<<<Hikes in NJ - Trails Less Taken
Hike Info:
High Point - AT and Iris Trail Loop
Mileage: 9.1 miles. Very rocky start on the AT but moderate after that; a couple minor steep areas, mostly rolling elevation changes. Several nice viewpoints along this figure-8 loop. The return is on the IRIS trail, which is a easy woods road.
Map: Pick up a trail map at the visitor center, or print
our scan of the High
Point Trail Map. For a more detailed map, purchase the Kittatinny
Trails Map Set
Parking: Rt 287 to exit 52B for 23 N. Follow 23 all the way to High Point. From central NJ (New Brunswick area) it’s about a 2-hour drive.
Hiker parking for this trail is on Rt 23 in the park, on the left, just south of the first visitor center. The drive for the lot is easy to miss, it’s right after a maintenance facility and if you get to the visitor center, you passed it. (2 hr pkg limit at visitor center lot, so you can’t park there for hiking).
*UPDATE 4/2010 - Parking lot/trailhead changes... info here.
Restrooms: At the visitor center, just north of the parking area for the AT trailhead.
Hike Directions: Take the path from the hiker lot, it is blazed WHITE, RED DOT on WHITE and YELLOW DOT on WHITE in the beginning. For this route, you will start with the Appalachian Trail (AT) which is WHITE.
Soon, the other trails head off on either side. Continue straight on WHITE. Go slightly uphill. The trail turns left as you a large rock face is in front of you.
The trail is well marked and easy to follow. The AT through NJ is notoriously rocky – and the first couple miles of this route is even more so.
The trail is dense with foliage here, and is very pretty. We did not see any bears but make sure you are making some noise… talk or clap your hands occasionally just so you don’t surprise any.
At .9 miles, pass the BLUE trail on your right. This heads to Sawmill Lake and campground.
The trail descends down a slightly steep section, then goes right back up steeply to a nice viewpoint overlooking Sussex county at 1.5 miles. Lake Rutherford can be seen in the distance, to the right.
At 2.25 miles there is another viewpoint.
At 2.5 miles, pass the trail to the Rutherford Shelter (camping spot on the AT) on your left. There is a sign and a BLUE blaze.
At 3.2 miles, the trail meets the IRIS trail (RED DOT on WHITE). It comes in from your left, behind you. The AT and IRIS are co-joined for a brief time, then split. (the trails criss-cross each other)
Follow the trail as it is co-joined, then at the split, bear left onto WHITE, while the RED DOT trail goes right.
At 4 miles is another viewpoint at a powerline cut. Just after that, at 4.1, watch for the WHITE blazes bearing right. It’s easy to miss as the woods road continues straight ahead.
At 4.3 miles, the AT makes a sharp right that doesn’t appear to be indicated with blazes, the trail appears to go straight ahead.
There are two signs in front of you, one a green “safety zone” hunting sign, and further beyond, a “beware of dogs” sigh. There are also some branches across the trail as an indicator not to go that way. You need to turn right before passing these signs.
At 4.6 miles, come to a criss-cross junction with the IRIS trail.
The RED DOT continues to your left and will go a little ways to a parking lot, the AT continues ahead on your right – you don’t want either of those.
Make a sharp right at the large rock – the trail heads back behind you. Begin following the RED DOT on WHITE blazes.
RED DOT is multi-use, and we saw bike riders on it (and managed to scoot an adorable ribbon snake off the trail in the nick of time).
Head gradually uphill until arriving at the powerline cut. The IRIS is an easier, less rocky trail than the AT. Then it heads downhill to the criss-cross with AT, where you were earlier.
Bear right at the split and continue following RED DOT. (WHITE bears left)
At 6.5 miles, the red markers indicate a sharp left. The woods road continues straight, which I believe is private property.
The trail is quite level with moderate changes, few rocks and some very wet, muddy, rutted areas to cross. The lake comes into view, but the trail doesn’t go right to it. There is a rock to sit on, overlooking the lake.
Continue on RED DOT until you arrive at the junction of the AT, turn right and head back to the parking lot.
