This Haunted Hike In New Jersey Will Send You Running For The Hills

Autumn is an amazing time to go hiking in New Jersey; the leaves put on a colorful show and cool breezes refresh you along your journey. If you seek spectacular foliage on your fall hike, you’re set almost anywhere in the Garden State. However, with Halloween on the way, why not opt for a haunted hike? The following trail gives you both – colorful leaves and dark tales.

Flickr/Jim Lukach

Centuries ago, a young girl named Jenny was picking berries on the mountain while her father worked down below by their cabin. She was surprised by a Native American man and her scream pierced the air.

Her father, sure that this man was intent on kidnapping and killing his daughter, was too far away to save her. To spare her from the impending torture that would certainly follow if she were captured, he yelled "jump Jenny, jump!" A young girl with light hair, wearing a white dress, has been seen skipping around the trails...before vanishing into thin air.

Wikipedia/Daniel Case

While there are several access points, you'll be utilizing Shades Of Death Road to reach the trail head for this hike. There are many chilling stories surrounding the ominously named road; some are as simple as the road being dark, winding and dangerous at night.

Others claim that criminals were hanged along the road as punishment for their crimes and others still say the area was once frequented by murderous stagecoach robbers who slashed the throats of their victims. One of the most chilling tales involves a woman who murdered her husband in the 1920s; she beheaded him, burying his head and his body on opposite sides of the road so that he would never rest in peace.

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Ghost Lake was formed in the early 1900s by damming a creek. Some say that a Native American burial ground lies below the surface and many report a strange mist over the water in the mornings. The mist itself isn't spooky, it's the wraith-like figures that can be spotted emerging from it that will give you the chills. Some have seen full apparitions wandering around the lake while others have reported being overcome by the cold, even on warm days.

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Flickr/Jim Lukach

And with some of the darkest skies in New Jersey, it's a great place to see the stars. Simply look up at night, or visit the park's Greenwood Observatory on Saturday evenings from April - October.

Surrounded by stories of murder and mayhem, this has to be one of the most haunted hikes in America. From Shades Of Death Road to Ghost Lake, what terrifying tales have you heard about Jenny Jump State Forest? Share your favorite legends or real-life spooky stories in the comments. Head to Warren County and see if you spot any mysterious orbs, phantom headlights or wandering spirits – all of which have been reported at the park. For more haunted hikes in New Jersey, check out this Pine Barrens trail.