Ramapo Lake - Castle Point Loop

This is a nice hike around a lake with views and ruins of an old castle/retreat. The proper parking for this loop is on Skyline Drive in Oakland. From route 287 take Skyline Drive north. After about 2 miles, as you crest a hill, there will be a dirt parking area along the road. Be sure to park in an appropriate spot because towing is enforced.From the parking area, look for short access spurs onto a trail that run parallel to the road. Turn right walking parallel with the road to your right. After a short distance you reach the Cannonball Trail (red markers). Turn left on the Cannonball trail which will cross a paved road several times. You eventually reach a steep downhill section with many switchbacks. This is a very popular trail with mountain bikers, hence the reason fo the switchbacks.After one mile the Cannonball trail reaches the MacEvoy trail (blue markers) which is a gravel road along the shore of Ramapo Lake. Turn left and follow the gravel road to a dam. Cross the dam and continue on the road for a short distance. Pass the Le Grande Hill loop trail on the left. The route leaves the gravel road at the next left trail called the Hoeferlin Memorial Trail (yellow/red markers). There is a steep ascent to some nice view point here.After about one mile the trail meets with the Le Grande loop trail (red markers) and the Hoeferlin Memorial trail is straight. Older maps mark this trail as yellow markers however, the markers have been changed to red over blue. This next section can be a little difficult to follow. In less than a mile, the trail reaches a forest road. This is now the new trail. Older maps have the trail crossing the forest road only to meet up with it again after another mile. This forest road turns into the Cannonball Trail (red markers) following it straight with Ramapo Lake on the right.After a little more than a mile on the Cannonball trail, you reach the Castle Point trail (white markers). There is a steep ascent here which leads to a flat area and the stone ruins of the Van Slyke castle. Soon after that is a stone tower that housed a pump to move water over the mountain. The Castle Point trail ends after one mile o=back onto the Cannonball trail. Turn right and in a short distance you will be back at the white access trail. Turn left back to the parking area.