Creatures, Castles & Clinton Road - America’s Most Haunted Road

Deep within the woods of West Milford, New Jersey, only an hour away from New York City, lies 10 miles of fog, fear, and folklore. Clinton Road has earned its reputation as the most haunted roadway in the United States—with some ranking it as the second most haunted in the world. Known for its eerie isolation, phantom headlights, and chilling encounters, this 10-mile route captures both the imagination and unease of anyone brave enough to drive it after dark.

Nearby, a roadway with an ominous name, Shades of Death Road, adds to northern New Jersey’s haunted highway legacy. From ghostly apparitions and spectral vehicles to mysterious ruins and strange creatures, Clinton Road is its own late-night legend. Whether you’re a skeptic, a thrill-seeker, or simply curious about the stories that haunt America’s infrastructure, Clinton Road stands as a reminder that not all highways lead to ordinary destinations.

Clinton Road

Clinton Road runs for approximately 10 miles through West Milford in Passaic County, connecting Route 23 near Newfoundland to Upper Greenwood Lake near the New York border. Though close to urban life, the road cuts through dense, undeveloped forest, passing alongside Clinton Reservoir and through sections of Long Pond Ironworks State Park.

Historically, this region served as an industrial hub during the 18th and 19th centuries. Iron mining, milling, and waterworks once defined the landscape, leaving behind ruins now swallowed by time and trees. Old stone foundations and crumbling bridges still line the route, adding weight to its haunting reputation.

Not far from Clinton Road, Shades of Death Road winds through Warren County near Jenny Jump State Forest and Interstate 80. Both roads carry layers of local history, from early colonial settlement to stories passed down through generations.

What Makes Clinton Road So Haunted?

It’s not just the stories that make Clinton Road infamous—it’s the setting itself. The road is isolated, unlit, and eerily silent, even during daylight. At night, fog thickly lies across the pavement, tree branches knit overhead, and the forest seems to close in on all sides. With few homes or signs of life, drivers describe an unsettling quietness that heightens every rustle of leaves or flash of light in the dark.

Those desolate qualities allow the imagination to run wild. For decades, Clinton Road’s atmosphere has invited tales that blend superstition, danger, and the unknown. Early settlers whispered about thieves and counterfeiters who hid in the woods, while 20th-century locals told stories of strange gatherings and spectral figures.

In 1905, writer J. Percy Crayon described the region as inhabited by “robbers, witches, and ghosts that made their appearance in frightful forms.” His words captured a mood that persists to this day. Then, in 1983, fiction met fact when a man’s body was found wrapped in a green garbage bag along the roadside—proof that Clinton Road’s darkness isn’t always imagined.

Today, it remains a place where history, danger, and legend intersect—a living myth in motion.

Ghosts Along the Way

Clinton Road’s best-known ghost story centers on the ghost boy at the bridge. Locals claim that if you toss a coin into the water, he’ll throw it back, or push you away from the edge to save you from sharing his fate.

Others speak of a ghostly girl seen wandering the trees or of two phantom park rangers who still patrol the area at night. Many drivers report being followed by phantom headlights that appear suddenly, tailgate for miles, and vanish without a trace.

For those who drive the road after midnight, the sense of being watched is unmistakable. Whether it’s superstition or something unseen, Clinton Road invites everyone to question what’s real and what’s beyond the headlights.

The Strange Structures of Clinton Road

Among Clinton Road’s most infamous landmarks is Cross Castle, built in 1905 by businessman Richard J. Cross. Once a grand stone mansion overlooking the forest, it fell into ruin after a fire and became a gathering place for thrill-seekers and paranormal investigators.

Visitors report strange sensations, nausea, and sudden bruises after exploring the site. Others claimed to have seen occult symbols and evidence of ritual activity, cementing the castle’s reputation as a nexus of supernatural energy. Although the remnants were demolished for safety reasons, its legend lives on—proof that stories often outlast stone.

Another nearby curiosity, dubbed the Druidic Temple, adds to the mystique. Rumors persist of chanting, flickering firelight, and hooded figures performing rites beneath the moon. Along Shades of Death Road, a bridge over the Flatbrook on Old Mine Road—accessible only on foot—hosts tales of glowing orbs and phantom lights that hover just beyond reach.

Phantom Vehicles and Unexplained Encounters

Clinton Road is also known for its spectral vehicles—most notably a black Camaro and an old pickup truck that appear in rearview mirrors before vanishing into the night. Some claim the Camaro is driven by the spirit of a young man who died in a crash decades ago, endlessly repeating his final drive. Some have also claimed to witness evidence of aliens via unexplained lights in the sky and encounters with bizarrely-shaped aircraft hovering above.

Others tell stories about hellhounds, hybrid creatures, and strange animals glimpsed along the roadside. From sightings of a floating dog to an unearthly wolf with red and yellow eyes, reports of unnatural beings are commonplace, especially when considering this road also leads to the home of the most famous character of New Jersey’s mythology: the Jersey Devil.

The Jersey Devil

No discussion of New Jersey’s haunted roads is complete without the Jersey Devil. For over 250 years, rumors have cycled of the creature that emerged from the marsh, spreading wings before flying into the Pine Barrens—where its unearthly cries are still said to echo.

What began as lore has now become an aspect of history.

Is the Jersey Devil in fact the thirteenth child of rumored sorceress, Mother Leeds? Was he born a human child and later developed the winged shoulders, horse-like head, hooves and tail, or are these characteristics he was born with? The Jersey Devil could possibly be the love child between a cursed young Leeds Point woman and a British soldier. Another story tells of a girl cursed by the beggar woman she refused to help, giving birth years later to a devil that fled into the woods.

While the Pine Barrens are its primary haunt, reports of the Jersey Devil stretch north to Clinton Road. Witnesses have claimed to hear its screams in the distance or see winged shadows pass over the treetops. Evidence of the Jersey Devil and his turmoil was visible in the failed crops, milk-dry cows, and the loss of all livestock. Some considered sightings of the Jersey Devil as omens of disaster or war.

The many interpretations of the Jersey Devil's appearance exist largely because of the sheer number of claimed sightings, some from prominent citizens and government officials. Commodore Stephen Decatur spied a giant flying creature while visiting a firing range, and tried to fire a cannonball at it to no effect. Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, Joseph, claims to have caught a glimpse of the Jersey Devil while hunting in the woods.

In 1939, the Jersey Devil was named the Official State Demon. The governor, Walter Edge, recounted his childhood and being fearful not of the bogeyman, but “we were threatened with the Jersey Devil.” Sightings and encounters have continued over the decades, diminishing in frequency as manufacturing and industry continued to boom. This doesn’t stop people from making attempts to witness the beast themselves, with the Pine Barrens still a popular spot for ghost hunters and paranormal investigators.

The Dark Road

What keeps Clinton Road’s legends alive isn’t just its ghosts or its geography, but the feeling it inspires. With its isolation, mystery, and centuries of stories, Clinton Road captures the human fascination with the unexplained. Even skeptics admit that its stillness feels charged, noting the unease present in a dark, winding, and densely forested road.

At Interstate Signways, we believe every roadway—haunted or otherwise—deserves clear, reliable signage to keep travelers safe. While Clinton Road thrives on mystery, modern highways rely on precision, visibility, and durability to guide drivers through the unknown. As you travel this Halloween, remember Interstate Signways works to create signage that ensures every journey, spooky or serene, leads you to your destination safely.