Description

Jenny Jump State forest is located in Warren County along the magnificent rolling terrain of Jenny Jump Mountain. Panoramic vistas of the Highlands, Kittatinny Mountain Range and Valley to the west, and scenic views of Great Meadows in the East, dramatically greet the visitors who climb the narrow path leading to the top of Jenny Jump Mountain. Rocky outcroppings and boulders line the trail evidence of the great glaciers that once covered the area now known as Jenny Jump State Forest.

Geography:

In 1769, the Moravians, a group of artisans, builders and manufacturers who started an early colonial religious community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, settled in Hope. The Moravian community operated successfully for almost 40 years. In 1808, a smallpox epidemic killed many of the towns inhabitants, and the financial troubles of the mother church in Germany forced the group to sell off the entire village.

When the Moravians abandoned the region, the people who moved into the village continued to operate some of the artisan enterprises.. The village was converted from a self-supporting community to an agricultural service community that flourished with the support of the surrounding farms. Today, Hopes Moravian heritage is evident in the historic district where 16 limestone and wooden buildings remain from the original settlement.

Recreation:

Eleven miles of hiking trails and three miles of hiking/mountain bike trails offer magnificent views of the mountains and scenic Mountain Lake. The Summit Trail, at an elevation of 1,090 feet, offers a view of the Delaware Water Gap and the Pequest Valley. We have seven trails ranging from an easy .3 miles on the Swamp Trail up to a six mile hike on the Jenny Jump Trail.

Facilities:

Camping is a highlight at Jenny Jump State Forest. We offer quiet, peaceful enjoyment in serene setting. We have been selected as the second on the list of the most peaceful places in New Jersey. We have twenty two family campsites, two group sites as well as eight shelters for your camping experience.

Park visitors are welcome to bring their own canoes or kayaks to access Ghost Lake as there is a car-top boat launch. Ghost Lake provides access to excellent largemouth bass, sunfish and catfish fishing as well as boating and canoeing in the lake. (Boats are not provided ) We also offer access to Mountain Lake for shoreline fishing. There is swimming available in Mountain Lake for cooling off in the warm summer season.

A small picnic area is available in a quiet, shaded area of the park. Tables and grills are available for patrons. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Jenny Jump State Forest is a favorable habitat for deer, turkey and small game that offers excellent hunting opportunities for the sportsman. Hunting is permitted in designated areas within the park and is subject to Division of Wildlife regulations.

Nearby Attractions:

The United Astronomy Clubs of New Jersey (UACNJ) leases a portion of Jenny Jump State Forest as an observatory and is located off of Farview Road. Unaffected by light from large cities, this location provides excellent viewing and exploration of the night sky and its heavenly bodies. In 1995, the UACNJ completed the Greenwood Observatory. In addition to this observatory, the Education Center and Astronomy Museum is open for public programs on Saturday evenings from April through October. In early 1997, a 28 inch Newtonian-Cassegrain Telescope was donated to the UACNJ. Plans are under way to design and build a suitable observatory for this instrument, the largest equatorial mounted telescope in New Jersey. For more information, please call the forest office.