New Jersey Appalachian Trail Section Hike
New Jersey was easily our most underrated state on the Appalachian Trail compared to expectations before we started hiking the AT! In 2023 we section hiked 1,225 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the longest footpath in the world, and spent 13 weeks day hiking, working, and van camping on the Appalachian Trail as we moved up the trail slowly from Georgia to Maine. In this series we cover each section we hiked and in this article we cover the state of New Jersey.
Cotopaxi and Jill at the top of New Jersey! A quick blue blaze trail off the AT leads you here to the High Point.
IF HEADING NOBO (NORTHBOUND) ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL the Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line is located at mile 1297.1 OF THE 2023 AT DISTANCE AND THE New Jersey/New York state line is at mile 1369.5. THIS 72.4 MILE STRETCH IS WHAT WE COVERED IN five days and you will gain 12,000 feet of ascent and have 11,000 feet in descent.
New Jersey Appalachian Trail Section Hike Need to Know’s:
The state of New Jersey gets such an undeserved bad rap, especially on the AT. It was one of our favorite states on the AT (4th for me, 3rd for Jill) and don’t forget it is nicknamed the “Garden State.)
The trail crosses at Delaware Water Gap from Pennsvylvania which used to be the most sought after tourist destination in the US in the 19th century.
There are more bears located in New Jersey per square mile on the AT than any other state. We did not see any on the trail but saw many near our campgrounds and on the roads.
Try to arrive at Culvers Gap in New Jersey during the month of July so you can have the epic trail magic from famous trail angel “Moose.”
Deli Blazing is real! We Deli Blazed our way through the state and New Jersey offers some great trail towns like Branchville, Sussex, and Vernon. We had more pickles in New Jersey and New York than the other 12 states combined.
You enter the state and head up to Sunfish Pond Natural Area which is a gorgeous start to the trail in the state it finishes by crossing into New York.
There’s another state high point that awaits you at, you guessed it, High Point State Park! Take the side trail up to the top of NJ.
What else happened that was memorable during this section hike?
We encountered more trail magic in the state of New Jersey than any other state on the trail!
Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods references very interesting stories about Delaware Water Gap and Sunfish Pond that we read while hiking the trail and made us want to go on that hike.
There is no alcohol allowed in New Jersey State Parks and you must bring a rabies vaccination certificate for your dog. Be prepared!
We did the 72 miles in five days and while it wasn’t as hard as Maine it was a tough state to hike, there are lots of PUDS (Pointless Ups and Downs.) It is a challenging state to hike!
We camped at Harmony Ridge for three nights and High Point State Park for two nights.
We met a thru hiker from the Czech Republic whose trail name was “Czech Mate”, very clever!
New Jersey had the best food of any state on the trail, due to the deli’s!
This was our final stop before the flash floods hit the AT and we were displaced down the trail and back into Pennsylvania for several days.
What gear did I use and like the most on my 2023 AT Section Hike?
Hoka One Kaha’s were my trusted shoes for this day (and for the whole summer on the trail.)
I used my REI 40 Liter Backpack. This worked great since I was coming on and off the trail every day but most thru-hikers or multi-day section hikers were looking at bigger packs than mine.
Darn Tough Vermont and Merino Wool Socks from REI and SmartWool were my go to’s.
Osprey Water Bladder and Lifestraw Collapsible Filter for hydration.
I wore New Balance running shorts mainly and much preferred that to more typical hiking shorts.
Gaiters were a must as was coating our clothes in Permethrin to avoid ticks. (We did not get any ticks remarkably while hiking the AT in 2023.)
The AT Guide by AWOL and AT Conservancy are AMAZING resources for a hike on the AT!
Thru Hikers packs lined the gap while enjoying trail magic from Moose!
New Jersey’s Appalachian Trail: Underrated. Beautiful.
The amount of bears and delis were as advertised!
As someone who has had the privilege and luck to visit all 50 US States I have never been of fan of making fun of the “flyover states” or that places like Jersey are “parking lots.” The Appalachian Trail is a chance to give you a glimpse into a state or area and break your stereotypes.
Even not buying into them beforehand I was still shocked at just how amazing the trail in New Jersey was and how much we enjoyed ourselves here. If you have a notion that New Jersey is a certain way I invite you to head out on the AT to break that spell you might be under!
Plus you’ll get to hike to the top of it at High Point State Park. From trail angels to epic handmade deli sandwiches to quaint beaches and high mountains this was a true favorite of ours on the Appalachian Trail.
The hiking isn’t easy but it’s also not as painful coming NOBO if you have just left the “Rockslvania” area of PA.
We completed this stretch of trail in five days, it’s a little over 72 miles. There are plenty of shelters along the way, trail towns nearby, and gaps for pickups to find other lodging options. New Jersey’s Deli’s were something we will never forget and we tried to talk up as many as we could in our podcast episode on them. You can tune in HERE to that episode on our website or your podcasts app!
Thanks for reading and happy trails to you! Whether you are planning a thru, section, or day hike…or are a trail town local, trail angel, or just someone wanting to learn more about the longest footpath in the world…I hope the Appalachian Trail gives you what you need! Don’t forget to Leave No Trace and pack your 10 Essentials!
Comment below with questions or your experience on hiking the AT in the state of New Jersey!
Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R
Moose’s July Trail Magic Sign In Sheet! Moose comes out Rain or Shine!