New Jersey · Rock climbing · Cranberry Lake · Near Hackettstown

d. Smiley Face

7 routes
5.3 – 5.9-
Top Rope
Apr, Aug–Oct
best months

d. Smiley Face is a rock climbing area in New Jersey, about 0.3 miles from the community of Cranberry Lake. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with c. Smiley Slopes and g. Walsh each about 0.1 mile away and h. Kovalcik about 0.2 mile off. The area is small and compact, so it works well as a short stop or a base for exploring the surrounding crags. The climbing here is all top rope, and the routes run from about 5.3 to 5.9- on the YDS scale. First Notch + Middle Face is the easiest at 5.3, and Sound No Fury is the hardest at 5.9-. The median grade is 5.6, so the area suits climbers looking for a range of moderate to slightly harder toprope routes. For a change of pace, the Sussex Branch Trail is about 0.3 mile away and Cranberry Overlook about 0.9 mile. Paddlers can reach the Musconetcong River roughly 3.9 miles off, and Lake Hopatcong is about 5.6 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Panther Lake Camping Resort

    Campground

    Campground · 0.7 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Salt

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi
  • If it rainsZeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Sterling Hill Mining Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 11 mi from Hackettstown

    Zinc mine and museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Hackettstown
  • Best time to go · Apr, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit d. Smiley Face

    Best months: April and August–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.

    1. Jan

      36° / 19°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      39° / 20°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 28°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      61° / 38°

      12 wet

    5. May

      71° / 48°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      79° / 57°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 62°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 60°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 52°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 42°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      52° / 32°

      11 wet

    12. Dec

      41° / 25°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Andover Aeroflex Ap, NJ, 3.5 mi away at 583 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (7)