Dagmar Dale Trail North Loop

The Dagmar Dale Trail North Loop is a 1.5-mile easy hike on Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The route rises from about 510 feet to a high point of 562 feet, with a total elevation gain of 162 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.1 miles in, where the grade reaches 13 percent. The trail is short and low-impact, and the climb is gentle enough to fit into a half-day outing. The South Loop of the same trail lies just 0.1 mile away, so the two can be linked easily. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Sussex put May highs around 71°F and September highs around 75°F, with July the warmest month at about 84°F. Other trails close by include the Timberdoodle Trail, about 1.5 miles away, and the Wood Duck Nature Trail, about 2.5 miles away. Paddlers can find Pochuck Creek about 7 miles off, and High Point State Park, a climbing area, is roughly 9 miles away.