Issue #4 — Wednesday, May 20, 2026
One family-friendly hike within a 2-hour drive of Hoboken — plus where to take the kids to eat in the city and NJ. Hike it or skip it; either way your weekend's sorted.
Wooden staircases bolted directly into the cliff face carry you up beside Buttermilk Falls — at 200 feet, New Jersey's tallest waterfall — while the water thunders past your shoulder close enough to feel the mist. May snowmelt has it running at full roar right now. The loop finishes at Crater Lake, a hushed glacial pond ringed by hemlock and white pine where kids can throw rocks and the noise drops to nothing after all that vertical drama.
Not every great hike ends at a summit. Sometimes the payoff is standing next to something that big.From Route 206 near Layton, turn onto Mountain Road and follow it to the Buttermilk Falls trailhead parking area. (Call ahead to confirm Mountain Road is open — it's a dirt seasonal road; see Pro Tips.) From the lot, the Blue-blazed Buttermilk Falls Trail drops briefly to the stream, then the show begins: the falls come into view and the trail climbs alongside them on a series of wooden staircases and platforms secured directly to the cliff. Stay on the stairs — the flanking rock is perpetually wet and offers no traction. This 0.4-mile climb past the falls is the hardest section by far; take it slow, take breaks, and enjoy the fact that you're essentially walking through the spray zone of a 200-foot waterfall.
At the top, the Blue trail levels out and transitions into mixed hardwood and hemlock forest. Follow the trail markers toward Crater Lake, which appears roughly at the midpoint of the loop — a small, surprisingly serene glacial pond where the ambient noise resets to birdsong and wind. This is the right place for snacks, photos, and a 10-minute sit. Continue the loop back toward the trailhead on the Yellow trail, which descends more gradually than the falls climb but crosses several wet spots along the way.
The descent back to the lot is straightforward. Total loop: 3.5 miles. No meaningful navigation decisions after the top of the falls — just follow the blazes.
Be honest with yourself: this is not Beacon. Branchville is a two-stoplight town on Route 206. But it has exactly what you need after a sweaty loop through the woods, and nothing more:
Water (1L per person), trail runners or hiking shoes with grip (mandatory — no smooth soles), a light waterproof shell or packable layer (the base of the falls stays cool and misty even on warm days), snacks, sunscreen, a small first-aid kit, and a phone with the trail map downloaded offline. Cell service is unreliable in the Kittatinny Ridge valleys.
Not feeling the drive this week? Here's where to take the kids instead — in the city and across the river. (No connection to this week's hike.)