 miles on the hike, the trail will turn at a right angle and head southwest. Shortly the trail again turns and heads southeast through an area where there are tailings piles from old iron mines. At 12 miles into the hike a spur trail turns to the right and goes up to a lookout with limited views. Back on the main trail it is only .6 miles back to the dam where the hike started.

(The map above shows the parking area and the hiking route in a anticlockwise direction.)

NJ1K profile (The image at the left shows the profile of the hike. Remember that all vertical profiles are relative!)