New Jersey State Parks: Top Five Wilderness Escapes

1. Ken Lockwood Gorge

This site comes first because it represents an easily accessible wilderness escape in the central
part of the state. Environmentalist Ken Lockwood spent countless hours away from his desk at
the Newark Evening News fly-fishing The Elbow, a trout hot spot just downstream from the
railroad bridge. You don’t have to be an angler to be inspired by Ken Lockwood Gorge though.
This is one of New Jersey’s most scenic wildlife management areas, where whitewater cuts
through cliffs more reminiscent of the Colorado River than the Raritan. Hiking up to the train
trestle puts you on the Columbia Trail, which stretches 7 miles from High Bridge to Valley Brook
Road on the border of Morris County. The Columbia Trail rises about 100 feet above the
riverbed, and provides the best view of the gorge. You can also hike along the dirt access road
paralleling the river. Drivers should beware though—the road has claimed a few muffler systems.
Follow Route 513 south from the Voorhees State Park office for 1.4 miles and turn left on
Cregar Road (the road is not marked at the turn). Follow Cregar Road, which turns into
Cokesbury Road, for 1 mile to the Raritan River. Cross over the river and turn left at the end of
the bridge onto Raritan River Road (the road is not marked at the turn). Drive north on Raritan
River Road for .1 mile to enter the wildlife management area. Proceed along the potholed access
road with care. Follow the river north for another 1.4 miles to the railroad bridge and a small
parking area.

2. Wharton State Forest

Wharton State Forest makes up the largest undeveloped tract of land in New Jersey, part of a
1.1 million acre expanse known alternately as the Pinelands National Reserve, the southern New
Jersey pinelands, and the Outer Coastal Plain. Locals know the region simply as the Pine
Barrens. It is an area defined by small towns and corner general stores, rivers stained brown like
sepia tea, and sand roads made of almost pure white quartz. The high acidity of Pine Barrens
soil supports few agricultural crops, a phenomenon that prompted early settlers to deem the area
barren. Yet the pinelands as a whole contains more unbroken forest than the remainder of New
Jersey, occupying almost 25 percent of the state’s total land area. It is the largest unbroken
forest on the Eastern Seaboard between Boston and the Chesapeake Bay, capable of holding the
combined acreage of the next five largest New Jersey state forests within its borders.
Travelers searching for a wilderness experience within New Jersey should end their search
here. Wharton State Forest contains nine campgrounds, 500 miles of remote fire roads, and
four rivers that create a canoeing paradise for anyone who has ever picked up a paddle and
pined for solitude. Some of the campgrounds are so remote that they can only be accessed by
canoe or by trail. Some of the rivers cut through the center of the Pine Barrens, with nothing
along the route but a wilderness campsite. Most of the roads do not appear on normal street
maps. Wharton maintains two park offices. The Atsion office is in Burlington County, 7.5 miles
north of Hammonton on the east side of Route 206. The Batsto office is 7.1 miles east of
Hammonton on the north side of Route 542. See New Jersey State Parks: Camping and
Recreation Guide for Wharton maps, canoe access points, campground directions, and more.

3. Tillman Ravine

The red shale of Tillman Ravine gives way to spring-fed Tillman Brook,
where meandering waterfalls spill down the rock in a series of cascades. At
certain points, small pools form against a backdrop of hemlock and white
pine. An area known as the Teacup is the most dramatic section, accessed by
a short but steep walk down to the water. On hot August days, Tillman
Brook acts as a natural refrigerator—the ravine stays about 10 degrees cooler
than the surrounding area. Several well-beaten paths are proof of Tillman’s
popularity, but oppressive crowds are rare, even during the peak of summer.
Two parking areas along Tillman Road give access to the ravine. Drive .3
mile north of the Stokes State Forest office on Route 206 and turn left on
Struble Road. Proceed 4.3 miles to the second Tillman Ravine parking area on
the left, where you will find a .1-mile trail leading to the Teacup. Tillman
visitors should consider a detour to Buttermilk Falls 2 miles to the south; see
below for details.

surprises first-time visitors with its size and beauty. Ribbon-like bands of white water drop
down a vertical rock face of red shale to form a pool below. A winding staircase leads to the
top, with a series of viewing platforms spaced out along the climb. The blue-blazed
Buttermilk Falls Trail leads into the forest along a source branch of the Flatbrook River and
climbs 1.9 miles to the Appalachian Trail. Follow the directions for Tillman Ravine and drive
west from the Teacup parking area for .5 mile to Mountain Road. Turn left on Mountain
Road (Walpack Cemetery marks the turn), and proceed 1.9 miles to the Buttermilk Falls
parking area on the right.

5. The Cohansey River Watershed

An interesting day trip includes a drive along the Cohansey River, taking in several relatively
unknown wildlife areas that support nesting ospreys, foraging bald eagles, and miles of salt
marsh along the Delaware Bay. The Cohansey River Watershed stretches through 5,000 acres
of tidal salt marsh and forested wetlands, encompassing Dix, New Sweden, and Mad Horse
Creek wildlife management areas. Head 3.3 miles south of Bridgeton on Route 609 and turn
right on Route 553 (Fairton Road). Drive .3 mile and turn right on Route 601 (Back Neck
Road). Back Neck Road parallels the Cohansey River to the north. This area can produce a
bald eagle sighting, since at least six pairs nests along the Cohansey River and many forage
throughout the watershed in winter. Great blue herons, northern harriers, snowy egrets, and
other birds of the tidal marshes can be seen along the drive.
Several parking areas line Back Neck Road before the road dead ends at the Cohansey
River. A PSE&G restoration site along the way offers a boat ramp, nature trails, and two
pairs of nesting osprey. Black cherry, eastern red cedar, sweet gum, and black gum border
the parking area. Take a detour south on Schoolhouse Road and you will arrive at the tiny
town of Sea Breeze near the mouth of the Delaware River. This is a quiet spot to watch
shorebirds and other wildlife. Gulls and terns are common along the coast, cattle egrets perch
in the trees along Schoolhouse Road, and sanderlings flock to the area by the hundreds during
the summer. The town of Sea Breeze, today comprised of a few seasonal houses, was once a
summer resort complete with hotels, bath houses, billiard rooms, and a steamboat landing that
attracted vacationers from Philadelphia.