State Forest

Stokes State Forest

Sussex County, New JerseyAbout 32,249 acres
Status
Open (per official listing)Daily sunrise – sunset
Entrance fee
Not posted
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Not stated — check with park
Camping
YesAlso cabins
Official site
dep.nj.gov(973) 948-3820

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

Covering about 32,249 acres, Stokes State Forest lies in Sussex County, about 10 miles north of Newton.

Popular activities here are horseback riding, historic sites, hunting in season, biking, and picnicking. Camping is available: 13 camping areas, including tent sites, group camping, and showers. If you'd rather not camp, the park offers cabins.

Hours

Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.

FacilityDaysHoursSeason
ParkDailysunrise – sunset—
Official wording

Open daily from Sunrise to Sunset

Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).

Camping

Campground or site typeSitesHookups / featuresPrice
Steam Mill Camping Area——
Shotwell Camping Area——
Group Camping Site H
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site G
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site F
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site E
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site I
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site D
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site C
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site B
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Group Camping Site A
April 1 to Oct 31
——
Lake Ocquittunk Camping Area——
Lake Ocquittunk Camping Area——
Camping details from the park

Steam Mill Camping Area

Shotwell Camping Area

Group Camping Site H

Group Camping Site G

Group Camping Site F

Group Camping Site E

Group Camping Site I

Group Camping Site D

Group Camping Site C

Group Camping Site B

Group Camping Site A

Lake Ocquittunk Camping Area

Lake Ocquittunk Camping Area

From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.

Cabins and lodging

  • Shelter: 2 units
    Count of mapped points in the State Park Service points-of-interest inventory
  • Cabins: 14 units
    Count of mapped points in the State Park Service points-of-interest inventory

Shelter: Appalachian Trail Shelter

Shelter: Appalachian Trail Shelter

Cabins: Spring Cabin

Cabins: Group Cabin 13

Cabins: Lake Ocquittunk Cabin Area

Cabins: Cabin 4

Cabins: Cabin 8

Cabins: Cabin 5

Cabins: Cabin 2

Cabins: Cabin 6

Cabins: Cabin 11

Cabins: Cabin 10

Cabins: Cabin 7

Cabins: Cabin 3

Cabins: Cabin 1

Cabins: Cabin 9

Things to do

CampingPicnickingHuntingHikingBikingHorseback ridingHistoric sites and tours

Trails

TrailLengthDifficultyNotes
Blue Mountain Trail17.29 miModerateBlaze: Lt BlueHikingBikingHorseback ridingGrass, Natural, Compact Soil, Loose Aggregate, Rocky, Paved surface
Appalachian Trail11.41 miModerateBlaze: WhiteHikingNatural surface
Red Maple Trail4.97 miModerate to DifficultBlaze: RedHikingBikingHorseback ridingNatural surface
Swenson Trail3.71 miModerateBlaze: RedHikingBikingHorseback ridingCompact Soil surface
Stony Brook Trail2.77 miModerateBlaze: BrownHikingBikingHorseback ridingAggregate, Natural surface
Criss Trail2.17 miModerateBlaze: Gray/TealHikingBikingHorseback ridingLoose Aggregate surface
Tinsley Trail2.01 miModerateBlaze: YellowHikingBikingHorseback ridingCompact Soil surface
Silver Mine Trail1.81 miModerateBlaze: OrangeHikingBikingHorseback ridingNatural surface
Steffen Trail1.76 miEasyBlaze: Black/GrayHikingBikingHorseback ridingGravel surface
Tower Trail1.58 miDifficultBlaze: GreenHikingBikingHorseback ridingCompact Soil surface
Rock Oak Trail1.45 miModerateBlaze: Blue/YellowHikingBikingHorseback ridingLoose Aggregate surface
Shay Trail1.43 miModerateBlaze: Brown/YellowHikingBikingHorseback ridingRocky surface
Coursen Trail1.42 miModerateBlaze: BlueHikingBikingHorseback ridingCompact Soil surface
Deep Root Trail1.17 miModerateBlaze: Red/YellowHikingBikingHorseback ridingLoose Aggregate surface
Geology Trail0.96 miModerateBlaze: BlueHikingLoose Aggregate, Gravel surface
Acropolis Trail0.91 miDifficultBlaze: Gold/PurpleHikingCompact Stones surface
Tillman's Ravine Trail0.86 miModerateBlaze: WhiteHikingNatural, Compact Soil surface
Stony Lake Trail0.68 miEasyBlaze: Blue/BrownHikingBikingHorseback ridingLoose Aggregate surface
Lead Mine Trail0.67 miEasyBlaze: Blue/GrayHikingBikingHorseback ridingGravel surface
Stoll Trail0.63 miEasyBlaze: Gray/Lt BlueHikingBikingHorseback ridingNatural surface
Silver Mine Lateral Trail0.52 miModerateBlaze: OrangeHikingBikingHorseback ridingNatural surface
Parker Trail0.51 miModerateBlaze: GreenHikingBikingHorseback ridingLoose Aggregate surface
Cemetery Trail0.47 miModerateBlaze: TealHikingNatural surface
Ladder Trail0.36 miModerateBlaze: Blue/GrayHikingBikingHorseback ridingGravel surface
Connector - Appalachian Trail, Blue Mountain Trail0.24 miModerate to DifficultBlaze: Black/Lt BlueHikingBikingHorseback ridingRocky surface
Connector - Blue Mountain Trail, Crigger Rd0.2 miEasy to ModerateBlaze: Black/Lt BlueHikingBikingHorseback ridingNatural surface
Connector - Coursen Rd, Blue Mountain Trail0.06 miEasy to ModerateBlaze: Black/Lt BlueHikingBikingHorseback ridingGrass surface
Connector - Silver Mine Trail0.06 mi—Blaze: OrangeHikingNatural surface
Trail descriptions from the park

Blue Mountain Trail – 17.29 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Appalachian Trail – 11.41 mi – Moderate – hiking

Red Maple Trail – 4.97 mi – Moderate to Difficult – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Swenson Trail – 3.71 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Stony Brook Trail – 2.77 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Criss Trail – 2.17 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Tinsley Trail – 2.01 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Silver Mine Trail – 1.81 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Steffen Trail – 1.76 mi – Easy – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Tower Trail – 1.58 mi – Difficult – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Rock Oak Trail – 1.45 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Shay Trail – 1.43 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Coursen Trail – 1.42 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Deep Root Trail – 1.17 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Geology Trail – 0.96 mi – Moderate – hiking

Acropolis Trail – 0.91 mi – Difficult – hiking

Tillman's Ravine Trail – 0.86 mi – Moderate – hiking

Stony Lake Trail – 0.68 mi – Easy – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Lead Mine Trail – 0.67 mi – Easy – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Stoll Trail – 0.63 mi – Easy – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Silver Mine Lateral Trail – 0.52 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Parker Trail – 0.51 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Cemetery Trail – 0.47 mi – Moderate – hiking

Ladder Trail – 0.36 mi – Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Connector - Appalachian Trail, Blue Mountain Trail – 0.24 mi – Moderate to Difficult – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Connector - Blue Mountain Trail, Crigger Rd – 0.2 mi – Easy to Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Connector - Coursen Rd, Blue Mountain Trail – 0.06 mi – Easy to Moderate – hiking/biking/horseback riding

Connector - Silver Mine Trail – 0.06 mi – hiking

Amenities

Facilities

  • Restrooms
  • Showers
  • Picnic areas
  • Picnic shelters
  • Playground
  • Parking
  • Group facilities

Camping

  • Tent camping
  • Group camping

Lodging

  • Cabins

Recreation

  • Horse trails

✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.

Getting there

Address
1 Coursen Road
Branchville, NJ 07826
Nearest town
Newton — about 10 mi north (straight line)
Coordinates
41.1857, -74.7956
Phone
(973) 948-3820

Entrances

  • Park Entrance

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)

Nearby state parks

Swartswood State Park
7.8 mi south (straight line)
High Point State Park
10.5 mi northeast (straight line)
Kittatinny Valley State Park
12 mi south (straight line)
Allamuchy Mountain State Park
18.5 mi south (straight line)
Waterloo Village Historic Site
18.7 mi south (straight line)
Hopatcong State Park
19.8 mi south (straight line)
Jenny Jump State Forest
19.9 mi south (straight line)
Worthington State Forest
20.2 mi southwest (straight line)

Sources and freshness

“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology

Report a correction for this park