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| Welcome to New Jersey's AppalachianTrail High Point State Park |
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While the Appalchian Trail goes though High Point State Park, it does not actually go by the Mounument but you can see it from an overlook location and from the trail. You can easily go to the Monument by taking a short-off-route detour by the elevated wooden overlook by going down to the park road and walking to the Monument. You will be rewarded with New Jersey's most expansive views of three states.
The journey to High Point State part can be made from many points. The land 14,193 acres for High Point State park was donated by Colonel and Mrs Anthony Kuser and the Park itself was created in 1923. Directions: Take Rt 23 seven miles north of the town of Sussex or fourmiles south of I-84 in Port Jervis, N.Y. 973-875-4800. A 220 foot tower resembling the Boston Bunker Hill monument was build in 1930 on the tallest point of New Jersey 1,803 feet in remembrence of our fallen war heros. The headquaters can be used as a maildrop. High Point State Rark, 1480 Route 23, Sussex, NJ 07461. I climbed the hundreds of steps in a little under four minutes on 14 Sep 97 and the stairwell starts of with short turns but then they become fully around the permitted. The stairs are in a rectangular design with stairs on opposite sides of the square frame. Unfortunately, the tower is closed as the stairs have corroded and no maintainence funds have been available for repair. Unfortunately, the tower is closed. Also, a few years ago, someone stole one of the 700 pound bronze doors.
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The park service says: "As you follow the trail through High Point State Park, you will find a variety of experiences for the hiker. To the south, the trail follows a rocky ridge which offers many scenic views of the valleys and mountains surrounding the area. To the north, the trail drops off the ridge through hemlock gorges. Camping is limited to one night at each shelter. Free parking permits are available here at the High Point office for the designated parking areas. Water is available at the park office and at Deckertown Turnpike" |
Shelters
The Rutherford Shelter is down from the ridgeline with a water feed spring.
The High Point Shelter is next to one of the gorges and has a terrific brook and small cascade will away any tensions.
You can enjoy swimming in Lake Marcia which has concession stand and hot showers in the summertime. The naming of Lake Marcia was in a peom by Dr. William Kitchell who msad a Geological Survey of Sussex in 1854 - the poem was: Rose Leaf and Lavender
You can review the poem of the opening of High Point State Park also and a little
history.
Photo: Hight Point Monument and Lake Marcia
Photo: High Point Monument
Photo: Kuser Mansion (history lost)
Photo: Port Jervis' Vista view from High Point
Fees: High Point State Park Cabin Fees
The following side trails are available in High Point State park with the descriptions from the Park Service: All the side trails are rated easy with the exception of: Blue Dot and Steenykill Trails.
The web page will be updated to include more data on the northern parts of the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey; but until the update please enjoy the following views:
The 1 mile Ayer's Trail (black) cuts through a large hardwood forest filled with oaks, hickory, red maple and some young chestnut. Soon you'll enter an old farm site, the Ayer's Farm, which was built soon after the Civil War. Notice the 5 foot stone walls.
The 0.5 mile Blue Dot Trail ( Dark blue ) is a rugged trail with numerous large rocks and outwashes so typical of the high ridge terrain. The Blue Dot trail provide a convenient route from the Sawmill camping area to the Appalachian Trail. The trail runs below a forest canopy of oad and maple which shifts to scrub oak and pitch pine in the rocky areas of the high ridges and crosses frequent locations which one can see fossilized shells.
The 4 mile IRIS Trail (red) provides a pleasant walk through hardwoods and spring crossings. It has a scenic overlook of Lake Rutherford (no swimming) and the remmants of stumps and rotten logs of the American chestnut can be seen remaining from the 1920's chestnut blight.
In the 1930's, there was a state camp for the bind at the group campsight. The 0.5 mile Life Trail (brown) is short and filled with wintergreen, mountain laurel and hardwood trees.
The 1.5 mile Mashipacong Trail (yellow) is an old, well-used farm road. The forest alond the trail is oak, maple and some American Chestnut. Thre are an abundance of ferns, wildflowers and huckleberries into August and mid-way along the trail are large overgrown fileds contaiing fence rows, apple trees and old lilacs which are remains of the old farm.
Most of the 3.5 mile Monument Trail (Red-Green) was built by the CCC in the 1930's. monument trail goes up and down ridges and entails a fair amount of uphill hiking. One gets other views of the Tri-state area which they can't see from the monument. Turkey buzzards frequently circle overhead and deer on the grasses near the monument. The Cedar Swamp contains white cedars and is usually found at elevations of 200 feet while the swamp is at 1,500 feet.
The 0.5 mile Old Trail (brown-yellow) is a horse and ubggy short cut to a lodge that existed in the 1890's and is perfectly suited for an easy stroll. The old Trail provides a quick, easy shortcut fro campers bound fromt he group campsites to Lake Marcia, the Nature Center or the Monument.
The 1 mile Parker Trail ( Light Green) is a foot path connecting High Point State Park and Stokes State Forest. Gently sloping and winding, the trail is great for the explorative hiker.
The 0.75 mile Steenykill Trail ( Light Blue ) is a scenic route from Lake Steenykill to the top of High Point State park. If you're lucky, you'll see a beaver by the lake.
Worthington |
Millbrook |
Stokes |
High Point |
Pochuck Mtn |
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All contents © <1998> Inside on the Outside - Tom Caggiano (Hikenet)
