NJ Hiking Trail Conditions and Closures

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Trail conditions and closure resources for hiking trails in New Jersey and the surrounding area.

Hiking trails can change due to damage from storms or flooding or can be closed for other reasons. We’ve gathered some resources that list conditions as well as closures for major trails and parks.

This page is for reference only. Trail situations should be reported to the individual State/County/Local park office directly.

Updated: 10/5/21.

  • Baldpate Mountain reopened 9/16/21 but some trails may be closed, check Baldpate’s park site for details.
  • Palisades Interstate Park – Shore Trail south of Huyler’s Landing is closed; various other closures. See park for status.
  • D&R Canal – 9/13/21: “While sections of the towpath remain damaged, the majority of locations are free of obstructions (downed trees, limbs and debris) and many are now accessible to the public. That said, do expect that much of the path will remain muddy, rough and rutted and ARE NOT IDEAL FOR CYCLING” – see Storm Damage Update for details on various areas. Check for status: D&R Canal FB (NJ) / D&L Canal FB (PA)
  • Wallkill River NWR – 9/7/21 – Dagmar Dale Trail is temporarily not a loop due to a washout. Status: Wallkill NWR FB.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Closures – Some roads remain closed to allow for social distancing or for construction. See also Park Prepares for Summer Visitors. This affects the following hikes on our site:

  • Buttermilk Falls: 8/5/21 – The stairs next to the falls are being replaced and may be closed at some point during the next two months (info: “Buttermilk Falls Trail Work“). The parking area right at the base of the falls can’t be reached by car as Mountain Road is closed to vehicular traffic due to repairs to a historic stone culvert along/under the road. Walk down Mountain Road to the falls (follow the winter directions on our hike guide).
  • Appalachian Trail – Crater Lake to Blue Mountain. 10/5/21 “Skyline Drive on the NJ side of the park will be closed to vehicles Mondays through Thursdays, beginning October 4, 2021, while crews make repairs to the road. The road will be open to vehicles on Fridays through Sundays. Work is expected to take about a month to complete. The road will be re-opened on weekdays once work is complete and will remain open daily until January 1 or the first significant snowfall- whichever comes first, at which point it will be closed to vehicles for the winter.”
  • Millbrook Village and Van Campens Glen – Old Mine Road near Watergate in NJ will be open, but motorists may experience single-lane closures with traffic control due to ongoing construction in the area through July.  See Watergate Wetlands Restoration Project for details.
  • Dingmans Falls (PA): Parking right at the falls is closed on Saturdays and Sundays so a walk up the park road is needed (see the alternate parking lot on our hike page), May 1 to September 30. Access roads open from noon on Mondays to dusk on Fridays. Visitor Center will remain closed this year.

Lemon Squeezer – Appalachian Trail. Harriman State Park, N.Y: 8/10/21 – The Elk Pen parking lot is NOT reachable from Rt 17N due to bridge work. Instead, the lot can be accessed via the Tiorati Circle on Seven Lakes Drive.

***IMPORTANT! Please check the park’s web site or social media for the most current info*** Status has been taken from the park’s web site and social media – parks do not notify us. Check the resources below and our individual hike pages also have links to the park site.

Popular lots are filling and closing quickly. Hike early or during the week if possible.

  • Use our Hike Finder Map to find nearby alternates. And many of our hike guides list nearby suggested hikes (generally less than a 20 minute drive away).

Resources / Park Site Links

New Jersey State Parks

  • NJ State Park Advisories – The NJ Parks and Forestry page lists individual park advisories. Check this for the latest updates. Individual park pages may also have updates.
  • New Jersey State Parks Facebook page. Updates also posted here.
  • Most state parks have their own Facebook pages as well. Go to our njHiking FB page or the NJ parks FB and select “Pages liked by this page” to find individual parks.

NY-NJ Trail Conference

Organization that builds and maintains trails across northern New Jersey and into New York.

New Jersey – Federal Parks

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

This area is at the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, near Rt 80 W and continuing north along the Delaware River.

It includes areas such as Mt. Tammany, the Appalachian Trail, Buttermilk Falls, and Van Campens Glen as well as Dingmans Falls, Raymondskills Falls, and Childs Park on the Pennsylvania side.

Appalachian Trail

New Jersey contains 72 miles of this long distance trail, from the Delaware Water Gap at Rt 80, along the Kittatinny Ridge past Sunfish Pond to High Point, then along the Pochuck Boardwalk up Stairway to Heaven and on to Bearfort Ridge before heading into N.Y.

Morristown National Park

Palisades Interstate Park – New Jersey Section

New Jersey County Parks

Atlantic County Parks

Bergen County Parks

Burlington County Parks

Camden County Parks

Cape May County Parks

Essex County Parks

Gloucester County Parks

Hunterdon County Parks

Mercer County Parks

Middlesex County Parks

Monmouth County Parks

Morris County Parks

Ocean County Parks

Passaic County Parks

Somerset County Parks

Union County Parks

Warren County Parks

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