by Beth Szczepanski

Created on: November 11, 2008

Most Americans associate New Jersey with squalid urban jungles rather than with gorgeous natural scenery, but this is unfair. Away from its urban centers, the state features beautiful forests, hills and mountains that can best be enjoyed on foot. One of the best places for hiking in New Jersey is the Stairway to Heaven trail, located just southeast of the northern tip of the state.

The Trail

The Stairway to Heaven loop begins at a small parking area on Route 94, near the Hidden Valley Ski Area. The parking area is labeled "A.T. Parking." The beginning of the trail is marked with white Appalachian Trail markers, and passes through a flat, grassy area. This portion of the trail can be overgrown and difficult to find, but keep your eyes out for the white markers and you should be fine.

After the grassy field, the trail enters a deep forest. Here, it becomes a bit easier to distinguish the trail as it cuts between trees and rocks. The forest section of the trail descends gradually, allowing you to conserve your energy for the coming climb.

Once you start climbing the ridge, the trail once again becomes a bit difficult to follow. White markers will still show you the way, so keep your eyes peeled for them. The climb starts gently, and becomes steeper and steeper as you progress.

After the steep climb, you will come to a tumbledown rock wall. The trail makes its way up and over the wall, and then splits into two trails. One trail, marked in blue and diverging to the left, leads to a small stone lookout that provides great views of the valley below. The main trail is still marked with white markers, and it makes its way to the right through a lovely valley.

At the farthest point of the loop trail, you will find a box with a guest book. If you've brought a pencil, you can add your mark. It is fun to take a break and read through what other hikers have written.

To complete the loop, follow the blue marked trail to the right of the guest book. This trail will take you along a rock wall, past a swamp, and finally over the rocky ridge and back to the parking area. Be carefulif you end up taking the orange-marked trail rather than the blue, you will end up on the other side of the mountain. All told, the trail covers just over three and a half miles and gains 1050 feet in elevation.

What you Might See

If you hike the Stairway to Heaven loop on a clear day, you will be treated to some wonderful views. At the flat, grassy beginning of the trail, the ridge to be climbed looms impressively ahead. Looking down from atop the ridge, New Jersey farmland spreads out below you. On the horizon, the Catskills form a thin blue line between the earth and sky.

If you are lucky, you might spot some wildlife as you climb the Stairway to Heaven. The area is home to deer, wild turkeys, bobcats, beavers, otters and bears. You might also see some herons or other water birds in the marshy areas along the blue path. Be careful not to disturb these inhabitants as you take in the scenery!

How to Prepare

The most important consideration when tackling the Stairway to Heaven trail is weather. When it is cloudy or foggy, the views from the trail are much less impressive. In addition, portions of the trail become treacherously slippery when they are wet. I prefer to visit this trail on a cool, crisp autumn day to avoid the summer crowds and get the most of the vistas.

Sources:

Purdes, Josef. "Stairway to Heaven." Hiking in New Jersey. http://www.purdes.com/njhiking/stairway/index.html.

" Stairway to Heaven Loop, NJ." LocalHikes. http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Stairway_to_Heaven_5 602.asp.

"Watchable Wildlife: Wildlife Diversity Tours." New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/watchabl.htm.

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