Sussex Branch Trail

The Sussex Branch Trail, From Ore Cars to Foot Traffic

Mule teams once hauled iron ore along this route. The Sussex Branch Trail follows the bed of the old Sussex Mine Railroad, which opened in 1851 to move ore from the Andover mines toward the Morris Canal. Trains ran here until 1966, and the state turned the abandoned right-of-way into a rail trail after acquiring it in 1979 and 1982. Today the Sussex Branch Trail runs roughly 20 miles across Sussex County, from Branchville in the north down to Byram Township in the south, passing through Newton and Andover on the way. It is flat, wide, and easy to follow, which is exactly why we send first-time hikers and young families here before anywhere else.

What the Walk Is Like

The surface is unpaved, a mix of packed dirt, grass, and old rail cinder. Most of it stays level, because trains needed gentle grades, so a stroller or a hybrid bike handles it fine. One stretch about 1,500 feet north of Route 206 turns to coarse gravel, and narrow road tires struggle there. The trail crosses the boggy lowland of the Newton Meadows, ducks under heavy tree cover, and steps over slow streams on old timber bridges. Turtles line up on the logs in spring, and the marsh gets loud with frogs at dusk.

Getting There and Parking

The easiest access sits inside Kittatinny Valley State Park, where the trail cuts through the middle of the park. There is a large lot where the trail crosses Route 206, about 0.7 mile south of Goodale Road, plus parking at the main park entrance and near Lake Aeroflex. All of it is free, with no day-use fee.

Rides, Runs, and Winter Miles

Because the grade barely changes, the Sussex Branch Trail works for almost any pace. We see road cyclists logging steady miles, parents towing kids in bike trailers, and runners using the soft cinder to save their knees. Horseback riders share the corridor, and when snow piles up the path turns into a cross-country ski and even a dog-sled route. At Warbasse Junction it meets the Paulinskill Valley Trail, a 27-mile cinder line, so you can stitch together a much longer North Jersey day. Leashed dogs are welcome the whole way. For more places to stretch your legs, browse other Sussex County parks and trails.

The Sussex Branch Trail is open every day of the year and managed out of the Kittatinny Valley State Park office at 199 Goodale Road, Newton, NJ 07860, reachable at (973) 786-6445. Check the park’s page on the NJDEP website before you head out for current conditions and any section closures.