Kittatinny Valley State Park Trail (Sussex County)

Trail Map

You will begin this trail at Kittatinny Valley State Park, a great place to speak to the knowledgeable environmental staff before checking out Lake Aeroflex and Gardner’s Pond.  You may not see food or gas opportunities for a while so you may want to take advantage of the amenities along Route 206 before proceeding onto the Park.  From there you’ll travel northwest to the Hyper-humus section of the Paulinskill River WMA, the perfect place to combine wildlife watching with hiking; you’ll have access to the Paulinskill Valley Trail and the Sussex Branch Trail. After a nice hike you might want to take Route 94 North towards the village of Lafayette.  You’ll enjoy eating or shopping at the Olde Lafayette Village or can drive north on Route 15 to visit the town center. Then you can return to Route 94 South and continue on to scenic Paulinskill Lake WMA for a diversified wildlife experience either along the river or through the many fields. Next on the trail is a stop at the newly established Pond Brook Park with its field and riparian habitat.  Continue on to visit The Nature Conservancy’s Blair Creek Preserve which features 500 acres of untouched forest lands and Whittingham WMA which is known for its summer butterfly population. The directions that circle the WMA will take you for a brief time onto Route 206 again, in case you need to stock up on food and gas again.

The Trail Directions are in the first posting of the forum below.  Please use the forum to enter any comments or feedback regarding this trail. Registration is required.

 
  Forum  Skylands Trails  Kittatinny Vall...  Trail Directions
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New Post 4/12/2008 8:53 AM
  harrier
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Trail Directions 

To Kitattinny Valley State Park

Take 206 North from Interstate 80. After 7.6 miles Turn right onto Goodale Road and follow it about 1 mile to the park entrance on the right, follow the entrance road about ¼ mile to the park office.

To Paulinskill/Hyper-humus

Exit the park and turn Right onto Goodale Road North.  After 1.9 miles turn Left at the stop sign onto CR 616 West (Newton-Sparta Road ). After .2 turn Left at the traffic light  onto CR 616 West.  After 1.1 miles turn Right onto Hicks Avenue (CR 663 North).  After 4.3 miles turn Left onto State 94 South.  After .5 miles turn Left onto Dirt Road Entrance (this is easy to miss look for Paulinskill Wildlife Management Area sign just after Carson Roberts sign and before yellow school bus.  Sign is not facing traffic, you must look to the left.

Alternate access to Paulinskill/Hyper-Humus

Turn Right onto State Road 94 North
After .5 miles turn Right onto CR 663 South
After .4 miles Parking area is on the right.

To Paulinskill Lake WMA

Left out of parking area onto State Road 94 South or from Alternate parking, turn Left onto CR 663 North.  At end turn left onto State Road 94 South.
After 1.6 miles turn left at the traffic light onto U.S. Route 206 South
After 2.2 miles turn right at traffic light onto CR 519 North (Mill Street)
After .4 miles turn Left at the light onto CR 622 West (Sussex County College is on far corner).  After 2.5 miles turn Right on  Junction Road parking is .3 miles on the Left (5ST3).

Alternate parking options:

Turn Left out of parking area and after .7 miles turn Left onto Parson’s Road (through) Tunnel.  After .1 miles parking is on your Right

Turn Right out of  parson’s parking and proceed .4 miles to Bridge over Paulinksill River – find a safe place to park on side of road. 

To Pond Brook Park

Return to CR 622 West from Junction Road by turning right.
After 1.5 miles turn Left onto CR 619 South.  After 2.4 miles turn Right onto CR 612 West.  After 0.2 miles turn Left into parking lot.  There is no sign, but flags and a statue mark the spot. 

To Blair Creek Preserve

Turn left out of parking area.  After .5 miles turn Left onto CR 521 South.
After less than 0.1 miles turn Left at traffic light onto CR 521 South (Stillwater Road).
After 1.2 miles turn Right onto Fairview Lake Road (CR 617 North).  After 2.3 miles turn Left onto School House Road, this road is not marked.  After 0.8 miles turn Right onto Fairview Lane.  After 0.4 miles bear to your left and park. 

Alternate parking:

Return to School House Road and turn Right.  After 1.8 miles there will be a two space parking lot on the Right. 

To Whittingham WMA

Return to CR 617 South by turning Right from School House Road.  After 2.3 miles turn Right at the stop sign onto CR 521 South.  After 0.2 miles turn Left onto CR 610 East.
Proceed straight on CR 610 East.  After 3.7 miles you will cross CR 519 and at 4.9 miles you will cross State Road Route 94.  Continue straight and after 5.7 miles there will be a parking area on the right.  This Road will change from Stillwater Road to Phil Harden Road and finally to Fredon Springdale Road.   Leave parking area and turn Right.
After .3 miles Whittangham Office is on the Left. 

Alternate access points around WMA:

Leave parking area and turn Left.
After 0.1 miles turn Right at stop sign onto CR 618 East.
After 1.3 miles turn Right at the traffic light onto U.S. Route 206.
Turn Right at the first traffic light onto CR 611 South.
After 1.2 miles Observation Parking area will be on the Right.
After 0.5 miles turn Right at stop sign onto CR 608 West. 
After .8 miles there will be a parking lot on the right.
Proceed down the road after 1.1 miles there will be another lot on the Right. 
After 1.7 miles turn Right onto CR 519 North.
After .7 miles there will be a fenced in parking lot on the Right.

To exit area:

To return to U.S. Route 206 turn Right onto Fredon Springdale Road after 1.6 miles.
After 1.0 miles turn Right onto CR 618 East.
Follow to end and Turn right onto U.S. Route 206 South. 
Follow U.S. Route 206 South to Interstate 80

 

 
New Post 5/7/2008 10:49 AM
  nmember76
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Re: Trail Directions 

To the start of the Sussex Branch Trail, you can take Route 206 to Waterloo Rd in Byram (near the Dunkin Donuts) or you can go through the ITC ( I believe it might be Continental Dr) will have to double-check.  There is also a bike route across the street from the Shop-Rite in Byram, which will connect you to Lackawanna Road, where there are some other great trails.

 

There is also a nice walk by the Morris Canal, it starts in Stanhope and goes through Mt. Olive, you can go through the ITC to the start of the Suusex Branch Trail.

 

I have more info.. just short on time right now.

 

Nicole

 
New Post 5/7/2008 10:49 AM
  nmember76
2 posts
No Ranking


Re: Trail Directions 

To the start of the Sussex Branch Trail, you can take Route 206 to Waterloo Rd in Byram (near the Dunkin Donuts) or you can go through the ITC ( I believe it might be Continental Dr) will have to double-check.  There is also a bike route across the street from the Shop-Rite in Byram, which will connect you to Lackawanna Road, where there are some other great trails.

 

There is also a nice walk by the Morris Canal, it starts in Stanhope and goes through Mt. Olive, you can go through the ITC to the start of the Suusex Branch Trail.

 

I have more info.. just short on time right now.

 

Nicole

 
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