High Point State Park Monument Road

The approach to High Point Monument cuts through some of the roughest terrain in northwestern New Jersey before crossing into New York’s Shawangunk Mountains. The route follows old CCC-built fire roads and maintenance tracks through dense hardwood forest, with technical rocky sections that’ll test your suspension around Sawmill Lake. The real payoff comes at the New York border crossing near Lake Rutherford, where you drop into a network of abandoned quarry roads that wind through the Shawangunk conglomerate formations.

Moderate difficulty with several rocky climbs requiring low-range 4WD and good articulation. Stock high-clearance trucks handle it fine, but skid plates are smart given the sharp Shawangunk quartzite ledges. Best tackled April through November when the seasonal gates are open. No permits needed but camping is restricted to designated areas in Stokes State Forest. The views from the ridge system stretch across three states — worth every scraped rock slider.