High Point State Park NJ Guide: Monument, Hours, Fees and Trails

High Point State Park in Wantage is home to the highest elevation in New Jersey, 1,803 feet at the summit of the Kittatinny Ridge, and to the High Point Monument honoring the state’s veterans. Our team put together this year-round guide to the park at 1480 State Route 23, with hours, fees, trails, swimming, camping and winter skiing, all checked against the NJDEP High Point State Park page.

Anthony and Susie Dryden Kuser gave the land and the monument to New Jersey in 1923, and the park now covers more than 16,000 acres with views into three states. For a seasonal take on the same ridge, see our High Point State Park fall foliage guide.

High Point State Park Hours

The park office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Park gates are open from 8 a.m. to sunset from April 1 through Nov. 30, and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Dec. 1 through March 31. The grounds around the monument follow the same gate hours, and NJDEP notes that winter access can depend on weather and road conditions.

Entrance Fees

Entry is free from Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend, so there is no vehicle fee for a visit between now and late May. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, NJDEP lists these per-vehicle fees:

• Weekdays: $5 for New Jersey residents, $10 for non-residents
• Weekends and holidays: $10 for New Jersey residents, $20 for non-residents
• Oversized vehicles pay twice the standard fee

The High Point Monument

The 220-foot monument was built from 1928 to 1930 and is dedicated to New Jersey veterans of all wars. From the top, you can see the Pocono Mountains to the west, the Catskills to the north and the Wallkill River Valley to the southeast.

The monument interior opens only as staffing permits, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day it is open Wednesday through Sunday, and from Labor Day to Columbus Day it is open weekends only. Outside those windows you can still walk the grounds around the monument during gate hours.

Trails and the Appalachian Trail

The park has more than 50 miles of trails, from a half mile to 4.4 miles long, used for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. About 18 miles of the white-blazed Appalachian Trail run along the ridge, open to foot travel only, with three overnight shelters.

The easy 2.5-mile Cedar Swamp Trail circles an Atlantic white cedar bog in the Dryden Kuser Natural Area, a habitat that is rare this high on a mountain. Trail condition updates are available from the park at 973-875-4800.

Lake Marcia, Boating and Fishing

The spring-fed, 20-acre Lake Marcia has a swimming beach, open only in summer when lifeguards are on duty. Boats, kayaks and paddleboards are not allowed on Lake Marcia, but they can launch at Sawmill Lake and Steenykill Lake, where power boats are limited to electric motors. The park’s lakes and streams hold trout, largemouth bass and other species.

Camping and Cabins

The park has 50 family campsites along Sawmill Lake, open April 1 through Oct. 31, at $20 a night for New Jersey residents and $25 for non-residents. Two cabins on Steenykill Lake and a group cabin are open from May 15 to Oct. 15. Reservations are made at camping.nj.gov.

Winter at High Point

When there is natural snow, the High Point Cross-Country Ski Center grooms 15 km of trails and rents skis and snowshoes from its lodge at the Interpretive Center. While the ski center is operating, a trail pass is required for trails north of Route 23, except the Appalachian Trail. Call 973-702-1222 for conditions.

Know Before You Go

• There are no trash cans in the park, so carry out everything you bring in.
• Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet, and pets are not allowed on the beach.
• Alcohol, drones and smoking or vaping are not permitted.
• The Interpretive Center in the restored 1930s Grey Rock Inn hosts nature exhibits and programs. Call the naturalist at 973-875-1471 for program details.

Planning a bigger day in the Kittatinnies? High Point pairs well with nearby Stokes State Forest, just south along the same ridge.