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Old Mine Road NJ is the main north to south route through the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and in Sussex County it carries you past farm fields, historic stone houses and the quiet village of Walpack Center. It is one of the most rewarding scenic drives in the state, as long as you check which sections are open before you go.
The National Park Service suggests budgeting one to three hours to tour the road, and notes that many of its historic sites can be seen right from the car. Below, our team lays out a Walpack loop with stops at Walpack Center, the Van Campen Inn, Peters Valley School of Craft and Buttermilk Falls, plus Millbrook Village just over the line in Warren County, along with the road closures and practical tips you need.
A quick history of Old Mine Road
According to the park service’s Tour Old Mine Road page, the road dates to the mid 1600s and connected the Hudson River and Philadelphia to the Pahaquarry Mines, making it one of the oldest commercial roads in the country. The park’s own history of the road adds an honest caveat: its origins are “shrouded in mystery,” and the popular story of copper being hauled to port cities lacks evidence. A likelier explanation, the park suggests, is that Lenape paths and later colonial trails were widened over time through use.
By the early 1900s the New Jersey side of the Gap was dotted with farms and villages, and hotels welcomed tourists arriving in new automobiles. Several of those buildings still stand, including the Ferncliff Hotel in Peters Valley and the Delaware View House at Walpack Bend.
Check road status first
This matters more than anything else on this page. Roads in this part of the park close for repairs, storm damage and winter. As of the National Park Service’s spring 2026 current conditions update:
- Old Mine Road (north): closed between Route 206 and Jager Road for a repair and repaving project. A park release in April 2026 said that closure would last until the end of summer, so confirm whether it has reopened.
- Old Mine Road near Van Campens Glen: bridge repair over Van Campen Brook, with one lane traffic and possible intermittent closures.
- Walpack Center Main Street bridge (between Walpack Center and Mountain Road): closed due to structural damage.
- Mountain Road: closed to vehicles beyond the bridge and from the south end at Haneys Mill.
- Route 615 between Flatbrookville and Pompey Ridge: closed due to landslide activity.
Closures change often, so check the NPS alerts and conditions page the day of your drive, or call the park at 570-426-2452.
Stops along the Walpack drive
Walpack Center
The park service describes Walpack Center as a once bustling community. Today visitors find a street lined with 19th century buildings. The Walpack Historical Society maintains a small museum in the Rosenkrans House, one of the oldest buildings in town. Volunteers open the Rosenkrans House and the Van Campen Inn on summer Sundays as volunteer schedules permit, so in late fall plan on enjoying the village from the outside.
Van Campen Inn and the Military Road Trail
On the other side of Walpack Ridge, along Old Mine Road, stands the Van Campen Inn. The park’s history page notes this is one of the spots where you can still walk the old unpaved roadbed. If you want to stretch your legs, the one mile Military Road Trail connects the Van Campen Inn and Walpack Center, an alternative to driving between them.
Peters Valley School of Craft (Layton, Sandyston)
Peters Valley School of Craft is a craft school at 19 Kuhn Road in Layton, in Sandyston Township. Its Gallery lists hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., year round, closed Mondays. The same page also mentions appointment visits, so call 973-948-5202 before you go, especially in bad weather. On Saturdays and Sundays from May through October, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can take self guided studio tours; pick up a campus map at the Gallery to see which workshops are running. In late fall, the Gallery hosts its Handmade Holiday Event from Nov. 14 through Dec. 31, 2026.
Buttermilk Falls side trip
Buttermilk Falls, which the park service calls New Jersey’s tallest waterfall, sits right off gravel Mountain Road near Walpack Center. With the Walpack Center bridge and the Haneys Mill end of Mountain Road closed to vehicles, the current way in is Struble Road through Stokes State Forest to Mountain Road. Struble Road closes every year from December 15 through April 15. The falls can be seen from the road, and a 1.4 mile (one way) staircase trail climbs 1,104 feet to the Appalachian Trail. Swimming and wading are not permitted in the falls or within 50 feet upstream.
Millbrook Village (just over the line in Warren County)
Continue south on Old Mine Road and Millbrook Village appears at the intersection of Old Mine Road and Route 602, just over the county line in Warren County. The park service describes it as a recreation of a typical 19th century mill community, with buildings that are either original to the village or moved from their original sites, including an inn, a general store, homes and a mill. It is open year round from dawn to dusk, volunteers demonstrate skills like woodworking, weaving and blacksmithing on select weekends, and rangers lead evening lantern hikes in summer and fall. Millbrook has accessible restrooms, which makes it a natural midpoint break.
A simple loop to follow
- Start at Peters Valley in Layton and browse the Gallery (call ahead).
- Head to Stokes State Forest and take Struble Road to Mountain Road for Buttermilk Falls.
- Drive back around to Walpack Center for a stroll down the historic street. Do not try the closed Main Street bridge.
- Walk or drive to the Van Campen Inn.
- Finish south on Old Mine Road at Millbrook Village, then exit the park.
Because detours change with each closure, map your exact route the morning of your trip using the park’s conditions page rather than relying on a phone’s suggested route.
Know before you go
- Fees: There is no entrance fee for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. In New Jersey, the only expanded amenity fee site is Turtle Beach ($10 per vehicle per day), and that fee season ended October 13, 2026, per the park fees page. Touring the road is free.
- Season: The park lists spring, summer and fall as the season for this tour. Winter brings reduced services and seasonal road closures.
- Buildings: Many historic buildings are viewed from outside only and may not be accessible because of their age and historic status.
- Restrooms: The park lists accessible restrooms at Millbrook Village and Kittatinny Point.
- Pets: Pets are allowed on the tour. At Millbrook, leashed pets are welcome outdoors but not inside buildings.
- Navigation and supplies: Download offline maps and the park map before you leave, fill your tank, and pack water and snacks. Our team plans as if there will be no phone signal or stores along the way.
Turn the drive into a full fall day with our fall foliage hikes in Sussex County, our roundup of things to do in Sussex County in October, or more local history in our Sussex County Heritage Weekend guide.
Planning more time in the Skylands? See our guides to waterfalls in Sussex County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Mine Road open?
Parts of it close for repairs. As of spring 2026, the park listed a closure between Route 206 and Jager Road for repaving and one lane traffic near Van Campens Glen. Check the NPS conditions page on the day you go.
How long does it take to drive Old Mine Road?
The National Park Service suggests one to three hours to tour the road, depending on how many stops you make.
Is there a fee to drive Old Mine Road?
No. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area has no entrance fee. In New Jersey, only Turtle Beach charged an amenity fee in 2026, and that fee season ended October 13.
Is Millbrook Village in Sussex County?
No. Millbrook Village is just over the line in Warren County, at Old Mine Road and Route 602, a short drive south of Walpack.
Can you go inside the buildings at Walpack Center?
Sometimes. Walpack Historical Society volunteers open the Rosenkrans House and Van Campen Inn on summer Sundays as volunteer schedules permit. Outside that season, plan on viewing them from the outside.
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Primary sources for this guide: NPS Tour Old Mine Road, NPS Touring Old Mine Road history, NPS current conditions, NPS Old Mine Road construction release (April 2026), NPS Walpack Center, NPS Millbrook Village, NPS Buttermilk Falls, NPS Buttermilk Falls Trail, NPS fees and Peters Valley School of Craft.
Featured photo: the former Walpack Center general store. Photo by Ammodramus via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
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