New Jersey’s hiking terrain is more varied than most visitors expect. The Kittatinny Mountains in the northwest carry the Appalachian Trail across ridges with views into Pennsylvania and New York. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area — located in the state’s northwest corner where the Delaware River cuts through the Kittatinny Ridge — holds dozens of trails, including access to New Jersey’s tallest waterfall. The Pine Barrens in the south preserve a vast lowland forest unlike anything else on the Atlantic coast. In between are river gorges, reservoir ridgelines, glacial ponds, and historic encampment grounds. The following trails represent the full range of what the state has to offer.
1. Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park in Morris County holds one of the most dramatic hiking landscapes in northern New Jersey. The park sits in a gorge carved by the Black River, Rinehart Brook, and Trout Brook, producing a terrain of rocky ravines with cascades audible throughout. The park was previously the site of 19th-century iron ore mining. The red trail covers approximately 3.7 miles and provides the most complete tour of the gorge. October visits take advantage of excellent fall color in the dense mixed forest. The terrain is rocky and uneven throughout.
2. Stony Lake Loop
The Stony Lake Loop in Stokes State Forest is a short, easy circuit of about 1.1 miles around the lake. Hikers looking for a longer outing often extend the route using the Stony Brook Trail (blazed BROWN), which follows Stony Brook downstream to two waterfalls: Stepping Stone Falls (also called Stony Brook Falls), a stepped cascade across rock bedrock, and a second sloped fall further down. The combined lake-and-falls route runs roughly 2 miles. Trail markers on the Stony Lake segment are BLUE-BROWN; the Stony Brook Trail follows brown blazes.
3. Pochuck Boardwalk
The Pochuck Boardwalk in Vernon Township is a two-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that crosses the Pochuck Valley wetlands on an elevated wooden boardwalk. The boardwalk spans open marshland and high grass, crossing a suspension bridge over Pochuck Creek. Turtles, herons, and other wetland wildlife are commonly spotted from the boardwalk. This is one of the few sections of the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey that is accessible to most fitness levels, with minimal elevation change throughout.
4. Waterfront Park, Atlantic City
For visitors already in Atlantic City, Gardner’s Basin and the Waterfront Park along the bay offer a roughly two-mile flat walk along the waterfront. Sculptures by regional artists are placed along the path, and the sound of the water provides a break from the casino atmosphere. This is not technical terrain — it is a paved shoreline path suitable for all abilities — but it offers one of the only outdoor walking experiences in the city with a genuine waterfront setting.
5. Barnegat Branch Trail
The Barnegat Branch Trail is a rail trail in Ocean County that follows the former roadbed of the Central Railroad of New Jersey’s Barnegat Branch Line. The railroad first reached this area in the early 1870s when the Toms River Railroad extended service to Waretown; the line reached Barnegat by 1879, and the Central Railroad of New Jersey absorbed the line in 1893. Freight service ended in 1977. The trail now runs approximately 15.6 miles from Barnegat Township to Toms River through the sandy, pine-canopied terrain of the Pine Barrens region, passing through Barnegat, Waretown, and Forked River. The surface is mostly packed gravel. The converted trestle bridge over Cedar Creek is a highlight of the northern sections.
6. Atkins Glen, Park Ridge
Atkins Glen is a 1.6-mile wooded loop in Park Ridge, Bergen County. The trail passes through a mature mixed-hardwood forest cut by small streams. It is a quiet local trail that remains largely uncrowded and provides a accessible nature walk close to the densely suburban northern part of the state.
7. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Morris County preserves one of the last significant natural wetland habitats in the densely developed northeastern New Jersey corridor. The refuge boardwalk trail is flat, easy, and roughly two miles. The refuge supports 244 documented bird species, making it a reliable birdwatching destination year-round. The boardwalk provides elevated views over the swamp habitat, with ponds, the Passaic River, and open marsh visible along the route. Binoculars are recommended.
8. Stairway to Heaven
The Stairway to Heaven hike follows the Appalachian Trail from the Pochuck Valley to the Pinwheel Vista on Wawayanda Mountain, covering roughly 9.9 miles round-trip (shorter out-and-back versions are popular). The route includes the Pochuck Boardwalk and suspension bridge, farmland, deep forest, wildflower meadows, and the final rocky ascent to the Pinwheel Vista, which offers panoramic views of the Kittatinny Range, farms, and High Point on a clear day. The rocky section leading to the Pinwheel Vista requires solid footwear and careful footing; the trail earns its name in the final climb.
9. Mount Tammany, Worthington State Forest
The Mount Tammany hike in Worthington State Forest offers the best views of the Delaware Water Gap accessible from the New Jersey side. The standard loop is approximately 3.6 miles and follows two blazed routes: the red trail climbs steeply to the summit at 1,527 feet, with views down to the river and across to Pennsylvania’s Mount Minsi; the blue trail descends more gradually and is the recommended return route. The gap visible from the summit is where the Delaware River has cut through the Kittatinny Ridge over millions of years.
10. Sourland Mountain Preserve
Sourland Mountain Preserve in Somerset and Mercer counties protects the largest contiguous forest in central New Jersey. The 5.7-mile trail crosses boardwalks and passes through Devil’s Half Acre and Roaring Rocks, two areas of dramatic diabase boulder fields left by the erosion of a Jurassic-era igneous intrusion. The boulder fields are the geological centerpiece of the hike; the terrain is rough and becomes significantly more difficult after rain. The Roaring Rocks formation is named for the sound wind makes moving through the boulders.
11. Chikahoki Falls, Norvin Green State Forest
Norvin Green State Forest in Passaic County contains one of the more rewarding trail networks in the Highlands region. The 7.7-mile route to Chikahoki Falls is challenging but well-marked. The falls drop through a narrow rocky channel in the forest, and the trail continues to a summit with 360-degree views that include the New York City skyline on clear days. The forest trail network is extensive enough to shorten or extend the hike considerably; the distance to Chikahoki Falls alone is approximately 2.2 miles from the main trailhead.
12. Baldplate Mountain, Mercer County
Baldplate Mountain in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, preserves the largest contiguous forest in central New Jersey’s Delaware Valley corridor. The 6.7-mile trail circuit is mostly level and heavily wooded, making it one of the more pleasant lowland hikes in the state. The trail network is closed to hiking during December deer hunting season; check current NJDEP closure notices before visiting in late fall or early winter.
13. Apple Pie Hill, Wharton State Forest
Apple Pie Hill in Wharton State Forest sits at 205 feet — the highest point in the Pine Barrens — and is reached via an 8.4-mile route through the characteristic sandy, pine-and-oak terrain of the Pinelands. The Pine Barrens is the largest remaining tract of the Atlantic coastal plain ecosystem in the eastern United States and a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Most of the route is level, but the sandy soil requires extra effort underfoot. A historic fire tower at the summit offers panoramic views of the pine canopy extending in all directions.
14. Higbee Beach, Cape May
Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area in Cape May is a 2.9-mile trail that passes through forested dune habitat and onto the sand dunes of Delaware Bay Beach. The area is one of the most significant migratory bird concentration points on the Atlantic flyway — particularly in September and October, when southbound songbirds funnel through Cape May in large numbers. The dune terrain provides a genuine physical challenge. Spring visits are recommended before temperatures rise and vegetation fills in.
15. Buttermilk Falls, Delaware Water Gap
Buttermilk Falls in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is generally recognized as New Jersey’s tallest waterfall, with a height estimated at 80 to 130 feet depending on the measurement method. The falls are accessible directly from a parking area on Mountain Road near Walpack Center; no hiking is required to see them. A wooden staircase alongside the falls leads to upper viewing platforms. The full 6.8-mile loop continues steeply past the top of the falls to the Appalachian Trail, then to Crater Lake (a glacial lake) and Hemlock Pond before returning to the trailhead. The round trip involves approximately 1,400 feet of elevation gain and is rated difficult. The falls can slow to a trickle in dry summer conditions; flow is best in spring or after heavy rain.
16. Bearfort Mountain, Hewitt
Bearfort Mountain in Passaic County offers a 7.3-mile hike on the exposed quartzite ridgeline of the Bearfort Ridge. The trail climbs steeply at the outset on terrain with protruding roots and sharp stones before leveling along the ridge. The summit area provides views of Surprise Lake and Greenwood Lake. Bearfort Mountain is part of the Sterling Forest landscape and represents one of the more rugged day hikes in the Highlands region.
17. Sunfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap
Sunfish Pond is a glacial lake on the Kittatinny Ridge in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, sitting at approximately 1,382 feet elevation. The 4-mile route from the Dunnfield Creek trailhead is all uphill for the first 1.3 miles before the trail levels and circles the pond. Sunfish Pond was the focus of an early environmental preservation campaign in the 1960s that successfully blocked a proposed pumped-storage reservoir project; it was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1970. The pond’s rocky shoreline and clear water are the rewards for the climb.
18. Batona Trail, Pine Barrens
The Batona Trail — the name is an abbreviation of “Back to Nature” — is a 53-mile, multi-day route that traverses Wharton State Forest, Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly Lebanon State Forest), and Bass River State Forest. It is the longest marked trail entirely within New Jersey and one of the few routes in the state that accommodates backpack camping at designated primitive sites. The terrain is mostly level on the characteristic sandy soil of the Pinelands, with occasional boardwalks over wet sections. Day hikers typically access sections from trailheads at Batsto Village, Ong’s Hat, or Bass River.
19. Giant Stairs, Hudson Palisades
The Giant Stairs hike in Palisades Interstate Park follows the Shore Trail along the base of the Hudson Palisades cliffs for approximately 4 miles round-trip. The “Giant Stairs” are a natural formation of massive fallen cliff blocks that create an uneven scramble along the river’s edge. The route descends from the cliff top to the river level via the Long Path and returns along the talus. The views of the Hudson River and the New York State Palisades across the water are among the best available to hikers anywhere in New Jersey.
20. Wanaque Reservoir, Ramapo Mountains
The Ramapo Mountains near Ringwood offer a 10.6-mile hike with significant elevation changes to the summit of Harrison Mountain in Ringwood State Park. The route involves several steep ascents and descents typical of the Highlands terrain. At the high points, views extend over the Wanaque Reservoir and north into New York State. The area is part of the larger Ramapo Mountain State Forest and connects with an extensive trail network that can extend or shorten the route considerably.
21. Grand Loop Trail, Jockey Hollow
The Grand Loop Trail at Jockey Hollow in Morristown National Historical Park is a 6.5-mile white-blazed loop through mixed hardwood forest with interpretive signage at historically significant sites. Jockey Hollow was where the Continental Army’s troops were billeted during the brutal winter of 1779-1780 — considered one of the harshest winters of the 18th century — with General Washington’s own headquarters located at the Ford Mansion in Morristown, approximately 1.5 miles away. The park contains four replica soldier’s huts on Sugar Loaf Hill that are open for visitors to enter, giving a sense of the cramped conditions endured by the roughly 10,000 soldiers who wintered here. The Grand Loop itself passes primarily through forest and does not run directly through the hut area; hikers interested in the historical sites should combine it with the shorter Yellow Trail or a stop at the Visitor Center.
Before You Go
New Jersey’s trail networks vary widely in marking consistency and maintained infrastructure. NJ State Parks charge a parking fee from Memorial Day through Labor Day, covered by the annual NJ State Park Pass. Many trails in the Delaware Water Gap NRA are managed by the National Park Service, with free access but limited facilities at trailheads. The Kittatinny Trails map set published by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is the most reliable resource for northern NJ hiking and covers most trails from Stokes State Forest through the Delaware Water Gap.
Ticks are present throughout the state year-round, with peak activity in spring and early summer. Long socks, treated clothing, and post-hike checks are standard precautions. Many forested areas in northern and central New Jersey have established black bear populations; carrying bear spray on overnight trips in Stokes State Forest or Wawayanda is advisable.
For more on New Jersey and surrounding regional outdoor activities, see the guides to Delaware Water Gap kayaking, Harpers Ferry tubing, Taughannock Falls winter hiking, best hikes in New York State, and Wharton State Forest stargazing.
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