This loop originates at the Shepherd Lake Recreation Area. You begin with a short ride along the 10-mile-long Ringwood-Ramapo Trail that dissects the state park. Most rides in this area will incorporate some stretch of the trail, and on occasion, some riders will make their way as far as Sterling Forest.

According to Wikipedia, the historic Shepherd Lake that serves as the trailhead "...also operated as a ski area during the 1960s and included a rope tow and double chairlift. Hiking to the top of the hill will reveal the top station and bullwheel of the chairlift."

What makes this network particularly popular is the diversity of terrain that can be found. You will find everything from old doubletrack to double black diamonds. Ringwood showcases the best of New Jersey's wild, rock-strewn terrain. Punchy climbs are paired with flow and chunder, and ridgeline traverses often give way to partial views towards Manhattan.

As a disclaimer, the extensive trail network can make it difficult to navigate at times. Should you need it, a detailed map of the park can be found here:

https://www.nynjtc.org/sites/default/files/NYNJTCRingwood2015-WebsiteMap.pdf

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RingwoodStatePark https://www.nynjtc.org/sites/default/files/NYNJTCRingwood2015-WebsiteMap.pdf