Haunted Destinations: Clinton Road, New Jersey

Dear Reader, I suggest every day, and especially when visiting haunted sites, put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11)

Clinton Road, New Jersey is a 10-mile stretch of road which runs in a generally north-south direction, starting at Route 23 near Newfoundland and running to its northern terminus at Upper Greenwood Lake. It has been dubbed by many as “The Most Haunted Highway in America.”

Any road with a section known as “Dead Man’s Curve” sounds dangerous enough. But that reference alone isn’t sufficient to earn its reputation. There are many other reasons this thoroughfare is a scary place. Following are just a few examples of encounters that lend credence to Clinton Road’s reputation.

The Boy Haunting the Bridge

Under one of the bridges crossing Clinton Brook (which is the place known as Dead Man’s Curve) is one of the Road’s most famous haunts. Story has it, if you throw a quarter into the water below and take a few steps back, the coin will be thrown back by the ghost of a boy. In other tales, this spirit pushes living visitors into the water if they peer too far over the side. Some who have stopped to look into the water have reportedly caught a glimpse of the ghost boy’s reflection. Reasons for his death vary. Was he hit by a car while running after a ball? Did he drown in the lake? No one knows for sure.

Ghostly Car Crash Victims

Some claim to have encountered two ghosts near Terrace Pond. People believe these apparitions to be the ghosts of two park rangers who died on duty in 1939.

There are first-hand accounts of tourists and locals seeing a ghost Camaro driven by the girl who may have died in a tragic crash in 1998. A mere mention of the incident causes the ethereal appearance.

Ghost Vehicles

There are countless accounts of phantom vehicles. The majority of the sightings are of pickup trucks, but in some cases, there are only floating headlights not attached to any vehicle. The headlights chase drivers to the end of Clinton Road, then disappear.

Strange Creatures

From hellhounds to monkeys, a variety of bizarre creatures have been reported on this road after dark. Some people say an undetermined hybrid. It vanishes too quickly for them to give a fair description. The more mysterious sightings are blamed on Jungle Habitat survivors, an attraction that housed wild and exotic animals before closing its doors in 1976.

If this isn’t enough, Clinton Road is rumored to be a site for alien sightings and satanic cult rituals. It has attracted so much attention over the years that a movie, Clinton Road, was produced.

If you’ve ever wished to play a game of catch with a ghost boy, race a phantom Camaro, or encounter a mythological beast, you may want to add Clinton Road to your sightseeing adventures. Taking a friend along is recommended. If nothing else, rural New Jersey’s Clinton Road will undoubtedly make your skin crawl.

Sources: The Hartford:The Extra Mile; The LineUp

Originally published at https://www.maryannpoll.com