Stokes State Forest
Directions
Take Route 206, four miles north of Branchville; Forest Office at 1 Coursen Road. [Google Maps: "US 206 and Coursen Road, Branchville, NJ"]. GPS: 41.184453, -74.797314
Parking areas for the Tillman Ravine Natural Area are along Dimon Road, 1.0 and 1.5 miles respectively east of Walpack Center.
- Entrance Fee: Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day
Park Overview
A frequently visited site in the forest, Sunrise Mountain has the second highest peak along the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey. Most trails are lightly used.
Trail Overview
The forest contains 24 marked trails, many of which follow old woods roads, ranging from 0.3 to 12.7 miles. The Parker Trail [3.5 miles, blue] connects to High Point State Park. Except for the Appalachian Trail [white, 12.7 miles segment] and some trail sections adjacent to developed areas, the trails in the park are lightly used. Trails can be combined to form loop hikes.
Use Web Map link on this site for a north trail map; click here for a south trail map.
- In late 2015 a new 15-mile-long Blue Mountain Loop Trail was completed. This new loop incorporates about 11 miles of existing trails, as well as about 4 new miles. Two trails cut across the loop, making shorter loop hikes possible.
Other trail uses include:
- Snowmobiles and dogsleds - some trails north of US 206
- XC-skiing - trails southwest of US 206
Click for detailed descriptions of hikes in the state forest.
Park Description
The crest of Sunrise Mountain, at more than 1,600 feet, is one of the most frequently visited sites in the 16,000-acre Stokes State Forest. Young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the road to the summit as well as a pavilion in the 1930s. They also developed Lake Ocquittunk, Kittle Field, and Shotwell areas, and built the forest's extensive trail system.
Stokes State Forest includes Tillman Ravine Natural Area with its steep slopes and waterfalls.