Wawayanda State Park
Get Directions
Park Overview:
The swimming area and boat launch are both popular. The trail system in Wawayanda State Park is composed primarily of woods roads and is largely level. Terrace Pond area and the Appalachian Trail offer a more rugged hiking experience.
Park Description:
Wawayanda State Park
Wawayanda State Park embraces over 35,000 acres of forests and waters in the rough, hilly country of the New Jersey Highlands. The name, pronounced Wa-wa-yanda, is the phonetic rendition of the Lenape name, said to mean "winding, winding water," or "water on the mountain."
Wawayanda Lake, one of the focal points of the park, is 1.5 miles long, has 5.5 miles of wooded shoreline, and covers 255 acres. It has both a popular beach/swimming area and boat launch. Close by are the ruins of the Wawayanda Furnace, a charcoal blast furnace used to produce iron during the 1840s through the Civil War. The Wawayanda Mine is 2.5 miles northeast of the iron furnace along the east side of Wawayanda Road [near the New York State border] and consists of five openings or shafts.
Parking Fee: From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.
The park includes the High Breeze Farm Historic Site [Barrett Farm]. The Vernon Township Historical Society leases an adjacent building. There is no entrance fee; usually open only on weekends.
Terrace Pond: An aquatic gem that lies at an altitude of 1,380 feet - Terrace Pond is surrounded by steep cliffs of puddingstone conglomerate, with nearby blueberry swamps and impressive stands of rhododendron. Although formally part of Wawayanda State Park, it is separated from the rest of the park by Clinton Road, and its features are visually and geologically distinct from those of the remainder of the park. [No parking fee]
Trails Overview:
- Wawayanda State Park: Toward the eastern part of the park various old woods roads and paths lead southward through one of the finest forests of its kind in New Jersey. A swamp containing an extensive stand of Atlantic white cedar is noteworthy for being so far from its usual haunts along the seacoast marshes [Cedar Swamp Trail; 1.4 miles; blue]. For the most part the woods roads are fairly level and excellent for seasonal cross-country skiing. Many of the trails pass through low-lying areas and portions of the trails may be flooded during wet seasons. The Appalachian Trail [16.5-mile segment; white], which crosses the park from east to west, offers a more rugged experience.
- During the winter some hikers report disappointment by the noise of large numbers of legal snowmobiles.
- Except for the Appalachian Trail, the other 16 trails in this part of the park are relatively short, ranging from 0.5 to 2.8 miles. Total miles of trails: 43.
- Terrace Pond: Like Abram S. Hewitt State Forest to its north, the trails in the Terrace Pond area climb steeply. At the same time this is an especially good place to observe the conglomerate beds of reddish-purple puddingstone as they dip downward from either side toward the center of the pond. The Terrace Pond West Trail [yellow] offers a rugged 4.7-mile loop from Clinton Road to Terrace Pond.
- Total miles of trails: 11
Click for detailed descriptions of hikes in the park. Use the Web Map on this site for a NJ State Park Service Map of the west section; click here for the east section including Terrace Pond
Park Acreage:
35524.00 acresMunicipality:
HewittThe swimming area and boat launch are both popular. The trail system in Wawayanda State Park is composed primarily of woods roads and is largely level. Terrace Pond area and the Appalachian Trail offer a more rugged hiking experience.
Wawayanda State Park
Wawayanda State Park embraces over 35,000 acres of forests and waters in the rough, hilly country of the New Jersey Highlands. The name, pronounced Wa-wa-yanda, is the phonetic rendition of the Lenape name, said to mean "winding, winding water," or "water on the mountain."
Wawayanda Lake, one of the focal points of the park, is 1.5 miles long,...
Park Acreage:
35524.00 acresMunicipality:
HewittContact Information
Web Link:
Wawayanda State ParkPhone:
(973) 853-4462Fees:
Some times and places; check with parkDogs in park:
Dogs on leash
Hike Checklist:
Whether you are going for a day hike or backpacking overnight, it is good practice to carry what we call The Hiking Essentials. These essentials will help you enjoy your outing more and will provide basic safety gear if needed. There may also be more essentials, depending on the season and your needs.
The Essentials
Hiking Shoes or Boots
Water - Two quarts per person is recommended in every season. Keep in mind that fluid loss is heightened in winter as well as summer. Don't put yourself in the position of having to end your hike early because you have run out of water.
Map - Know where you are and where you are going. Many of our hiking areas feature interconnecting network of trails. Use a waterproof/tear-resistant Tyvek Trail Conference map if available or enclose your map in a Ziplock plastic bag. If you have a mobile device, download Avenza’s free PDF Maps app and grab some GPS-enhanced Trail Conference maps (a backup Tyvek or paper version of the map is good to have just in case your batteries die or you don't have service). Check out some map-reading basics here.
Food - Snacks/lunch will keep you going as you burn energy walking or climbing. Nuts, seeds, and chocolate are favorites on the trail.
Sunscreen and insect repellent
Rain Gear and Extra Clothing - Rain happens. So does cold. Be prepared for changing weather. Avoid cotton--it traps water against your skin and is slow to dry. If you are wearing wet cotton and must return to your starting point, you risk getting chills that may lead to a dangerous hypothermia. Choose synthetic shirts, sweaters and/or vests and dress in layers for easy on and off.
Compass - A simple compass is all you need to orient you and your map to magnetic north.
Light - A flashlight or small, lightweight headlamp will be welcome gear if you find yourself still on the trail when darkness falls. Check the batteries before you start out and have extras in your pack.
First Aid Kit - Keep it simple, compact, and weatherproof. Know how to use the basic components.
Firestarter and Matches - In an emergency, you may need to keep yourself or someone else warm until help arrives. A firestarter (this could be as simple as leftover birthday candles that are kept inside a waterproof container) and matches (again, make sure to keep them in a waterproof container) could save a life.
Knife or Multi-tool - You may need to cut a piece of moleskin to put over a blister, repair a piece of broken equipment, or solve some other unexpected problem.
Emergency Numbers - Know the emergency numbers for the area you're going to and realize that in many locations--especially mountainous ones, your phone will not get reception.
Common Sense - Pay attention to your environment, your energy, and the condition of your companions. Has the weather turned rainy? Is daylight fading? Did you drink all your water? Did your companion fail to bring rain gear? Are you getting tired? Keep in mind that until you turn around you are (typically) only half-way to completing your hike--you must still get back to where you started from! (Exceptions are loop hikes.)
Check the weather forecast before you head out. Know the rules and regulations of the area.
The Leave No Trace Seven Principles
Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
- Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
- Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
- Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
- Repackage food to minimize waste.
- Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
- Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
- Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
- In popular areas:
- Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
- Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
- In pristine areas:
- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
- Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
- Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
- Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
- To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
- Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
- Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
- Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
- Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
- Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
- Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
- Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
- Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
- Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
- Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
- Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
- Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
- Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
- Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
- Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
The Trail Conference is a 2015 Leave No Trace partner.
(c) Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.
Directions to Trailhead
Public TransportationDirections to Trailhead :
- The main entrance to Wawayanda State Park is off Warwick Turnpike, about two miles north of Upper Greenwood Lake. The Appalachian Trail [white] can be accessed from a parking area off the Warwick Turnpike less than a half-mile north of the Park entrance, or [at its Western end] where NJ Route 94 and Prices Switch Road [County 515] meet. Wawayanda Lake Day Use Area -- GPS: 41.190232, -74.427912
- High Breeze Farm Historic Site is reached via NJ 94 north to NY 94, just over state line right on Barrett Road. GPS: 41.220889, -74.418278
- For Terrace Pond the most popular trailhead is at parking area P7 on the east side of Clinton Road, 7.5 miles north of NJ 23 and 1.7 miles south of Warwick Turnpike. Approximate GPS: 41.145020, -74.405703
TRAIN TRANSPORT :
Not availableBUS TRANSPORT :
Not availableShare Your Experience
Support the trails with a donation!