Aqua Trail
- 0.4 mi
- loop
- 10 ft
- climb
- 548 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
- best months
The Aqua Trail is a short loop in South Mountain Reservation, a county-managed reserve in New Jersey, about 0.4 miles long and easy to complete in half an hour. It rises just 10 feet from its lowest point of about 533 feet to a high of about 548 feet, with the steepest part of the climb coming early, at about 0.12 miles in, where the grade reaches about 2%. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Canoe Brook show May highs around 72°F and October highs around 66°F, while July highs climb to about 86°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run a little cooler. The Aqua Trail makes an easy pairing with other trails in the area. Summit Trail is just 0.2 miles away, and Crest Trail, Pingry Trail and Swampy Trail are each about 0.6 miles off. South Mountain Reservation, a climbing area, is about 0.7 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Pier 13 Hoboken14 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Summit TrailHikingPhoto: Doug Orleans, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi- Crest TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Pingry TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Swampy TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Sunset TrailHiking0.6 mi
- South Mountain ReservationRock climbing0.7 mi
- Eagle Rock ReservationRock climbing5.3 mi
- * bouldering Northeast NJRock climbing9.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Summit TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: Doug Orleans, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- West Ridge TrailHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: Doug Orleans, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Liberty - Water GapHiking · ~7 min drive
- Turtle Back TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Doug Orleans, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
WestHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Hello Turkey Toe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Lenape Trail - SmrHiking · ~2 min drive
- Elmdale TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Hello Turkey Toe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Orange TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Hello Turkey Toe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- TurtlebackHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Hello Turkey Toe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Oakdale TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Hello Turkey Toe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Best time to visit Aqua Trail
Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
39° / 22°
9 wet
Feb
42° / 23°
8 wet
Mar
50° / 31°
10 wet
Apr
62° / 40°
11 wet
May
72° / 50°
12 wet
Jun
82° / 60°
11 wet
Jul
86° / 66°
11 wet
Aug
85° / 64°
11 wet
Sep
78° / 56°
10 wet
Oct
66° / 44°
10 wet
Nov
54° / 35°
9 wet
Dec
44° / 28°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Canoe Brook, NJ, 3.3 mi away at 180 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
