Shotwell Camping Area
Campground
Campground · 1.0 mi from the trail
New Jersey · Hiking · Near Hackettstown
Lead Mine Trail
Photo: Garden State Hiker, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 0.7 mi
- one way
- 148 ft
- climb
- 1,035 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
Lead Mine Trail is a short, easy hike in Stokes State Forest in New Jersey, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is 0.67 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 148 feet, and it rises from about 884 feet to about 1,035 feet. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.21 miles in, where the grade reaches 8 percent. The trail works well as a quick outing. It takes about half an hour to walk, and the route is point to point rather than a loop. Bikes and horses are both allowed, so it suits riders and equestrians as well as hikers. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 74°F, with July the warmest month at about 83°F. That station sits roughly 370 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Several other trails start close by. Stony Lake Trail and Coursen Trail are each about 0.6 miles away, Tower Trail is about 0.8 miles away, and Silver Mine Trail is about 2 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Gyp's Tavern
Bar
On your way back · 1 mi
If it rainsZeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsZinc mine and museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)
More in HackettstownBest time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Lead Mine Trail
Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
35° / 17°
11 wet · 5 snow
Feb
38° / 18°
9 wet · 5 snow
Mar
47° / 25°
11 wet · 3 snow
Apr
60° / 36°
12 wet
May
71° / 46°
13 wet
Jun
78° / 55°
11 wet
Jul
83° / 60°
11 wet
Aug
81° / 59°
11 wet
Sep
74° / 51°
10 wet
Oct
63° / 40°
11 wet
Nov
51° / 31°
10 wet · 1 snow
Dec
40° / 23°
11 wet · 3 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sussex 3 Wnw, NJ, 6.4 mi away at 667 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Coursen Trail
~1 min drive
1.23-mile point-to-point trail in New Jersey with 155 ft elevation gain
Photo: j-dub1980(THANK YOU FOR 100k+ Views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Steffen Trail
~4 min drive
Steffen Trail is a 1.25-mile point-to-point trail in New Jersey with 110 feet of elevation gain.
HIKE
Blue Mountain Loop Trail
~4 min drive
A 16.43-mile point-to-point mountain trail in New Jersey.
Photo: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Stony Lake Trail
~1 min drive
Quick point-to-point walk to Stony Lake with minimal elevation gain.
HIKE
Willow Crest Trail
~11 min drive
2.62-mile loop trail in New Jersey with 566 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Stony Brook Trail
~3 min drive
A 2.22-mile point-to-point creek-side hike through New Jersey woodland.
Photo: j-dub1980(THANK YOU FOR 100k+ Views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Red Maple Trail
~4 min drive
4.89-mile point-to-point trail in New Jersey with 1,006 ft of descent.
Photo: j-dub1980(THANK YOU FOR 100k+ Views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Geology Trail
~4 min drive
1.4-mile out-and-back hike in New Jersey with 201 ft elevation gain.
Photo: j-dub1980(THANK YOU FOR 100k+ Views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Tinsley Trail
~5 min drive
1.99-mile point-to-point trail in New Jersey with 371 ft elevation gain.
Photo: j-dub1980(THANK YOU FOR 100k+ Views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Swenson Trail
~5 min drive
0.84-mile point-to-point trail in New Jersey with 117 ft elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
