Bearfort Mountain Ernest Walter Loop

Abraham Hewitt State Forest
West Milford
Passaic Co.,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
State Line Trail: Blue blaze
Ernest Walter Trail: Yellow blaze
Appalachian Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.2 Miles

Pros: Spectacular scenery with a good climb, nice views, and scenic lakes
Cons: Hiking can be difficult on weekends
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Level of Difficulty: Difficult

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/5dSSggLRrMUHp23ZA

This is one of the most scenic hikes in the area. It's got a nice climb with great views and scenic lakes, and this made for a spectacular hike as the fall foliage was beginning to peak. Parking hear is difficult on weekends so it's important to arrive early if you want to park in the trail parking lot. The weather was cool, and although it was bright and sunny, I started off with a light jacket, which I ended up shedding slightly after I started the hike. The cool weather probably staved off some hikers, so there was still parking available when I arrived at 9:45. However, when I returned there was no longer any parking available.

I started the hike climbing the mountain steeply on the State Line Trail, and then took the Ernest Walter Trail further up the mountain. There is a very scenic rocky area with the Bearfort conglomerate with a great view on top of Greenwood Lake. I then continued along the ridge, passing some dwarf pitch pines, to the next stop which was Surprise Lake. This is a quiet, small lake on the top of the ridge that is very scenic.

The trail then continued through a rhododendron tunnel, with dense vegetation and very interesting scenery and rock formations. After climbing a bit more I reach another view along the summit ridge of Bearfort, before taking a short spur trail that overlooks West Pond at a rocky Promenade. This area is especially scenic, especially during the fall. I then continued along the Ernest Walter Trail heading north, with more nice scenery and rock formations, until reaching the Appalachian Trail. At the intersection with the State Line Trail, I took a short detour further north on the Appalachian Trail to the State Line of New York and New Jersey, briefly crossing into New York State before turning around. I then took the State Line Trail down the mountain, picking up my jacket near the bottom and then heading back to my car.

Map of the Route

State Line Trail Markers

Greenwood Lake from the Ernest Walter Trail

Rock Face on the Ernest Walter Trail View

Fox Island in Greenwood Lake

Dwarf Pitch Pines at Ernest Walter

Surprise Lake

Rhododendron Tunnel near Surprise Lake

Fall Foliage at Cooley Brook

View at the Bearfort Loop Intersection

West Pond

Rock Formations and Fall Scenery along the Ernest Walter Trail

Ernest Walter Terminus at the Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail at the NY/NJ State Line

Mailbox in a Tree on the Trail

State Line Trail

Bearfort Mountain at
Greenwood Lake,
Abraham Hewitt State Forest,
Passaic County,
New Jersey

Trails:
State Line Trail: Blue Blaze
Ernest Walter Trail: Orange Blaze

Total Time: 1.3 Hours
Total Distance: 1.5 Miles

Did this hike after a large snowstorm. It had just snowed about 6 inches over Saturday and Saturday night, and I did this hike on Sunday morning. The temperature was frigid and the winds were powerful, and I was the first person to hike this trail after the snowstorm. In fact I was the ONLY one to hike this as I didnt meet anyone crazy to venture out on such a frigid and snowy day. The hike up in a half-foot of snow with ice underneath was very difficult, as the ascent is pretty steep.

Parked at the trailhead which is literally on the NY/NJ State border, and climbed up the State Line Trail up the mountain to the Ernest Walter Trail, where I made a left and went south to the summit viewpoint. The rock part reaching the viewpoing was full of ice underneath the snow making this part extremely difficult. And the wind at the treeless top part was absolutely ferocious! I couldn't stay at the summit for too long as it was just too cold and I felt I was going to blow away! Being too cold to venture further to Surprise Lake, I turned back and headed the same way I came, skirting around some particularly icy areas I had approached on my way up.

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Map of the Route

 The parking area.

The tire tracks are from my car

as the trailhead parking was not yet plowed.

My car at the trailhead.

First view while ascending.

Facing east across Greenwood Lake.

At the viewpoint looking east across

Greenwood Lake.

 Me at the viewpoint with

Greenwood Lake in background.

From viewpoint facing north.

 Ascending the snowy and icy summit

 

 Looking south. Greenwood Lake and Fox Island.

Looking southeast.

The lake is partially frozen.

 Don't know the name of this mountain.

Zoomed looking southeast.

The edge of Greenwood Lake is in the foreground.

View looking northwest.