Stony Brook Falls

Updated:
Stepping Stone Falls cascading over rocks.

Hike to two pretty waterfalls – one stepped and the other angled – along Stony Brook.

1.0 or 3.8 miles. Surface is easy to just the falls. Silver Mine loop has a very rocky section.

1.0 or 3.8 milesThis hike guide: Detailed instructions, photos, video, follow below.
1.0 miles – Hike two waterfalls.
3.8 miles – Hike two waterfalls + Silver Mine Trail.
VariationStony Lake Loop. Could also combine with this hike.
Nearby Hikes, same parkSunrise Mountain; Culvers Gap to Blue Mountain;
Sunrise Mountain to Culvers Gap;
Blue Mountain Loop – Lower; Blue Mountain Loop – Upper.

Our two cents:

Short, easy hike to beautiful stepped waterfall (also known as “Stepping Stone Falls”), a sloped waterfall, with several nearby cascades, all along Stony Brook.

Extend the hike using the Silver Mine trail with the directions below (generally moderate except for a super rocky section), Blue Mountain Loop, or one of many other trails in Stokes.

As with all waterfalls, flow will be best in Spring or after a lot of rain.

Updated: 10/2023 – Minor edits; re-hiked.


Map:

Use the Kittatinny Trails or the map on the park site. Follow along on your smartphone with our Interactive Map link above.


Parking: N41.20638° W74.77501°

Stokes State Forest, 1 Coursen Rd, Branchville, NJ 07826. Note: This is for the main entrance at the park office. The hike starts at the Kittle Field parking lot which has no street address.

Take Rt 206 North until you enter Stokes, pass Rt 636 (which leads to Sunrise Mountain Road) and then turn right at the sign for the park entrance. Continue past the visitor center lot on Coursen Rd and make a left at the end to get to the Kittle Field lot.

Fee: Charged from Memorial to Labor day. Info on the NJ State Park Pass.

Related: Waterfalls in NJ / Best Waterfall Hikes in NJ


Restrooms:

Bathroom building is across the road from the parking lot, in a picnic area. Also at the visitor center.


Hike Directions:

Overview 1 mile hike: Stony Brook (BROWN)

Overview – 3.8 mile hike: Stony Brook (BROWN) – Silver Mine (ORANGE) – Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) – Stony Brook (BROWN]

Cross the park road to start following Stony Brook (BROWN) at the trail kiosk.

Trail kiosk with information about Stokes State Forest.
Wide section of Stony Brook.

Continue past the bathroom building. Stony Brook (BROWN) also goes right, which you’ll hit on the way back.

Stony Brook (BROWN) is a wide easy woods road.

Wide hiking trail surrounded by tall trees.

0.3 – Near the start of the Silver Mine (ORANGE) trail, turn LEFT away from that and walk towards the stream. There’s a path but we didn’t spot any markers.

A cascade tumbles over rocks near the remnants of a stone wall from an old sawmill site.

Remnants of a stone wall as part of an old sawmill site.

Walk along Stony Brook to get different views of the cascades.

Bend in a stream with swirling pools of water.
Stony Brook Falls seen through trees.

A little further down from the stone walls the fall appear to cascade over short steps. Stony Brook Falls is also known as “Stepping Stone Falls”.

Stepping Stone Falls.

With less flow the steps are much more pronounced (October 2020).

Stepping Stone falls with light water flow.

If there’s been a lot of recent rain there might be another cascade coming down the hill and spilling into the stream.

Cascade on a hill.

This is a pretty little cascade that slides over roots and rocks and then falls into a pool in the stream below.

Delicate spray of a waterfall off a lip of rock.
Long cascade spilling down a hill.

It’s not always flowing though, when we hiked here in October 2020 it was totally dry. It was also a mere trickle in October of 2023 and appeared to be blocked by fallen branches.

Long waterfall cascading over rocks.

Return to Stony Brook (BROWN) and turn RIGHT to head back.

* Longer Variation, 3.8 miles total – skip to the section below then return here* 

0.6 – Once back near bathroom building, turn LEFT and follow Stony Brook (BROWN) a short distance to the second falls.

Brown circle trail marker on a tree near a footbridge.

This waterfall cascades down a short sharp angle that is slightly stepped.

Stony Brook Falls.
Waterfall over stepped rock face.
Close up of a waterfall.

Standing closer and to the side shows the angle better.

Waterfall down a steeply angled rock face.

The angled rock face is visible during less water flow (October 2020).

Angled rock face with a light waterfall flow.

Retrace Stony Brook (BROWN) a short distance to the parking lot.


Stony Brook Falls / Silver Mine Loop (3.8 mile version):

From the “Stepping Stone Falls” along Stony Brook, return to Stony Brook (BROWN) and pick up Silver Mine (ORANGE).

Three orange makers on a tree for the Silver Mine trail.
Silver Mine trail post.

Continue following Silver Mine (ORANGE).

Orange trail marker on a tree by a path crowded by vegetation.

0.7 – Turn RIGHT at the sign to take a short side trail to the Silver Mine. The sign is no longer orange and is a less noticeable wooden board with grey letters now.

Sign for silver mine.

The mine is just a small hole with a fence over it but it’s in a nice setting that can make a nice break spot.

Metal grate over a small mine pit by a log next to a stream.

Yup this is all there is to the mine. Possibly not quite what you were expecting?

Grated remains of silver mine.

Retrace and turn RIGHT to continue on Silver Mine (ORANGE).

Trail marker on a tree next to a level path.

1.6 – The long concrete wall is the remains of a dam and is marked Dry Lake on the park map.

Remains of a dam wall, with a dry pond beyond.

Continue following Silver Mine (ORANGE) through a very rocky area.

Rocky Silver Mine trail.

2.0 – Turn LEFT to now follow Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE). [Silver Mine (ORANGE) ends, Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) also goes right]

Blue Mountain trail marker on a tree next to a muddy section.

2.7 – Continue following Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) as it makes a LEFT. [Pass BLUE/BLACK].

2.9 – Start following Stony Brook (BROWN). Don’t go over the bridge. [Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) leaves to the right, over the bridge].

Trail post with blue and brown markers next to a gravel path.
Long wooden trail bridge over stream.

Pass Stepping Stones Waterfall from earlier, seen from above.

Overview of the first falls on the wall back on Stony Brook.

3.2 – Continue on Stony Brook (BROWN) passing the Silver Mine (ORANGE) trail from earlier, on the left.

Continue Stony Brook (BROWN) until back at the bathroom building.

* Return to the description above at 0.6 to continue to the other waterfall. *


Hiked: 10/1/23. w/Stony Lake Loop + Buttermilk/Silver Spray Falls.
Hiked: 10/18/20. Falls only w/Stony Lake Loop + Culvers Gap to Culvers Tower.
Hiked: 4/13/19.

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