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View Full Version : Stairway to Heaven (NJ) with Kids



hikerfriend
10-06-2014, 10:34
I am looking to do a short afternoon hike on the AT with young kids (ages 4 thru 14) and the Stairway to Heaven section of Wawayanda State Park in Warwick seems like a nice choice, offering nice views and rugged terrain.
Is it possible to do a 3 hour loop of the trail, or am I forced to hike back to my car?
Are the only parking areas near the Stairway to Heaven on Rt. 94, or can I park on Barrett Rd. inside the park?

hikerfriend
10-06-2014, 13:05
The park ranger suggested I park at the main office in Wantage and make my way all the way to the Stairway to Heaven section, which is about a 3 hour hike. But I am wondering if parking on Barrett Rd is a shorter alternative.

perrito
10-06-2014, 16:37
You should definitely be able to park on Barrett. Check the info here (http://appalachiantrail.rohland.org/).
Beats the climb!

Shipfixer
10-06-2014, 18:29
Parking is definitely available for about four cars at Barrett Rd. If you hike south, you wind up at the top of the stairway-to-heaven. A short blue blazed trail leads to the Pinwheel Vista overlook.
Enjoy the hike!

Shipfixer

rocketsocks
10-06-2014, 19:04
Who'd a thunk the stairway to heaven runs through NJ...never been there.

kayak karl
10-06-2014, 20:41
Who'd a thunk the stairway to heaven runs through NJ...never been there. its just the approach trail ;)

freightliner
10-06-2014, 21:13
You might want to think about doing the Terrance Pond loop off of Clinton Road I used to live back there and it's pretty nice good for kids

rocketsocks
10-06-2014, 21:13
its just the approach trail ;)
Nice............28567

2015 Lady Thru-Hiker
10-06-2014, 23:07
Parking is definitely available for about four cars at Barrett Rd. If you hike south, you wind up at the top of the stairway-to-heaven. A short blue blazed trail leads to the Pinwheel Vista overlook.
Enjoy the hike!

Shipfixer

A very nice hike with beautiful views
28571

Be sure to look for the Blaze people :)
2857228573

Offshore
10-07-2014, 07:44
Parking on Barrett Rd. may be tough on a weekend in foliage season. The hike to Pinwheel Vista from the south is definitely a easier than coming up the Stairway to Heaven off of 94, but I see lots of families with kids and dogs taking the "stairs" - it's a bit of bouldering in places but not impossible - just keep your eyes on the younger ones. The other plusses are that parking - even on weekends - is a lot easier on 94 and after the hike you can walk across 94 and go for pie and ice cream at Heaven Hill Farm about 700 feet north of the AT crossing on 94. There's also a lot of kids stuff going on there - pumpkin patch, hayride, corn maze, and rides. If the stairway proves too much for the younger ones you can head SB on the AT across 94 and take an easy hike though a pasture, across some mild upland terrain and across the Pochuck Boardwalk section as a Plan B. I'm going in a couple of weeks with friends and their 2 and 3 year olds. We plan to take the stairway, have lunch at Pinwheel Vista, head back down and then go for ice cream.

hikerfriend
10-07-2014, 23:49
If the stairway proves too much for the younger ones you can head SB on the AT across 94 and take an easy hike though a pasture, across some mild upland terrain and across the Pochuck Boardwalk section as a Plan B.


I plan on going during the week, so I hope parking shouldn't be much of an issue on Barrett. Where is the Pochuck Suspension Bridge located? Is it near the AT parking on 94?
Also - how far is Pinwheel Vista off the AT on top of the Stairway? Is the trail to the vista well marked?

Offshore
10-08-2014, 07:22
I plan on going during the week, so I hope parking shouldn't be much of an issue on Barrett. Where is the Pochuck Suspension Bridge located? Is it near the AT parking on 94?
Also - how far is Pinwheel Vista off the AT on top of the Stairway? Is the trail to the vista well marked?

Suspension bridge - a mile or so southbound on the AT from the AT crossing on 94. You'll go over a fence (ladder/stairs provided), through a pasture, over a railroad track and into to a marshy upland with boards on the wetter portions. . The AT continues through a wooded upland area (terrain easier than that of Barrett Road to Pinwheel Vista) and opens up onto the Pochuck Creek valley, a large wetland. There is a boardwalk that leads to the bridge.

Pinwheel Vista - Heading SB on the AT from Barrett Road, head up and slightly beyond the peak of Waywayanda Mountain. Ignore the mailbox and sign on the tree on the top of Waywayanda - this points to an old unmaintained trail with no view. Once just over the top, continue on the AT for a short distance and look for a large rock cairn against a tree to your right with a blue start-of-trail blaze. Follow the blue blazes for a short (maybe 0.1 - 0.2 miles) hike to the Vista. It's pretty well marked.

Parts of these routes will have high grasses across the trail this time of year, so use best practices for ticks. Hiking with kids should provide enough sound so as not to surprise bears, but realize that you are in the heart of bear country. Keep the group together and review with them the proper procedures when encountering a bear on the trail.

The best trail map for this hike is the NY NJ Trail Conference map 116 - North Jersey West. Its available from the NYNJTC site or Amazon. If you want one sooner, you can download Avenza PDF Maps for iOS or Android. NYNJTC maps are available for Avenza and work really well on a phone. NYNJTC also has a free Pochuck Boardwalk map available for download on their site.

hikerfriend
10-26-2014, 08:37
Just wanted to inform everyone that we ended up doing this hike from the 94 up and right back down the Stairway to Heaven. Parking was plentiful on the 94 trailhead across from the Heaven Hill Farm. I went with my wife, and my two sons ages 14 and 4. The hike up was long and tough, but we met many people on the way - even a pair of men in their 70s. The way down was also really tough, but we made good timing. The 4 year old needed to be carried part of the way down, which made it even tougher.
But it was all worth it when enjoying the gorgeous views from the top.

And those damn ladybugs that assault you from the top of Pinwheel Vista!

hikerfriend
10-26-2014, 08:40
Offshore - thanks for the tip about Avenza PDF maps. The blue marker really kept us motivated when climbing the Stairway.