Page 62 - NJCOA-2019Guidebook-web

APPALACHIAN TRAIL

By Owen Gallagher
New Jersey is not the first place that comes to mind when someone mentions the
Appalachian Trail. But for more than a few hikers, it is a path well worth taking.

The “Cool to Know” section at the website Appalachiantrail.org says New Jersey
will surprise you with how wild it is. Elevation changes vary from relatively flat and
gentle to short, steep, rocky pitches. Other sections cross bogs and wetlands,
including a wildlife sanctuary that features a wide spectrum of bird species. Jordan
Bowman, public relations and social media manager with the Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, hiked the entire trail from Georgia to Maine in 2014 and says New
Jersey was one of his favorite spots.

First proposed in the early 1920s, the Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937.
It spans 14 states as it runs almost 2,190 miles along the ridge of the Appalachian
Mountains through eight national forests, six national park units and numerous
state parks, forests and game lands. In New Jersey, there are 72 miles of the trail
ranging in elevation from 350 feet above sea level to 1,685 feet. More than half
of the trail in New Jersey is along the top of Kittatinny Ridge at the northwestern
corner of the state.
If you’re looking for more than a day hike, there are several privately owned
campgrounds located near the trail – check out the Skylands Region of this
guidebook for a listing.
There are a number of popular (and increasingly heavily impacted) access points
to the trail in New Jersey, including The Delaware Water Gap area, Stokes State
Forest, High Point State Park and the trail crossing of Route 94 in Vernon. But
Sickley suggests seeking out some less-crowded spots. Any way you’d like to
approach it, New Jersey’s portion of the Appalachian Trail promises to be a walk
you won’t soon forget.

62 GoCampingNJ.com