One of my favorite parts of this trip is the drive, so I am going to share my preferred route to the trailhead, where you get off of route 80 and take back roads for the final thirty minutes of the drive. After flying down route 80 to exit 19 in Allamuchy Township, take a right off the exit and follow county road 612 to Johnsonburg, where you will be making a right on Johnsonburg Bypass Road. After you turn, continue on until you come to state route 94 and take a left, continuing on this road until you reach the Millbrook Historic Village site and eventually Old Mine Road, where you will officially enter the park. As you get close, you'll be treated to some pretty spectacular views of the area.
Once in the park, it's up to you to decide what to do! While there are tons of options for hiking, swimming, fishing and other outdoor recreation, my dog and I opted for a hike in Van Campens Glen: an easy hike through a shady, forested gorge with some gorgeous waterfalls along the way. You can find details about the short two mile hike through Van Campens Glen, up to Van Campen Falls, here.
Since this trip is a bit more remote, I suggest packing lunch, bringing a book, your camera and spending most of your day in the park. After your hike, you can cool off with a quick dip in the Delaware or by splashing yourself with some ice cold water from one of the waterfalls on the trail.
Watch out for the potholes on the park road, it can be quite rough! We visited on a Monday afternoon and the park was very quiet, if you visit on the weekend it tends to be very different. Also, remember that certain sites in the park have a self service pay station, where you are supposed to leave ten dollars as an entry fee so keep this in mind.
Otherwise, you are ready to spend the day exploring one of the most visited National Parks in the country! It's easy to trade New York City for the seclusion of a lush green National Park... you just need to know where to go!
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