Tillman Falls

A hemlock-shaded gorge waterfall on Tillman Brook in New Jersey's Kittatinny highlands.

This waterfall is inside Tillman Ravine Natural Area, a hemlock-shaded gorge on Tillman Brook within Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. New Jersey's State Park Service describes the ravine as a "narrow red shale and sandstone gorge set among tall hemlock trees," with rhododendron and ferns covering the forest floor beneath mixed hemlock and tulip poplar. The forest's own trail guide lists the Tillman Ravine Trail as a short, roughly 1-mile loop that threads between ridge and ravine along the brook.

Reach it via Struble Road off Route 206 to Dimon Road, where signs mark upper and lower parking areas for Tillman Ravine; the state's trail guide rates the route moderate, with steep stretches along the creek. Vehicle access on this side of the forest, including Dimon, Grau, Crigger and Sunrise Mountain roads, is seasonally gated from December 15 to April 15 or during hazardous weather, when visitors park at a pull-off near the Lindley G. Cook 4-H Camp and walk in. There is no fee to visit, and swimming is not permitted anywhere in Stokes State Forest.

Know before you go

Sources & further reading

• NJ DEP — Stokes State Forest ↗
• NJ DEP — Stokes State Forest Trail Guide (PDF) ↗
• USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) ↗

This is a researched visitor guide, not a claim that our editors have personally visited. Trail conditions, permits, and access can change.