New Jersey trails · Vista Loop
Vista Loop
A 2.2-mile network in New Jersey, with 575 ft of climbing. Reaches Hawk Rock and other arch/viewpoint destinations. Managed by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the middle third: 46% of the ascent falls between mile 0.7 and mile 1.5. It climbs almost continuously, with little descent to recover on.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Hawk Rock (arch)
- Hawk Rock (viewpoint)
- Cactus Ledge (viewpoint)
Getting there
Ridge Loop access. About 23 min drive (15 mi) from Paterson. 41.08129, -74.19374 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:39 a.m., the sun rises at 7:06 a.m. and sets at 6:18 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 6:45 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 11 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 2.2-mile route takes roughly 1 h 06 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 8:12 a.m. — 10 h 05 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Ridge Loop + Vista Loop + River — 1.8 mi loop, 238 ft gain
- Vista Loop + River + Vista Loop; Ridge Loop — 3.0 mi loop, 752 ft gain
- White + White; Havemeyer + Vista Loop — 4.8 mi loop, 915 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Halifax — 1.4 mi
- Halifax Trail — 2.7 mi
- Schuber — 3.5 mi
- Ringwood-Ramapo Trail — 3.5 mi