Hike to two pretty waterfalls – one stepped and the other angled – along Stony Brook.
1.0 or 3.8 miles. Surface is easy to just the falls. Silver Mine loop has a very rocky section.
| 1.0 or 3.8 miles | This hike guide: Detailed instructions, photos, video, follow below. 1.0 miles – Hike two waterfalls. 3.8 miles – Hike two waterfalls + Silver Mine Trail. |
| Variation | Stony Lake Loop. Could also combine with this hike. |
| Nearby Hikes, same park | Sunrise Mountain; Culvers Gap to Blue Mountain; Sunrise Mountain to Culvers Gap; Blue Mountain Loop – Lower; Blue Mountain Loop – Upper. |
Our two cents:
Short, easy hike to beautiful stepped waterfall (also known as “Stepping Stone Falls”), a sloped waterfall, with several nearby cascades, all along Stony Brook.
Extend the hike using the Silver Mine trail with the directions below (generally moderate except for a super rocky section), Blue Mountain Loop, or one of many other trails in Stokes.
As with all waterfalls, flow will be best in Spring or after a lot of rain.
Updated: 10/2023 – Minor edits; re-hiked.
Hike Info:
Map:
Use the Kittatinny Trails or the map on the park site. Follow along on your smartphone with our Interactive Map link above.
Parking: N41.20638° W74.77501°
Stokes State Forest, 1 Coursen Rd, Branchville, NJ 07826. Note: This is for the main entrance at the park office. The hike starts at the Kittle Field parking lot which has no street address.
Take Rt 206 North until you enter Stokes, pass Rt 636 (which leads to Sunrise Mountain Road) and then turn right at the sign for the park entrance. Continue past the visitor center lot on Coursen Rd and make a left at the end to get to the Kittle Field lot.
Fee: Charged from Memorial to Labor day. Info on the NJ State Park Pass.
Related: Waterfalls in NJ / Best Waterfall Hikes in NJ
Restrooms:
Bathroom building is across the road from the parking lot, in a picnic area. Also at the visitor center.
Hike Directions:
Overview – 1 mile hike: Stony Brook (BROWN)
Overview – 3.8 mile hike: Stony Brook (BROWN) – Silver Mine (ORANGE) – Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) – Stony Brook (BROWN]
Cross the park road to start following Stony Brook (BROWN) at the trail kiosk.
Continue past the bathroom building. Stony Brook (BROWN) also goes right, which you’ll hit on the way back.
Stony Brook (BROWN) is a wide easy woods road.
0.3 – Near the start of the Silver Mine (ORANGE) trail, turn LEFT away from that and walk towards the stream. There’s a path but we didn’t spot any markers.
A cascade tumbles over rocks near the remnants of a stone wall from an old sawmill site.
Walk along Stony Brook to get different views of the cascades.
A little further down from the stone walls the fall appear to cascade over short steps. Stony Brook Falls is also known as “Stepping Stone Falls”.
With less flow the steps are much more pronounced (October 2020).
If there’s been a lot of recent rain there might be another cascade coming down the hill and spilling into the stream.
This is a pretty little cascade that slides over roots and rocks and then falls into a pool in the stream below.
It’s not always flowing though, when we hiked here in October 2020 it was totally dry. It was also a mere trickle in October of 2023 and appeared to be blocked by fallen branches.
Return to Stony Brook (BROWN) and turn RIGHT to head back.
* Longer Variation, 3.8 miles total – skip to the section below then return here*
0.6 – Once back near bathroom building, turn LEFT and follow Stony Brook (BROWN) a short distance to the second falls.
This waterfall cascades down a short sharp angle that is slightly stepped.
Standing closer and to the side shows the angle better.
The angled rock face is visible during less water flow (October 2020).
Retrace Stony Brook (BROWN) a short distance to the parking lot.
Stony Brook Falls / Silver Mine Loop (3.8 mile version):
From the “Stepping Stone Falls” along Stony Brook, return to Stony Brook (BROWN) and pick up Silver Mine (ORANGE).
Continue following Silver Mine (ORANGE).
0.7 – Turn RIGHT at the sign to take a short side trail to the Silver Mine. The sign is no longer orange and is a less noticeable wooden board with grey letters now.
The mine is just a small hole with a fence over it but it’s in a nice setting that can make a nice break spot.
Yup this is all there is to the mine. Possibly not quite what you were expecting?
Retrace and turn RIGHT to continue on Silver Mine (ORANGE).
1.6 – The long concrete wall is the remains of a dam and is marked Dry Lake on the park map.
Continue following Silver Mine (ORANGE) through a very rocky area.
2.0 – Turn LEFT to now follow Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE). [Silver Mine (ORANGE) ends, Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) also goes right]
2.7 – Continue following Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) as it makes a LEFT. [Pass BLUE/BLACK].
2.9 – Start following Stony Brook (BROWN). Don’t go over the bridge. [Blue Mountain Loop (BLUE) leaves to the right, over the bridge].
Pass Stepping Stones Waterfall from earlier, seen from above.
3.2 – Continue on Stony Brook (BROWN) passing the Silver Mine (ORANGE) trail from earlier, on the left.
Continue Stony Brook (BROWN) until back at the bathroom building.
* Return to the description above at 0.6 to continue to the other waterfall. *
—
Hiked: 10/1/23. w/Stony Lake Loop + Buttermilk/Silver Spray Falls.
Hiked: 10/18/20. Falls only w/Stony Lake Loop + Culvers Gap to Culvers Tower.
Hiked: 4/13/19.