High Point State Park

State: New Jersey. Type: state park straddling Wantage and Montague townships in Sussex County, in the state's northwestern corner near the New York and Pennsylvania borders. Contains High Point, the highest elevation in New Jersey at 1,803 feet. The 220-foot High Point Monument, built 1928-1930 to honor war veterans, sits at the summit. Park size: 15,413 acres. Land donated by Colonel Anthony R. and Susie Dryden Kuser; dedicated as a park in 1923, with landscape design by the Olmsted Brothers.

High Point State Park sits in the far northwestern corner of New Jersey, in Sussex County, straddling Wantage and Montague townships near where New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania meet. At 1,803 feet, High Point is the highest elevation anywhere in New Jersey, and the 220-foot High Point Monument built atop it between 1928 and 1930 to honor war veterans offers sweeping views: the Pocono Mountains to the west, the Catskills to the north, and the Wallkill River Valley to the southeast. The 15,413-acre park was created from land donated by Colonel Anthony R. and Susie Dryden Kuser, dedicated in 1923, with its landscape designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the influential landscape architecture firm. Today the park is a year-round destination for hiking (including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail), cross-country skiing, camping and fishing, with Lake Marcia offering a designated swimming area alongside Sawmill Lake and Steenykill Lake.

High Point State Park straddles Wantage and Montague townships in Sussex County, in New Jersey's northwestern corner, close to the state lines of New York and Pennsylvania. The park address is 1480 State Route 23, Wantage, NJ 07461.

As New Jersey's highest terrain, High Point tends to run cooler and windier than lower-elevation parts of the state, with a humid continental climate marked by cold, often snowy winters (supporting the park's cross-country ski program) and mild-to-warm summers.

Summer offers access to Lake Marcia for swimming and full trail access; fall is popular locally for foliage viewing from the monument's high vantage point; winter (with snow) draws cross-country skiers and snowshoers, though northern trail access requires a pass during the December 1-April 1 ski season.

The land that became High Point State Park was donated by Colonel Anthony R. and Susie Dryden Kuser and dedicated as a park in 1923, with the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm designing its layout. The 220-foot High Point Monument was constructed atop the park's namesake summit between 1928 and 1930 specifically to honor war veterans, and remains the park's most recognizable structure, visible for miles across the surrounding valleys.

Activities include hiking (notably a segment of the Appalachian Trail that runs along a rocky ridge through hemlock gorges and former agricultural fields), cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter, camping, fishing, swimming at Lake Marcia, boating/canoeing/kayaking, picnicking, and hunting in season, along with educational programs offered through the park.

The 220-foot High Point Monument at the summit is the park's signature landmark, with panoramic views toward the Pocono Mountains, the Catskills, and the Wallkill River Valley. Lake Marcia, Sawmill Lake and Steenykill Lake are the park's three main lakes, and the Appalachian Trail crosses through the park's higher terrain.

The park is located at 1480 State Route 23, Wantage, NJ 07461, in New Jersey's far northwest corner; visitors typically drive in via Route 23, since this rural part of Sussex County has limited public transit.

Per the NJ DEP: park office open 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; gate open 8 a.m. to sunset from April 1 through November 30, and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. from December 1 through March 31. The monument exterior follows the same gate hours; the monument interior is open Wednesday-Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and weekends only from Labor Day to Columbus Day.

Per the NJ DEP: from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, entrance is $5 (NJ residents) / $10 (non-residents) on weekdays, and $10 (NJ residents) / $20 (non-residents) on weekends and holidays; oversized vehicles are charged double. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, entrance is free.

A visit to the monument and a short trail can be done in two to three hours; a full day allows time for swimming at Lake Marcia, a longer Appalachian Trail hike segment, or a winter ski outing.

The park itself offers 50 family campsites ($20-$25/night, April-October), 2 group campsites ($50-$100/night), 2 cabins ($75-$85/night or $525-$595/week), and a group cabin ($175-$185/night), bookable through camping.nj.gov, with a 2-night minimum for advance reservations. Beyond the park, Sussex County's small towns offer additional lodging options not verified from official sources for this report.

The park's own facilities are focused on camping and day-use rather than dining; nearby Sussex County towns along Route 23 offer restaurant options, though specific names were not verified from official sources for this report.

The park sits near the tri-state corner of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Trail links it to a broader network of protected ridgeline land extending in both directions along the trail.

No airport or rail station distance specific to the park was confirmed from the sources reviewed; the rural location and Route 23 access mean most visitors arrive by personal or rental vehicle.

Alcohol is prohibited in the park. Winter access to northern trails requires a pass during the December 1-April 1 ski season, so check current requirements before a winter hike. As with any hiking or mountain terrain, dress for cooler, windier conditions at elevation than at the base, and for any emergency, dial 911.

Layered clothing for the elevation-driven temperature swings, sturdy hiking shoes for the Appalachian Trail sections, and swimwear if visiting Lake Marcia in summer; winter visitors should bring their own cross-country ski or snowshoe gear along with a seasonal trail pass where required.

Visit on a weekday if you want to avoid the higher weekend entrance fee during the Memorial Day-Labor Day season, and consider a Labor Day-to-Memorial Day visit for free entry, though the monument interior is only open on weekends in the shoulder season (Labor Day to Columbus Day) and closed the rest of the off-season. Reserve campsites or cabins well ahead via camping.nj.gov, noting the 2-night minimum for advance bookings.

Dial 911 for any emergency. Park office: 973-875-4800; email highpointcamping@dep.nj.gov.

NJ Division of Parks and Forestry, High Point State Park - https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/find/high-point-state-park/

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.