Stokes Road Closures Question

[Rusty]

Is there a list of roads that are closed for the winter in Stokes?  I've looked but can't find anything.

 

More specifically, can I get to Buttermilk Falls, Brook rd. to Mountain rd. in the winter?  

[1957Buck]

Is there a list of roads that are closed for the winter in Stokes?  I've looked but can't find anything.

 

More specifically, can I get to Buttermilk Falls, Brook rd. to Mountain rd. in the winter?  

Yes but The national Parks does not Maintain them in most areas. If you do not have 4 wheel drive do not attempt it.  If I was to go I would go to Wallpack take the road to first right to Falls or come in from the other end which is shorter. Remember so Blind spots for Cell phones do to high Iron in Mountains 

[buckfever1974]

Is there a list of roads that are closed for the winter in Stokes?  I've looked but can't find anything.

 

More specifically, can I get to Buttermilk Falls, Brook rd. to Mountain rd. in the winter?  

You should be able to get to Buttermilk no problem.  The road that is closed is the one that continues staight past the graveyard after the bridge with the church.  There is also the permanent closure along the back road of the Flatbrook.

Edited January 17, 2017 by buckfever1974

[LPJR]

When the kids were smaller, we used to hike the closed road to Buttermilk Falls each winter...The roads are not maintained like 57 buck said above. Not sure if the road is blocked off leading to the falls like they were when we used to go....I will let you know what I find out, curious myself....

[1957Buck]

You should be able to get to Buttermilk no problem.  The road that is closed is the one that continues staight past the graveyard after the bridge with the church.  There is also the permanent closure along the back road of the Flatbrook.

Please take into account the roads are not maintained in the winter and little to nun in the summer the forest service also does little.  I tried calling  Both The National Parks Service and NJDFAG to find out about some closed roads and they had No Clue. Suggestion Try Calling The WallPack Inn if you are lucky they may answer that question or brush you off. Let us know. 

[Rusty]

Please take into account the roads are not maintained in the winter and little to nun in the summer the forest service also does little.  I tried calling  Both The National Parks Service and NJDFAG to find out about some closed roads and they had No Clue. Suggestion Try Calling The WallPack Inn if you are lucky they may answer that question or brush you off. Let us know. 

 

 

Thanks.     

[LPJR]

Is there a list of roads that are closed for the winter in Stokes?  I've looked but can't find anything.

 

More specifically, can I get to Buttermilk Falls, Brook rd. to Mountain rd. in the winter?  

 

Rusty, just spoke to ASTAX who was in Walpack looking for pheasants the other day. He said the road that leads to Buttermilk Falls IS closed to vehiclular traffic for the winter. He suggested to park at Hainey's Mill near the Flatbrook....Buttermilk Falls is less than 1 mile from the parking area....

[Rusty]

Rusty, just spoke to ASTAX who was in Walpack looking for pheasants the other day. He said the road that leads to Buttermilk Falls IS closed to vehiclular traffic for the winter. He suggested to park at Hainey's Mill near the Flatbrook....Buttermilk Falls is less than 1 mile from the parking area....

 

Thanks.    

[Dave B.]

Rusty, just spoke to ASTAX who was in Walpack looking for pheasants the other day. He said the road that leads to Buttermilk Falls IS closed to vehiclular traffic for the winter. He suggested to park at Hainey's Mill near the Flatbrook....Buttermilk Falls is less than 1 mile from the parking area....

Specifically Brook/Mtn Rd is closed from the Tillmans Brook bridge to the Walpack WMA boundary just up from Haineys Mill. Struble Rd is also closed from just off of Rt 206 to the intersection at the Walpack cemetery, so access to Tillmans Ravine is also on foot only.

[1957Buck]

It is a Crime that the National Parks Service took over all that land by imminent domain disrupting the lives of generations of the people who lived along the Delaware River Valley. And to do nothing but let it go to waste. Yes, natural areas are needed but this was a Land Grab only.  And the areas that they have done anything has been a failure. The areas That NJ kept control are examples of what they could have done, such as Worthington. 

Sandy Hook is another one but for the beaches. Letting the buildings go to waste and now want to lease them after they have been destroyed.

But I see they are doing some restoration of Walpack Village if you are familiar with it, My Father and I used to stay in the house across from the Post Office The lady that owned it worked as a Waitress at the Inn. At that time the now lobby was the Bar and dining room and shuffleboard. 

I still love driving up there and relive it all in all seasons, Fall Trout my favorite 

[Dave B.]

It is a Crime that the National Parks Service took over all that land by imminent domain disrupting the lives of generations of the people who lived along the Delaware River Valley. And to do nothing but let it go to waste. Yes, natural areas are needed but this was a Land Grab only.  And the areas that they have done anything has been a failure. The areas That NJ kept control are examples of what they could have done, such as Worthington. 

Sandy Hook is another one but for the beaches. Letting the buildings go to waste and now want to lease them after they have been destroyed.

But I see they are doing some restoration of Walpack Village if you are familiar with it, My Father and I used to stay in the house across from the Post Office The lady that owned it worked as a Waitress at the Inn. At that time the now lobby was the Bar and dining room and shuffleboard. 

I still love driving up there and relive it all in all seasons, Fall Trout my favorite 

 I agree with you almost entirely. The methods used by the Army Corps of Engineers to 'acquire' the land were IMHO an absolutely brutal abuse of the eminent domain laws, and the transition to the Div of Nat. Parks and the policies they've enacted to manage the land are in many instances just as ridiculous. The only saving grace if you will is that the land, mountains and streams are still in as natural a state as could be hoped for, and open to the public. Consider what the area would be like if it had been left to the general progression of development and population expansion the rest of the state has undergone during the past 40+ years. I will always feel very badly for the families who lost their homes and farms, many of them multi-generational, to this situation, and a number of whom I've been fortunate enough to be well acquainted with. In lieu of that I am thankful to still be able to have a portion of our state where I can wander through the mountains and streams for hours without seeing another soul and easily pursue my personal favorite pastime of trout fishing in peace and solitude.

[MS22]

I am in agreement with Dave B. Obviously, the families who lost land in this area were the victims of severe government overreach. However, there is nothing we can do about that at this point and have to look at the positives in that it created a swath of undeveloped public land that extends for miles. Honestly, and I am probably very much in the minority here, but I wouldn't mind seeing some currently seasonal roads closed completely. Obviously selfish motives, but I think hunting would improve if areas were harder to access(this goes for the majority of our larger parks). This in conjunction with a forest mgmt plan would do wonders. 

 

I do agree that the buildings around walpack center there could be utilized in a more positive manner. However, i wouldn't want to see any further development within the park or large parking lots to support any touristy attractions. that would just detract from the natural beauty that exists there. 

 

While we can't go back in time and undo the wrongs, we can ensure that the sierra club and others dont get their wish of this transitioning from the DWGNRA to the DWG National Park. I dont know if you've seen the plans they've laid out, but it includes visitor centers, bus depots, and paved "hiking trails" from top to bottom on either side of the Delaware. 

[Bucksnbows]

Just to add some clarity to the eminent domain takings of land in the valley, the original reason behind that boondoggle was to build the Tock's Island dam and flood the valley and the Delaware River for recreational use.  It would have killed off several native trout streams as well as all that wonderful hunting ground, and we should all be glad the dam was never built.  But the end result doesn't change; the eminent domain takings were a bad idea and the abandonment of all those historic properties are criminal in my estimation, not that any politician will ever have to "pay" for their bad decisions.   

 

All that said, I find that a halfway decent 4x4 with adequate tire treads can more or less traverse any of those roads unless we get deep snow which currently is a non-issue.  I go more or less anywhere in my Highlander which is hardly a hard core 4x4 and that includes most winters up there.  Love fishing the Flat Brook in winter!  I've even been known to fish it on snowshoes with my fly rod in hand.

[rgw]

another crime is you can hike ir, bike it, hunt it, fish it just about anything but trap it. you could have a great wilderness trapping adventure in our own back yard but nooooo

[1957Buck]

 

 

All that said, I find that a halfway decent 4x4 with adequate tire treads can more or less traverse any of those roads unless we get deep snow which currently is a non-issue.  I go more or less anywhere in my Highlander which is hardly a hard core 4x4 and that includes most winters up there.  

4x4 are misunderstood there is no tire tread or 4x4 that can compete with Ice Caped roads as many of the roads become there every winter. 

The Roads are closed because of the many who think their 4 wheelers can do anything and had to be rescued. 

One only has to watch the news when Snow or Ice is involved on the roads the amount of so-called 4 wheel and All wheel drive, are in a Ditch on the side of the road.

As I have mentioned the many times I have a Brother in Cooper Landing & Tok Alaska that I have visited during many winters Just 4x4 does not cut it 99% of the roads are only somewhat plowed never salted. some resort to Studded Tires but they to have limits.  Specialized Vehicles have a chance but they to have limits.

If you feel you can drive on ice-capped snow covered roads because you have 4x4 no matter the type of tires. I wish you well 

And yes I have an all wheel drive Equinox and respect what it can do.