New Jersey may not be home to massive glacial caverns but we still have a few caves hidden away. Some are easily accessible while others are for the more adventurous. Either way, there is a cave on this list for almost any taste. What we lack in stalagmites, we make up for with charm. Here are some of the most otherworldly caves in New Jersey.
- Crooked Swamp Cave, Layfayette Township
Flickr/Robert Peal
Flickr/Robert Peal The cave at Crooked Swamp Cave Preserve is located on a much larger wildlife preserve that includes a Great Blue Heron rookery. The cave itself is not open to the public following a 1982 tragedy but can be accessed by advanced spelunkers through guided tours offered via the New Jersey Cave Conservancy. It’s one of the most remarkable NJ caves. CROOKED SWAMP CAVE PRESERVE Layfayette Township, Sussex County
- The Caves At Jenny Jump State Forest, Great Meadows
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli There are several small caves in this state forest, many open to adventurous hikers. Faery Hole Cave is the largest of the New Jersey caves within Jenny Jump State Forest the park and many interesting artifacts have been found there. Significantly smaller is Fairly Low Cave which lives up to its moniker. Though the cave is over 160 feet long, it is only four feet high. Jenny Jump State Forest, 330 State Park Rd, Hope, NJ 07844, USA
- Sybil’s Cave Park, Hoboken
Flickr/Jazz Guy A visit to Sybil’s Cave Park will allow you to see a historic man-made cave with a natural spring. One of America’s first big murder mysteries centered around this particular cave; the body of a young store clerk was found there in the 1840s. Edgar Allen Poe went on to use it as the basis for his short story, “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt.” Sybil’s Cave is one of the most interesting caves in New Jersey. Sybil’s Cave, Frank Sinatra Dr, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
- Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg
Facebook/Sterling Hill Mine Tour & Museum
Facebook/Sterling Hill Mine Tour & Museum The easiest-to-access underground adventure in New Jersey, Sterling Hill Mine is open regularly for tours. Located in Sussex County, The Mine is surrounded by fossil and rock discovery centers, making it a great place for family fun. The Museum of Fluorescence is one of many amazing attractions located on the mine’s grounds and it is home to one of the largest fluorescent mineral collections in the world. You will absolutely love exploring Sterling Hill Mine, one of the most otherworldly caverns in New Jersey. Sterling Hill Mining Museum, 30 Plant St, Ogdensburg, NJ 07439, USA
Have you ever checked out any of these caves in New Jersey? The Garden State actually offers more caves and grottoes than you might imagine, though most are on private property. If you’re interested in exploring them, consider joining a regional spelunking group that will afford you greater access. According to legend, there are caves hidden under the streets of Carlstadt; how many others are hiding below? Share your spelunking spots in the comments.
Flickr/Robert Peal
The cave at Crooked Swamp Cave Preserve is located on a much larger wildlife preserve that includes a Great Blue Heron rookery. The cave itself is not open to the public following a 1982 tragedy but can be accessed by advanced spelunkers through guided tours offered via the New Jersey Cave Conservancy. It’s one of the most remarkable NJ caves.
CROOKED SWAMP CAVE PRESERVE Layfayette Township, Sussex County
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
There are several small caves in this state forest, many open to adventurous hikers. Faery Hole Cave is the largest of the New Jersey caves within Jenny Jump State Forest the park and many interesting artifacts have been found there. Significantly smaller is Fairly Low Cave which lives up to its moniker. Though the cave is over 160 feet long, it is only four feet high.
Jenny Jump State Forest, 330 State Park Rd, Hope, NJ 07844, USA
Flickr/Jazz Guy
A visit to Sybil’s Cave Park will allow you to see a historic man-made cave with a natural spring. One of America’s first big murder mysteries centered around this particular cave; the body of a young store clerk was found there in the 1840s. Edgar Allen Poe went on to use it as the basis for his short story, “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt.” Sybil’s Cave is one of the most interesting caves in New Jersey.
Sybil’s Cave, Frank Sinatra Dr, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
Facebook/Sterling Hill Mine Tour & Museum
The easiest-to-access underground adventure in New Jersey, Sterling Hill Mine is open regularly for tours. Located in Sussex County, The Mine is surrounded by fossil and rock discovery centers, making it a great place for family fun. The Museum of Fluorescence is one of many amazing attractions located on the mine’s grounds and it is home to one of the largest fluorescent mineral collections in the world. You will absolutely love exploring Sterling Hill Mine, one of the most otherworldly caverns in New Jersey.
Sterling Hill Mining Museum, 30 Plant St, Ogdensburg, NJ 07439, USA
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Caves In New Jersey January 01, 2023 Melissa M.
What are some of the best hidden gems in New Jersey?
Some of the best hidden gems in New Jersey include the following 10 places:
Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge in Stockton Buttermilk Falls at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin
The Hermitage Museum in Ho-Ho-Kus
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach Rutgers Garden in New Brunswick Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Galloway
Weber’s Drive-In in Pennsauken Township
Columbia Wildlife Management Area in Knowlton
Seven Mile Island in Stone Harbor
What are some of the best hikes in New Jersey? For some of the best hiking in New Jersey, take one of the following 10 trails:
Tillman Ravine at Stokes State Forest, 2.3 miles
Hawk Rock Viewpoint at Ramapo County Valley Reservation, 2 miles
Hacklebarney State Park, 6 miles of trails
Cove Trail at Manasquan Reservoir, 1.1 miles
Plant Discovery Trail at Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood, 0.5 miles
Goat Hill Overlook at Washington Crossing State Park in West Amwell Township, 2 miles
Yellowbook Trail at Cattus Island Park in Toms River, 1.5 miles
Gateway National Recreation Area Loop in Highlands, 11 miles
Henry Hudson Trail at Henry Hudson Trail County Park in Middletown Township, 28 mile Cape May Point Trail in Cape May, two miles
Check out these 12 hikes in New Jersey, one for each month of the year.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Caves In New Jersey
January 01, 2023
Melissa M.
What are some of the best hidden gems in New Jersey?
Some of the best hidden gems in New Jersey include the following 10 places:
Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge in Stockton Buttermilk Falls at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin
The Hermitage Museum in Ho-Ho-Kus
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach Rutgers Garden in New Brunswick Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Galloway
Weber’s Drive-In in Pennsauken Township
Columbia Wildlife Management Area in Knowlton
Seven Mile Island in Stone Harbor
What are some of the best hikes in New Jersey? For some of the best hiking in New Jersey, take one of the following 10 trails:
Tillman Ravine at Stokes State Forest, 2.3 miles
Hawk Rock Viewpoint at Ramapo County Valley Reservation, 2 miles
Hacklebarney State Park, 6 miles of trails
Cove Trail at Manasquan Reservoir, 1.1 miles
Plant Discovery Trail at Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood, 0.5 miles
Goat Hill Overlook at Washington Crossing State Park in West Amwell Township, 2 miles
Yellowbook Trail at Cattus Island Park in Toms River, 1.5 miles
Gateway National Recreation Area Loop in Highlands, 11 miles
Henry Hudson Trail at Henry Hudson Trail County Park in Middletown Township, 28 mile Cape May Point Trail in Cape May, two miles
Check out these 12 hikes in New Jersey, one for each month of the year.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Some of the best hidden gems in New Jersey include the following 10 places:
Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge in Stockton
Buttermilk Falls at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin
The Hermitage Museum in Ho-Ho-Kus
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach
Rutgers Garden in New Brunswick
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Galloway
Weber’s Drive-In in Pennsauken Township
Columbia Wildlife Management Area in Knowlton
Seven Mile Island in Stone Harbor
What are some of the best hikes in New Jersey?
For some of the best hiking in New Jersey, take one of the following 10 trails:
Tillman Ravine at Stokes State Forest, 2.3 miles
Hawk Rock Viewpoint at Ramapo County Valley Reservation, 2 miles
Hacklebarney State Park, 6 miles of trails
Cove Trail at Manasquan Reservoir, 1.1 miles
Plant Discovery Trail at Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood, 0.5 miles
Goat Hill Overlook at Washington Crossing State Park in West Amwell Township, 2 miles
Yellowbook Trail at Cattus Island Park in Toms River, 1.5 miles
Gateway National Recreation Area Loop in Highlands, 11 miles
Henry Hudson Trail at Henry Hudson Trail County Park in Middletown Township, 28 mile
Cape May Point Trail in Cape May, two miles
Check out these 12 hikes in New Jersey, one for each month of the year.
