High Point NJ Trails?

I'm looking at possibly visiting High Point State Park in New Jersey this November and I'm having difficulty finding information on trails there. I know you can drive up to the monument and all, but I'm a hiker!

Are there any trails that go to the high point? Where can I find information on them and possibly a trail map?

The NJ State Dept of Resources site is no help at all!

Double Bow said:

I'm looking at possibly visiting High Point State Park in New Jersey this November and I'm having difficulty finding information on trails there. I know you can drive up to the monument and all, but I'm a hiker!

Are there any trails that go to the high point? Where can I find information on them and possibly a trail map?

The NJ State Dept of Resources site is no help at all!

Click to expand...

The AT goes close and there is a spur trail from it to the monument. There are plenty of nice hikes along the Kittitanny Ridge that lead there - basically pick the length you are interested in and pick one of the access points. I'm not sure where you would find that, but I know the AT guides have it all, and probably the NYNJTC has maps of the area.

Here's the link for the Trail Conference maps:

http://www.nynjtc.org/store/nonmember/itm00013.htm

It doesn't specifically mention High Point, so I'm not positive they cover that area. Maybe Jay H would know. I have to get down there one of these days myself.

Matt

Yes, there are a bunch of trails that can lead you to the monument itself.

One such bunch of maps you can look for is the Kittatinnies:

http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/locators/kitloc.gif

That is published by the NYNJTC and available at their office iin Mahwah as well as Campmor (local) and also probably a few other places closer to High Point State Park... Also available online via their website...

There are a lot of local trails you can dayhike or you can backpack on the AT and stop off at the high point monument.

Lake Rutherford is not far away on the other side of Rt 23, so if you want to camp there and then daytrip to the monument, wander around on the trails, do loops and stuff, you can.

Good info on the AT section of the AT:

http://members.aol.com/visitnj/visitnjdistance.html

Road directions and stuff on High Point State Park:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/highpoint.html

If you want more info than you can digest, contact "Snowshoe" who lives near there, he's a NJ ranger and also a friend of mine and also a VfTT here...

Jay

Just now I'm looking at my AT trail guide for NY-NJ (a book).

The nearest road crossing on the AT north of High Point is County Road 519 which is 1.8 trail miles to the High Point spur.

The nearest road crossing to the south is NJ 23 which is 1.2 miles to the spur trail.

You can find these on on-line road maps of the area.

mcorsar said:

Here's the link for the Trail Conference maps:

http://www.nynjtc.org/store/nonmember/itm00013.htm

It doesn't specifically mention High Point, so I'm not positive they cover that area. Maybe Jay H would know. I have to get down there one of these days myself.

Matt

Click to expand...

Matt, that is the North Jersey map, which doesn't include anything west of Wawayanda (such as high point). The AT goes through Wawaywanda which is why they mention the AT in the map but the set that DB wants is the 'Kittatinies' and not "north Jersey" cause the Kittatinny mapset includes High Point as well as Worthington and the rest of the Delaware Water gap, all the way down to Rt 80 and a little bit of the PA AT

Jay

Papa Bear said:

Just now I'm looking at my AT trail guide for NY-NJ (a book).

The nearest road crossing on the AT north of High Point is County Road 519 which is 1.8 trail miles to the High Point spur.

The nearest road crossing to the south is NJ 23 which is 1.2 miles to the spur trail.

You can find these on on-line road maps of the area.

Click to expand...

CR519 does cross Rt 23, I THINK that might be Libertyville Rd... as the County Roads also have names as well. Snowshoe would know that or perhaps a mapquest can help you there....

Where the AT crosses Rt 23 is a large parking lot and a ranger station there. Lake Rutherford would be a few miles south of that road junction and then a steep spur trail to go down to the leanto and lake Rutherford.

Jay

Jay H said:

CR519 does cross Rt 23, I THINK that might be Libertyville Rd... as the County Roads also have names as well. Snowshoe would know that or perhaps a mapquest can help you there....

Click to expand...

Sounds like you've got a loop, although there may be much nicer hikes in the area than tramping along this county road. Nice farming area in that valley. The trail goes over styles (little steps that get you over livestock fences) and through various farm fields when it crosses that valley, which is pretty cool.

Here are my pictures from my trip to High Point NJ:

http://www.percious.com/hiking/HP/HP - NJ - WV - July 2005/index.html

The stone leanto is pretty neat. I believe I started at the bottom of the Kittatinny ridge on Rt. 206 and did an out-and-back. Sorry no TR, it took me a little more than 2 hours.

please excuse my site's broken links, it is under construction while I switch to a new ISP.



-percious

percious said:

....The stone leanto is pretty neat. I believe I started at the bottom of the Kittatinny ridge on Rt. 206 and did an out-and-back. Sorry no TR, it took me a little more than 2 hours....

-percious

Click to expand...

Ouch... That's over 50 miles out and back - I think you meant Rte 23 - that is more like 4-5 miles.

Send a PM to Snowshoe - He is a Park Rangr there and can also provide some info.
Rick

Try this site... http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/? as they will have much more recent n specific information of the area you are interested in because the AT through hikers are constantly reporting to this site.

There is a lot more than the AT at High Point. The Monument trail does a nice ridgetop loop from the Monument Parking lot, but it is less than three miles. There is also a parking lot just south of the Park Office on Rt 23. A loop from here around the monument would be more like six miles. You can also head southbound on the AT, using the AT and the Iris Trail, you could make a loop of either five miles or seven miles. If you have TOPO! or Maptech mapping programs, I could e-mail you the files with these trails on either of these formats if you don't want to buy the maps.

Double Bow said:

I'm looking at possibly visiting High Point State Park in New Jersey this November and I'm having difficulty finding information on trails there. I know you can drive up to the monument and all, but I'm a hiker!

Are there any trails that go to the high point? Where can I find information on them and possibly a trail map?

The NJ State Dept of Resources site is no help at all!

Click to expand...

Ok try this link.

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/152438/high-point-new-jersey.html

Also, here is a route page (from Mountain Road) on the page that Antler Peak just linked:

http://www.summitpost.org/route/168240/appalachian-trail-from-mountain-road.html

A realy nice loop hike is to start on rt 519 and hike the AT South to the intersection of the monument trail. Then Take the 3.5 mile monument trail to the summit of High Point. Then the monument trail follows the ridge line, giving excellent views through the entire section. Eventully the trail will decend. I like to take a detour and do the 1 mile loop around the Cedar Swamp. A rare inland white atlantic Cedar Swamp. Here you will get a feel of the north woods with Spruce and birches. Then the Monument climbs back to a lower ridge line with more great views. Eventually you intersect with the AT. Follow the AT back to 519. It is a good 8 miles.

If you go in Nov the Sawmill campsites will be closed. You can stay at the High Point shelter since you will pass the side trail to it between rt 519 and the monument. Very nice stone shelter with a great creek running along side. One of the nicest settings.

You can also park at the park office on rt 23 and take the AT north to the monument trail intersection and do the above. Same miles, the biggest difference is you get more of a climb by starting at 519. If you want to get more solitude you can hike the AT and Iris Trail loop. 9+ miles. Here you will get great views and pass along Lake rutherford. This is another option for camping since you will be by 2 shelters. The Mashipacong off of rt 650 (Deckertown) or the Rutherford shelter. You can also do this same loop by starting on rt 650 (Deckertown) but taking it to the monument from here will be a good 12+ mile hike. You have a lot of options. The park office usually has the Kittatinny trail maps but to play it safe order it from the NY NJ trail conf site. www.nynjtc.org.

If you have time hit Stokes State Forest. It borders High Point State Park giving you over 30,000 acres to explore. If you add the Delaware Water Gap National rec area which borders Stokes, gives you over 100,000 acres to explore. Stokes also offers winter camping at the campsites. They have fully enclosed shelters with wood stove and bunks for rent. If I remember it is 30 dollars a night. ALso try this site. I listed a ton of hikes for the Kittatinny's www.localhikes.com Hope this helps some. If you are going during the week in nov be sure to call the park. They usually have a special two week deer hunt in Nov and they close the park to all users except hunters. I forget what the dates are. Call the office 973-875-4800 If you go on the weekend then you are fine.
If you need to spot a car let me know. I only live about a mile from the AT crossing on rt 650 (Deckertown)

We drove into the park and found a parking place within sight of the tower, but not too close. There was a trail somewhere along there, but darned if I can remember now exactly where it was. Somewhere to the south is all I can say. We parked near a pond, I think, too.

You can probably just make up a hike when you get there.

Could it have been Steeny Kill Lake. It's a lake right on Rt 23, you can see the tower from there, you can see the campsite with the 2 reservable cabins on it and there is a trail that goes around the lake and then up the side of the hill to hit the Monument trail. From there you can go around on the ridge til you get to the tower itself... The lake has a bunch of old trees sticking up by Rt 23 itself... and is a small lake. I guess about 1.5 to 2 mile circumference. You can canoe/kayak the lake cause the trailhead is also a boat launch.

Jay

Hey Shawn, We were in high Point on Sunday with the little one and then headed over to Buttermilk Falls on the dirt road (Mountain road?) over near Wallpack Center/Peters Valley. That area of NJ is, IMMHO, the most beautiful (and Isolated) section. Even better than PIne Barrens!!!!
We beeped when we went by your place, but I didn't see anyone out
Rick

Rick, you should have stopped by. You are always welcome over. You are right about the Walpack area. That is my faverite area in NJ. It has always reminded me of Vermont. I work at Swartswood which is on the other side of the ridge from Walpack. Next time you are in the area let me know.

Raymons, sounds like you parked at lake Marcia and took the monument trail up. That is south of the monument.