West Milford’s Clinton Road looks ordinary at first glance—a narrow two-lane stretch that winds through miles of forest. But for generations of New Jersey residents, it’s been a rite of passage. Teenagers pile into cars, windows down, nerves up, headlights cutting through the dark. Everyone’s heard the stories. It’s even gained national recognition for being one of The 10 Scariest Places In the United States of America.
The road’s reputation didn’t come overnight. Its roots go back well over a century, to when the area was known as the “five mile woods.” Early travelers told stories of strange lights between the trees and figures that moved when the wind didn’t. In 1905, historical author J. Percy Crayon warned about the place, writing that the woods were home to robbers, counterfeiters, even witches. It’s the kind of local folklore that never really fades—similar to the Pine Barrens.
From Iron and Smoke to Stone and Mystery
Not far from Clinton Road stands the old Clinton Furnace, a relic from the area’s storied past; setting the tone for everything that came after. A few miles north, the forest once hid the grandest thing ever built here—Cross Castle.
In 1905, Richard J. Cross, a wealthy banker, built what locals would later call Cross Castle. He picked a spot high in the Bearfort Mountains, tucked between thick pines and rolling fog. The place was massive for its time—three stories of stone and wood, standing like something pulled from an old European novel.
When Cross died in 1917, the mansion didn’t stay grand for long. It slipped into decay, piece by piece. Eventually, people came looking for a thrill. They’d find the walls covered in strange markings, melted candles, and the kind of things that fuel stories.
By the 1980s, what little remained of the castle was falling in on itself. The Newark Watershed Commission finally tore it down, saying it was unsafe. But if you walk those woods today, people say the air still feels different there—heavy, still, like it remembers every whisper and footstep that’s ever passed through.
The Bridge That Tosses Back Coins
Every haunted place has one story that sticks, and Clinton Road has its Ghost Boy Bridge. People say a boy drowned there years ago, under the stone arch where Clinton Brook runs. If you throw a coin into the water, he’s said to throw it right back. Others claim to hear splashing when there’s no one near the creek, or see ripples move against the current.
It’s one of those stories no one can prove but everyone knows. And that’s the thing about Clinton Road—facts and folklore blend until it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.
True Crime in the Pines
Not all the road’s legends are ghost stories. In 1983, a cyclist discovered a body near the shoulder. The victim turned out to be one of Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski’s kills—the Mafia hitman who later confessed to dozens of murders. It was a reminder that the real story of Clinton Road didn’t always come from elements of the supernatural.
Flickering Lights and Lingering Fear
Over the years, drivers have shared eerie stories—headlights that appear out of nowhere, glowing orbs weaving through the trees, figures vanishing in rearview mirrors. Some mention KKK gatherings, others satanic cults or strange gatherings near where Cross Castle once stood. A few even swear they’ve seen animals with red eyes dart across the road before disappearing into the woods.
And then there’s the traffic light at Route 23—infamously long, holding red for more than two minutes. People say it’s the hardest place in the world to sit still when you know what’s hiding in the dark.
The Legend Lives On
Clinton Road remains what it’s always been. Part mystery. Part memory. Part warning. It’s the kind of story passed down through high school tales, Halloween drives, and late-night radio.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, one rule has survived the decades: never get out of the car.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.