Tillman Ravine at Stokes State Forest

Why We Love Tillman Ravine

The temperature drops the moment you start down into it. That is the first thing most people notice at Tillman Ravine, a designated Natural Area at the southern end of Stokes State Forest in Sussex County, where a thick stand of eastern hemlock keeps the shale and sandstone gorge cool and dim even in late July. Tillman Brook rises from a spring high on the Kittatinny ridge, runs year round, and cuts straight through the middle of the ravine, dropping over cascades and sliding down smooth rock chutes the whole way. Roughly 25 acres of the forest here is old growth, which is close to unheard of in this state, and the ravine is protected habitat for barred owls.

The Tea Cup and the Waterfalls

The signature stop is the Tea Cup, where the brook slides down an angled slab and swirls into a round bowl worn into the bedrock. Geologists call the formation a pothole, carved over centuries by sand and gravel spinning in the current. A rib of exposed rock splits the falls in two just above the pool, then the water rejoins below it. It is the most photographed spot in the forest, and deservedly so. Spring runoff makes the falls loudest; late summer quiets them to a trickle.

Trees and Wildlife

The Tillman Ravine Natural Area protects 525 acres of coniferous and deciduous forest, with about 25 acres of old-growth eastern hemlock following the gorge. Mountain laurel and rhododendron crowd the slopes and bloom into early summer. The barred owl nests here, and the ravine is one of the reasons the state folded this ground into its Natural Areas System. Pair a morning here with the broader trail network in Stokes State Forest or continue down the road to check out Buttermilk Falls, New Jersey’s tallest waterfall.

Making a Longer Day of It

Buttermilk Falls, the tallest waterfall in New Jersey, sits a few miles down the mountain and can be seen from its parking area with no hiking at all. Walpack Cemetery is a short walk or a short drive from the lower lot. Strung together, they make a solid half day of waterfall hikes in Sussex County.

Planning Your Visit

Tillman Ravine sits deep inside the forest off Struble Road in Sandyston, so budget drive time on gravel. Vehicle access to the ravine is restricted from December 15 to April 15, or whenever weather makes the roads hazardous; during those months you park at the pull-off near the 4-H camp and walk in. Wear real shoes, the descent is steep and often slick. The full loop takes most families well under an hour, which leaves plenty of daylight for the wider forest. For more nearby hikes, browse our Sandyston outdoor guide.

Parking and Getting There

Two free lots sit along Tillman Road, linked by trail, with rustic latrines at both. Bring your own paper. The lots fill on summer weekends, so an early start pays off. Vehicle access closes from December 15 to April 15, or any time conditions turn hazardous, and in those months you park at the pull off next to the 4-H camp and walk in. Signage off Route 206 is easy to miss, so pin the lower lot before you lose cell service in Sandyston.