New Jersey is one of the most beautiful states with many stunning parks and breathtaking beaches to enjoy.

However, if you come to the Garden State in search of something a little bit darker to explore, then fear not because there are plenty of spooky spots to be found too.

Murder, mayhem, and madness are in abundance in some of New Jersey’s paranormal hotspots.

Here are New Jersey’s ten most haunted places…

1. Devil's Tower, Alpine

Devil's Tower in Apline, New Jersey
Devil’s Tower in Apline, New Jersey

The Devil’s Tower is a hidden gem for fans of the paranormal…

Tucked away in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in New Jersey, this magnificent tower was built by plantation owner Manuel Rionda because he wanted his wife to have a panoramic view of New York City!

However, she supposedly looked from the tower and saw her husband with another woman causing her to throw herself from the tower.

There have been several attempts to demolish the tower, but each time one or more of the construction workers ended up dying in fall-related accidents and so the tower remains standing.

It is also said that odd noises and screams come from inside the tower and if you circle it 6 times a ghastly apparition will manifest!

2. Burlington County Prison, Mount Holly

Burlington County Prison in Mount Holly, New jersey
Burlington County Prison in Mount Holly, New jersey

Burlington County Prison has now been transformed into a museum, but that cannot erase the years of executions and murders within the walls all of which have left a stain on the building.

There is even a body buried on the site!

The most active spots are said to be the basement and the ‘death cell’ with some of the reported phenomena including disembodied screams, cold spots, a feeling of being watched and construction workers having their tools moved around!

3. Lambertville High School, Lambertville

Lambertville High School in Lambertville, New Jersey
Lambertville High School in Lambertville, New Jersey

It seems to be increasingly common for old schools to be haunted and one such location is Lambertville High School.

The school has a tragic legend connected with it that began in 1935 with the death of a student from a rival school. It is said that a young boy died during the annual Thanksgiving ‘Turkey Bowl’ football game when his neck was broken during a particularly rough tackle.

As an interesting side note, the boy’s parents petitioned for New Hope to ban football as being too dangerous, and to this day the school has no football team!

Anyway, the spirit of this boy was said to haunt Lambertville High School from that day forward.

The school closed in the fifties and soon became a popular hangout for local teens. It wasn’t long before stories began to circulate about a ghostly figure appearing in the school.

However, things tool a tragic turn one night when some rowdy, drunk teens were making fun of the dead boy and issued him a challenge.

Allegedly, two of the boys in the group died under unexplained circumstances that night, but it is difficult to find documented evidence of this.

The school was demolished in 2012, but the hauntings persist and those visiting the site where it once stood to say they have experienced cold spots and a general sense of uneasiness.

Some have also spotted an apparition of the boy.

4. Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, Parsippany

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany, New Jersey
Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany, New Jersey

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital opened in 1876 when it was originally known as New Jersey Lunatic Asylum.

At the time, the imposing 675,000 square foot building was built on the largest continuous foundation in the world.

It was built with the intention of housing hundreds of patients, but eventually, it managed to pack in over 7,500 patients.

One of those patients was the famous songwriter Woody Guthrie who was admitted for treatment of Huntington’s disease in the 1950s.

5. The Pine Barrens, South Jersey

The Pine Barrens in South Jersey, NJ
The Pine Barrens in South Jersey

The Pine Barrens is a huge stretch of wilderness that spans seven counties in South Jersey. It is well known for being one of the most beautiful places in the state, but it also has a darker side and is one of the most haunted places in New Jersey.

There is a very real threat here of forest fires since recent reports have shown that a substantial forest fire in Pine Barrens would likely lead to one of the biggest forest fires in history.

However, aside from that Pine Barrens is also said to be the stomping ground of the famous Jersey Devil.

6. Shades of Death Road, Warren County

Shades of Death Road in Warren County, New Jersey
Shades of Death Road in Warren County, New Jersey

With a name like Shades of Death Road, you should already have at least some small inkling of what you should expect from this spooky spot. The name alone is enough to prompt uneasiness among travelers!

The road looks fairly pleasant by day, but those who venture this way after dark tell a different story!

Shades of Death Road has a dark history with the murder count stacking up through the centuries including the hanging of Native Americans and stagecoach robberies that have gone wrong!

Many travelers have reported strange lights and apparitions of those who have met their end on this spooky stretch of road.

7. The Devil's Tree, Bernards Township

Devil's Tree in Bernards Township, New Jersey
Devil’s Tree in Bernards Township, New Jersey

When talking about haunted locations, you might expect to hear of hospitals, prisons, and even residences. However, one of the most haunted locations in New Jersey is actually a tree – The Devil’s Tree to be exact!

There are various spooky legends that surround this creepy old tree in Bernards Township…

Some say that it was routinely used for lynchings in the past and there are also stories that a man murdered his family and then came to the tree where he proceeded to hang himself.

It is said to be cursed and locals say that anyone who defaces or otherwise disrespects the tree ends up facing some kind of disaster.

The strangest thing about the tree itself is that it is apparently warm to the touch, even in the dead of winter and it is said that any snow that falls will instantly melt on and around the tree.

8. The Gates of Hell, Clifton

The Gates of Hell in Clifton, New Jersey
The Gates of Hell in Clifton, New Jersey

Whenever a place is known as The Gates of Hell, you can be sure that there is some kind of horrifying tale connected with it and this network of tunnels and storm drains in Clifton, New Jersey is no exception.

It may or may not be an actual Hell Mouth, but regardless it is a place that is bound to give you nightmares. Quite aside from the paranormal aspect, this creepy spot is extremely dangerous and is known to flood rapidly with foul-smelling water!

The scary tales that relate to it include witnesses finding animal bones leftover from sacrifices, strange whispers coming out of the darkness, hidden rooms, and of course that much-hyped portal to Hell which is said to be guarded by a spirit known as Red Eyed Mike.

This may be one of the most haunted places in New Jersey, but we would advise exercising extreme caution if you choose to visit – it has been suggested there may be more to fear from the living who frequent this spot than from the dead!

9. Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, Trenton

Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, Trenton

Psychiatric hospitals always make a good spot for a haunting thanks to the high concentration of death and trauma that they have usually seen. Many of the old psychiatric facilities in New Jersey have been demolished, but one still remains and it is one of the most haunted spots in New Jersey.

Trenton Psychiatric Hospital has a dark past marred by allegations of torture and other terrors.

It is said that the hospital director, Dr. Henry Cotton, believed that he could cure mental illness by removing organs.

He very often experimented with such procedures without the use of anesthesia and dozens of patients died under his care.

It comes as no surprise that the spirits of his victims are still trapped in the building can be heard screaming or even manifesting as shadow figures.

10. Clinton Road, West Milford

Clinton Road in West Milford, New Jersey
Clinton Road in West Milford, New Jersey

Clinton Road in Milford is well known as being the most haunted road in America and it is not at all difficult to understand why!

It seems like there are supernatural tales from every single area of the paranormal linked to Clinton Road including devil worshipers, witches, ghosts, and strange creatures!

There has been at least one documented murder victim discovered here, a victim of mob hitman Richard ‘Iceman’ Kuklinski.

The most common tale relates to the ghost of a little boy who hangs out under a bridge and returns coins that are thrown into the water.

Other unexplained occurrences that have been reported include a ghostly Camaro driven by a female spirit, two park rangers who died on the job back in the 1930s, and several unexplained animals.

It is thought that the animals could have a rational explanation. The nearby Jungle Habitat attraction was closed in 1976 and many animals were apparently released into the woods where they may have crossbred with native species.

There is also said to be active Satan worship and KKK activity happening in the woods surrounding Clinton Road and it is recommended that those visiting at night do not get out of their car!

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