One Of New Jersey's Best Viewpoints Thrives In This Fulfilling, Beloved Hike With Wildly Unique Terrain

New Jersey might be a small state with a lot of urbanization, but it is full of natural beauty. Known as the Garden State, it's home to beautiful preserves, rivers, coasts, fields of wildflowers, and so much more. It seems everywhere you turn, there is new natural beauty to enjoy. Near the border between New Jersey and New York, you'll find a hiking trail that shows off some of the state's unique terrain before rewarding you with amazing viewpoints. The hike is Pochuck Valley and Stairway to Heaven and ends at a place known as Pinwheel Vista. It takes you up Wawayanda Mountain, and when the weather is clear, you can see all the way to High Point Monument, which is nearly 22 miles away as the crow flies.

This 7.3-mile round-trip hike along the Appalachian Trail catches the iconic trail between its trek through High Point State Park and the point where it crosses into New York State. The hike takes you a boardwalk across flower-filled plains, bridges, creeks, and forests. Then, you'll ascend up the Stairway to Heaven. It's not the easiest journey, especially when you get past the boardwalks and bridges, but it can be worth it to get some of the unbelievable views. Just make sure you bring sturdy shoes, as there are parts of the walk full of rocks that can easily lead to a twisted ankle or worse.

Many people rank this hike as fairly difficult, so make sure you're prepared for a challenge. Bring a good-sized water bottle, and probably sunscreen, bug-spray, and a first-aid kit. You can also take hiking poles, but you will want to have a way to walk hands-free at certain parts of the trail. Always make sure you're fully prepared, notify friends before you set out if you're hiking solo, and brush up on basic safety tips before your hike.

Though it's all one trail, many people choose to break it up into two mentally. The first chunk is the boardwalk hike, containing fairly flat pathways and beautiful open land. The second half is the forest, which is where the trail starts to get difficult, and you're enclosed in the trees until it opens up at Pinwheel Vista. Because of its popularity, the fact that it's part of the Appalachian Trail, and the accessibility of the beginning of the journey, it's a pretty popular hike. You'll bump into people at almost all points of the trail. Because of this, and the fact that it starts in a residential area, you want to make sure you arrive early, and try to avoid major holidays and weekends, as parking can be very limited and difficult to find.

There is so much beauty and variety in the landscapes during the hike. You'll start with a nice and flat boardwalk over a beautifully open field full of colorful wildflowers. Then, you will get a chance to see some farms, fields, and cows. After this, the hike starts to get a little more difficult, with the path heading uphill through forests and up uneven stairs. Along the way, you also get to test your fear of heights by walking on a suspension bridge. Pinwheel Vista is best to explore in the spring, when the wildflowers are blooming, or in the fall, as the leaves change colors. However, you can visit at any point of the year — just wear proper footgear in the wintertime or when it's muddy.

The Pinwheel Vista hike is near Vernon, New Jersey, a township located on the border between New Jersey and New York. If you're not from the tri-state area, there are a few airports to get you close, including Stewart International Airport (SWF) and Morristown Airport (MMU). Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) isn't too far away, either, though this popular East Coast airport receives nearly twice the average number of TSA complaints, so you may want to prepare for a stressful trip through security if you choose to fly into and out of Newark.

While the hike to Pinwheel Vista is beautiful, that's not the only place worth exploring in the area. If you're hiking in the summer, stop at Mountain Creek Water Park, which is less than 10 minutes away by car, full of wave pools and all sorts of adventures to get your heart pumping. If you want to try out mountain biking to the extreme, Mountain Creek Bike Park is another great destination. Heaven Hill Farm is also worth visiting on a down day, especially in the autumn. It's just down the road — you could even walk there from the Stairway to Heaven parking lot — and is full of beautiful plants, ice cream, wine, and patio furniture and includes a market.