New Jersey Trails: Top Five Destinations

This could be a long list to be sure, but below are a few suggestions in keeping with the top five
theme. All of the below destinations are accompanied by maps in the guidebook, which make the
directions much easier to follow. See New Jersey State Parks: Camping and Recreation Guide
for trail maps and more detailed directions. The guidebook also contains a list of the best
mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing trails,
as well as maps and descriptions of about 200 additional hiking trails throughout New Jersey.

1. Worthington State Forest

Almost any trail along the Kittatinny Ridge in northern New Jersey is deserving of at least an
afternoon. Worthington's trails are probably the most popular along the ridge, and for good
reason. Worthington’s 13 marked trails total 28.5 miles, ranging from quiet walks along river
valleys to mountain ascents that end at stunning overlooks of the Delaware Valley. Four trails
leave from the immensely popular Dunnfield Creek parking area on Interstate 80, including a
well-traveled section of the Appalachian Trail. At only 6.5 miles, this part of the Appalachian
Trail receives so many visitors during sunny weekends that the overflow parking area is often
full, and you will find cars parked on the grass along Old Mine Road. One reason for such
interest is easy access to one of the most beautiful and picturesque sections of the Kittatinny
Ridge within Worthington.
Two of the trails leaving from the Dunnfield Creek parking area are covered in the scenic
vistas section. The Appalachian Trail leaving from the same parking area is almost as popular, a
moderate 3.8-mile hike rising 800 feet to Sunfish Pond. About 2.4 miles beyond the southwest
corner of Sunfish Pond, the Appalachian Trail rises to Racoon Ridge and 1,500-foot lookouts to
the east and west. If you’re pining for solitude, try the Dunnfield Creek Trail, a serene hike along
a wild trout stream with options to climb up to the Appalachian Trail along the route. Bears
sometimes linger at spots along this trail, since hikers tend to avoid the valley.
Many of the remaining trails in Worthington climb the ridge to meet the Appalachian Trail,
and the shortest routes begin at the parking areas along Old Mine Road. Garvey Springs Trail
leaves from the Douglas parking area (1 mile north of the park office on Old Mine Road) and is
the most direct hike to Sunfish Pond, encompassing a steep climb from 400 feet to 1,200 feet in
its 1.1-mile course to the lake. Douglas Trail begins across Old Mine Road near the same parking
area, but weaves around a bit to join the Appalachian Trail a short distance from the pond.
Farview and Holly Springs trails combine to form a 1.7-mile hike to the ridge, beginning about
1.9 miles west of the park office at the Farview parking area on Old Mine Road. See the scenic
vistas section for directions to the Dunnfield Creek parking area.

5. Shawangunk Ridge Trail

This trail begins in New Jersey's High Point State Park, but the most
scenic sections are about 20 miles north of the border in New York
and well worth the drive. The trail weaves along the white cliffs and
waterfalls of the Shawangunk Mountains, with stunning views of the
Catskills in the distance. Eight state parks and preserves line the
36-mile trail, many of them inaccessible to cars. A scenic route to the
trail passes through the beautiful Bashakill Wildlife Management Area in
New York, and is outlined here.
Drive 4.7 miles north of the High Point office on Route 23 and
turn left on Route 6 West, following the sign for Port Jervis. Proceed
1.4 miles and turn right on Route 209 North. Follow Route 209 for
11.2 miles and turn right on Otisville Road (Route 61). Beware,
Otisville Road is difficult to see and is not marked at the turn. Drive .4
mile and turn left on South Road. (The next five miles takes you
through Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, with parking areas lining

2. Wawayanda State Park

Wawayanda’s 24 trails are open to a wide array of activities ranging
from snowmobiling to mountain biking. The trail network, one of the
park’s greatest assets, forms a matrix between remote river valleys,
high mountain ridges, and serene forest lakes. Many of the trails
follow dirt roads that remain from the logging era of the 1940s, when
the New Jersey Zinc Company harvested local timber to shore up their
mines. Most of the trails lie at an altitude above 1,000 feet on the
Wawayanda Plateau, but elevations reach extremes of 1,400 feet near
Bearfort Mountain and 600 feet on the Appalachian Trail. Some trails
encompass strenuous climbs along steep rock cliffs. A few run
through an Atlantic white cedar swamp, crossing log bridges and
fallen trees along the way.
Several of the more scenic trails are also the most difficult, rising
and falling up to 400 feet in the Bearfort Mountain Natural Area. The
blue-blazed Terrace Pond North Trail is the quickest route to
gratification, a 1.4-mile hike offering a spectacular overlook of the

3. Allamuchy Mountain State Park

At least 15 miles of marked and unmarked trails crisscross the Allamuchy Natural Area between
Interstate 80 and the Musconetcong River. The trails in this area are in the process of being
charted, blazed, and mapped by park personnel, so look for added routes in the coming years.
Six blazed trails total 11.1 miles through an area of hardwood forest and marshland that ranges
in altitude from 600 to 1,100 feet. The best place to begin is at the parking area on Deer Park
Road, about 2 miles north of the Stephens State Park office. The white-blazed Deer Path Trail
begins north of the parking area and forms a 6.6-mile loop around the outer rim of the natural
area. You can access any of the five shorter trails along the route.
At least 25 miles of marked and unmarked trails weave through the section of Allamuchy
State Park north of Interstate 80. Here you can hike or mountain bike all day and you may never
see another human being. One of the easiest places to start is on the well-beaten Sussex Branch
Trail, which begins at the Waterloo Road parking area by Jefferson Lake. Using the Sussex
Branch Trail as a reference point, you can explore the many side trails that branch off to the
east and west. Eight marked trails total 24.7 miles through an area of lakes, mountain overlooks,
and hardwood forest. The white-blazed Waterloo Trail begins just north of the Sussex Branch
Trail parking area, extends 5.3 miles past 1,222-foot Allamuchy Mountain, and ends at a parking
area on Route 517. The other seven marked trails north of I-80 range from 1.3 to 3.4 miles, all
of them open to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and
snowshoeing.

4. Batona Trail

This flat, 50-mile trail stretches through southern New Jersey's Pinelands National Reserve, a
1.1 million acre area that supports more than 850 species of plants, and 350 species of birds,
mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Batona marks its southern end at the corner of Stage Road
and Coal Road, about 1.1 miles west of the Bass River State Forest office. From there, the trail
heads west along Stage Road, then north into Bass River’s interior before bending westward
toward Wharton State Forest. About 25 of Batona's 50 miles crosses through Wharton before it
continues on to Brendan T. Byrne State Forest to the north. Within Wharton State Forest,
Batona’s pink blazes begin near Harrisville Lake on the eastern edge of the park, stretch 9.9
miles west to Batsto, then turn north and extend 12.9 miles past Lower Forge Campground, the
Carranza Memorial, and Batona Campground. A popular 4.1-mile section runs from the
Carranza Memorial to Apple Pie Hill, a scenic overlook of the pinelands. You can park at the
Carranza Memorial and walk north through the Batona Campground to Apple Pie Hill, producing
an 8.2-mile round trip. Batona was named by a local hiking club using an acronym for “back to
nature,” and allows hiking only.