Navigating the New Jersey Section
of the Appalachian Trail

Guide to the New Jersey Section of the Appalachian Trail

A guide to the New Jersey Appalachian Trail section featuring popular trail hikes with trail access points

The Appalachian Trail is a non-governmental, independently managed recreation facility of the national park system and is the nation's longest marked hiking trail at 2,180 miles.

It traverses 14 states from Maine's Mount Katahdin to Georgia's Springer Mountain over scenic, wooded, pastoral and rugged terrain.

The "AT" as it's called by hikers, is maintained by 30 trail clubs and multiple partnerships

The New Jersey stretch of the Appalachian Trail is 74 miles long and begins at Abram S. Hewitt State Forest in the northern most point and runs west and south through Wawayanda State Park, High Point State Park, Stokes State Forest, ending at Worthington State Forest.

The NJ stretch of the Appalachian Trail can range from very flat and easy to very rugged, rocky trails ascending to elevations from 350 to 1,803 feet. In addition to heavily wooded and rocky surfaces, the terrain also includes bogs and wetlands with plenty of wildlife, including an active bear population, deer herds, and many species of birds.

The Best Time of the Year to Hike The Appalachian Trail

The entire stretch in New Jersey Appalachian Trail is intersected by highways, country lanes, or Park roads. It takes three to four days to thru-hike and camp out on New Jersey's section of the AT, but it can also be taken one day at a time in under ten modest day-hikes.

The best time to hike the New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail is from late April through early June, and during September and October.

How and Where Do You Access The New Jersey Appalachian Trail?

There are many detailed road maps of New Jersey that will show a dotted line marking of the trail. Forest ranger offices at the state parks along the trail will have maps showing their sections of the trail.

The Trail itself is marked with 2 by 6 inch white painted patches on trees and rocks along the way. Two patches, one above the other defines a change in direction of the trail.

Popular Day Hikes Along the New Jersey Appalachian Trail

Wawayanda State Park
The main entrance to Wawayanda State Park is off Warwick Turnpike, about two miles north of Upper Greenwood Lake. The Appalachian Trail can be accessed from a parking area off the Warwick Turnpike less than a half-mile north of the Park entrance, or [at its Western end] where NJ Route 94 and Prices Switch Road [County 515] meet.

Wawayanda State Park - Pinwheel's Vista Hike (One of the best View points in NJ)
 This 9 mile (R/T) hike is Moderate to Strenuous. There is a few steep ascents and descents, but it's mostly on level ground.
From the Wawayanda Park headquarters, take the .3 mile bllue-blazed trail, which leads to the AT. Go left and follow the white-blazed AT, south to the Wawayanda Shelter and continue hiking along the AT. The steel bridge over a stream is 1.1 miles from the shelter side trail. Continue two miles after the bridge, hiking alongside the stream, crossing over another stream near a waterfall. Continue .5 mile crossing a stone wall and onto the junction with the blue-blazed Wawayanda Ridge Trail at mile 4.3. Continue on the AT approx .1 mile to a second blue-blazed trail that takes you to the right for 0.1 mile to Pinwheel's Vista. To return, hike back on the A.T. and pick up the blue-blazed trail to the Wawayanda State Park headquarters
Parking/Trail head: The entrance to Wawayanda State Park from Warwick Turnpike, approximately two miles north of Upper Greenwood Lake. The Appalachian Trail [white] can be accessed from a parking area off the Warwick Turnpike less than a half-mile north of the Park entrance, or where NJ Route 94 and Prices Switch Road (County 515)) intersect.

Wawayanda State Park - Wawayanda Mountain Hikel
This 6-mile hike through Wawayanda State Park takes the hiker through 13,000 acres of remote trails, cliffs, plateaus, bogs, ravines,streams, and beautiful vistas. The mountain contains some of oldest bedrock along the entire Appalachian Trail dating back over 12,000 years.
Parking/Trail head: From Route 23, take Route 94 North for about 1 mile into New York and turn right on Moe Road. This road becomes Warwick Turnpike in New Jersey; the park entrance will be to your right, well marked. Start at one of the two access points on the Warwick Turnpike.

Stairway to Heaven: Pochuck Valley to Pinwheel Vista (One of the best View points in NJ)
Vernon, NJ
7.3 total, round trip. Trail surface ranges from boardwalks to flat, hard packed to dirt to serious rocky sections.
The "Stairway to Heaven" is a series of rock slab steps steeply switch-backing up Wawayanda Mountain.
Follow the White blazes of the Appalachian trail for the entire route, except for the Blue side trail to the vista.
Parking/Trail head: 41.234733, -74.480867 [Rt 517 Parking
893 County Rd 517, Vernon, NJ 07418. Rt 287 to Rt. 23. Follow 23 to the exit for 515N. Left onto 644 (Vernon Crossing). Right on 517.

Wallkill Valley - The 2.75 mile Liberty Loop Trail
The trail co-exists with the Appalachian Trail for one mile. The trail loops around several managed wetland units, providing an excellent opportunity to observe a wide variety of bird life. This is an easy, level hike with a great view of 1,184-foot Pochuck Mountain along the refuge's eastern edge. From the parking area, take the Liberty Loop Trail east for approx .2 miles, then proceed right along the east side of the marsh. This is the right-of-way of an old railroad. Continue another .4 miles to reach the Appalachian Trail, continue southbound as it circles around the marsh, reaching Oil City Road at the northwest corner of the marsh. Dogs are allowed only on the AT portion of the Trail.
Parking: 300 feet north of the New Jersey/New York border on the south side of Oil City Road in Pine Island, Warwick, New York. There is a bird observation platform near the parking lot.

Sunrise Mountain, High Point Monument, and the Culver Fire Tower
Sunrise Mountain has the second highest peak along the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey. At more than 1,600 feet, is one of the most frequently visited sites in the 16,000-acre Stokes State Forest.
Park at Sunrise Mountain Road and hike northbound for 4.9 miles up the mountain (+4.9 miles back down). This hike not only allows you to see the summit at Sunrise Mountain, but also see views from the Culver Fire Tower.
Parking/Trail head: GPS 41.19999672889334, -74.75429497487876 Sunrise Mountan Road, Frankford, NJ

Bird, Blue and Rattlesnake Mountains
Branchville, NJ
This 11 mile hike is one of the most difficult hikes along the New Jersey Appalachian Trail. Though it is mostly a ridge walk with few climbs, the trail traverses very rocky, jagged terrain. This is an area with plenty of wildlife. Take time to stop and enjoy the wildlife scenic vistas. The three mountains demonstrate that wild escapes exist in diverse New Jersey.
From the Parking lot, hike over to the wide jeep road and for approximately 1/4 mile to the AT. Bear right for Bird and Rattlesnake Mountains (2 miles each way). Continue as you near hump of Blue Mountain. You soon break into open territory with good views. Nearing the summit of Bird Mountain, the AT makes a sharp left into a wooded dell while a jeep road continues straight and descends steadily to the west. Be careful not to get side tracked and end up near a swamp below the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain.
Parking/Trail head: From the village of Walpack Center, NJ on County 615, turn east onto Brink Road and continue approximately 3/4 mile to a 4-way intersection near the cemetery. Continue ahead approximately one mile on a dirt road past the parking area for Tillman Ravine. Stay right at the intersection with Dimon Road and continue another mile to the parking lot at the intersection with Woods Road.

Sunfish Pond & Mount Mohican
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Worthington State Forest
Blairstown, NJ
This is one of the most popular hiking destinations in New Jersey and can get crowded with many hikers during the warmer months and on weekends.
Begin your hike with a stop at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Information Center at Kittatinny Point. They have forest rangers that can give you trail maps and information on the geology, wildlife, and fauna of the area. Behind the visitor center is an awesome, scenic view of the Water Gap. Sunfish Pond is a blue lake formed from a gouge in the Wisconsin Glacier that later filled with water. Mt. Mohican is located between Mt. Tammany and Catfish Mountain, and is the highest point in Warren County. The Appalachian Trail travels over the summit. On the return hike down from the pond, take the Green trail along Dunnfield Creek to the Blue trail back to AT to the parking lot.
Parking/Trail head: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Information Center at Kittatinny Point. From westbound on I-80 in New Jersey, take Exit 1 Millbrook/Flatbrookville, which is the last exit in New Jersey. Turn Left at stop sign, bearing to the Right for 0.6 miles. Turn Right into visitor center parking lot.