New Jersey State Parks: Top Five Vistas

1. Mount Tammany

Mount Tammany lies on the border of Worthington State Forest in the northern part of the state,
and offers sweeping views of the Delaware River bending around the Kittatinny Ridge to the east.
Four trails leave from the popular Dunnfield Creek parking area on Interstate 80. The quickest
route to gratification is to take either the Tammany Trail or the Blue-blazed Trail, both difficult
climbs leading to the top of 1,527-foot Mount Tammany. If you're wondering where the cover
photograph for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area brochure came from, this is it.
The Appalachian and Dunnfield Creek trails leaving from the same parking area are almost as
popular, but they do not lead to the Mount Tammany vista. Take I-80 West and drive 3.6 miles
west of exit 4 to the Dunnfield Creek parking area exit on the right. Proceed to the second
parking area (0.1 mile past the first) on the right.

2. Catfish Fire Tower

This is one of the most private vistas in New Jersey, since you will rarely see any other visitors
along the hike. Surprising, since the reward lies a mere mile from the trailhead along moderate
to easy terrain. Catfish Fire Tower lies near the northwest corner of the state, where the
Appalachian Trail climbs to 1,565 feet and a panoramic overlook of the Delaware Valley to the
north and west, and the Kittatinny foothills to the south and east. From the corner of Old Mine
Road and Route 602 in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, drive 1.1 miles east
on Route 602 to the trailhead parking area on the right. Follow the white-blazed Appalachian
Trail one mile south to the fire tower.

3. Terrace Pond

Rugged terrain, extensive trails, and an
average altitude of 1,040 feet define
Wawayanda State Park on New
Jersey's northern border. Here you will
find the Terrace Pond North Trail, a
beautiful hike encompassing steep
climbs, private views, and a tiny glacial
lake known as Terrace Pond. From the
corner of Warwick Turnpike and
Clinton Road in Wawayanda State Park,
drive 1.7 miles south on Clinton Road
to the parking area on the right. The
blue-blazed Terrace Pond North Trail
begins across the road from the parking
area.

4. Apple Pie Hill

Perhaps the most unusual overlook in New Jersey, Applie Pie Hill is like a ships mast in a serene
and waveless ocean. At 205 feet, it may be small, but you can see the curvature of the earth
from the top. Only in New Jersey's pancake-flat southern Pine Barrens can such a small hill
produce such a huge vista. A fire tower atop Apple Pie Hill allows you to look out over the
canopy of the 1.1 million acre Pinelands National Reserve stretching to the horizon. From Main
Street in Chatsworth on the northern border of Wharton State Forest, drive west on Route 532
for about 1.5 miles to Ringler Avenue, a small paved road on the left marked by two
broken-down brick pillars. Turn left on Ringler Avenue, drive .3 mile, and continue straight
ahead where the road turns into dirt (do not follow the paved road, which veers left). The dirt
road bends around for 1.7 miles to a parking area next to the Apple Pie Hill fire tower.

5. High Point State Park

Of course, you would expect the highest point in New Jersey to offer a number of great views,
and most of them are visible from your car window. Climb the 292 steps to the top of High
Point Monument for a scene of the Shawangunk Mountains to the north, Pocono Plateau to the
west, and Wallkill River Valley to the east. Two parking areas service the monument, where you
will find restrooms, a scenic overlook of Pochuck Mountain to the east, and access to the
Monument Trail. Scenic Drive, a picturesque route to the monument, offers a 1-mile tour that
passes several isolated and solitary picnic tables as it heads toward Lake Marcia. You will pass
five small dirt parking areas along the way, all giving access to the Appalachian Trail. A scenic
overlook lies at .8 mile, where you will find an observation platform facing views of
Wawayanda Mountain and the Wallkill River Valley to the east. Scenic Drive is the first right
turn beyond the High Point State Park recreation area entrance. Drive 1 mile north along Scenic
Drive, then turn right on Monument Drive to arrive at the monument.