CLINTON ROAD: A DARK RIDE
What is it about this road? Why are there so many strange and frightening stories told about this particular byway, which winds its way through the dark forests of West Milford in Passaic County? Is it the isolation of Clinton Road that makes it such a ripe candidate for modern mythology? Originally featured in the #10 issue of our magazine, Clinton Road seemed to strike a nerve amongst our readers, and the flood gates opened. Before long we were receiving dozens of stories of bizarre experiences that people had had on this long and winding road. Some readers related personal remembrances of the street that dated back twenty-five years or more.

It’s possible Clinton Road is actually no scarier than any other road, but it must possess the elements necessary to put people in touch with their own most deep-rooted fears. Whatever the reason may be, one fact is indisputable: Clinton Road possesses some kind of indefinable, yet undeniable power.


THE GHOST OF CLINTON ROAD
If you ever decide to travel down Clinton Road at midnight, stop at the bridge by Dead Mans Curve. As the story goes, if you sit on that bridge and throw pennies into the river, the ghost of a young boy will throw them back to you.

“I live in West Milford and over this Columbus Day weekend my friends and I decided to find out for ourselves what is true and what is not. We sure as hell did. It was a foggy, rainy night. We went to the bridge and threw a quarter off. Not but a minute later you hear the bloop, as if you dropped the quarter in again. The water filled with ripples and a child’s reflection appeared. I flew back to the car. That scared all of us.”
- Dina, West Milford

“My friend lived in West Milford right off Route 23 and across from Clinton Road. We used to play in the woods behind her house, and we would pretend that someone was chasing us. The strange thing is that sometimes we would turn around and actually see someone chasing us. It was this dirty looking barefoot kid in overalls and he always had a stick in his hands. He would chase us all the way to the edge of the woods, but he would be gone by the time we got to my friend’s swing set in the backyard. We never knew who he was or if he was real, because no one lived in the woods behind my friend’s house. We always called the boy Jackson White, although I don’t know where we got that name or what it even is.”
- KEM


CLINTON ROAD WITCHES CAN CRAWL INSIDE YOUR MIND
“I grew up in West Milford, which we all know is rich in weird folklore. I’ve heard all the stories, and as a teen used to hang out in most of the places you’ve featured. After high school, I started working in Chilton Hospital’s Emergency room–the night shift. One Saturday night an ambulance brought in a woman kicking and screaming with third-degree burns on her legs. She was high on heroin and claimed to be a witch. I asked the ambulance driver where they found her.

‘Walking along Rte. 23 near Clinton Road,’ he said.

According to this woman, she was up there with a group of people worshipping Satan when they decided to throw her into a bonfire. She escaped with bad burns. After we gave her something to bring her down from the drugs, she became extremely violent to the point where I had to tie her down with leather restraints. She was yelling things like ‘My powers are too strong for you,” and “I’m going to crawl into your mind.’ Well, it must have worked because I haven’t forgotten about her.”
- Ron S.


BEWARE THE GRAYISH WHITISH WOLF WITH RED AND YELLOWISH EYES
“I never thought that my first trip to Clinton Road would be horrifying. Myself and two friends drove up there one night. As we were turning, in the bushes appeared to be a grayish, whitish wolf with red and yellowish eyes. My reaction to this was screaming at the top of my lungs. My friend then asked me what was wrong. I said nothing. Later on, NO JOKE, my friend told me about his first trip where he also saw a grayish whitish wolf with red and yellowish eyes running in the bushes. Freaky huh?”
- Amy, Pequannock


CLINTON ROAD IS SO SCARY, YOU'LL PEE YOUR PANTS
“I'm from Upper Greenwood Lake. My parents, myself, and some friends rode bikes the entire ten mile length of Clinton Road when I was very young. I remember stopping at the bridge when everyone was feeling the ride. They all starting going for a swim. I had to go to the bathroom, and found a place where I could still see everyone, but they couldn't see me. I found a rock and went to do my thing. When I looked behind me there was a bloody T-shirt. I didn't notice it until I had my pants down around my knees, then I started screaming. Everyone came running over. I was so freaked out. I ended up peeing all over my pants. Then there were noises in the back woods. I swear I have never seen so many grown people run for their bikes. My heart was beating so fast, I was so scared!

My mother grabbed me and put me on the back of her bike. My father grabbed my bike and carried it as we all rode off. I kept my eyes closed and my head dug into the back of my mother’s shirt the whole ride. I just want to really let you know that Clinton Road is not only scary at night, but it's really freaky during the day! Since that day I have never gone down that road and I really don't think I ever could again, even now.”
- Cindy J.


CLINTON ROAD NOT A JOKE
“I’ve been a resident of West Milford for practically my entire life. I’m 18 years old and I have a lot of eyewitness info on Clinton Road. The first and most important fact is that this road is NOT a joke. Many of the stories you hear are not rumors, in fact most of them are true, however every story does have exaggerations. The facts are that many dismembered bodies are found in the woods off of Clinton Road. Cross Castle DID exist, and if you go to the wrong place, you WILL be chased. The KKK does have gatherings there, and there is Satan worship. The strange animals are there, and though no one knows what they are, many people have a theory that some of the survivors from “Jungle Habitat” have interbred. As far as exaggerations go, save your quarters. I’ve wasted a lot of money at the bridge. So all in all, if you’re going to check out Clinton Road be careful, and be smart or else you will be the next tale.”
- letter via e-mail


THE CLINTON ROAD COP
“Wow was this place scary. I was there a few times before and it wasn't that bad – except when we got a flat in the center of the ten mile road. When the cop asked what we were doing we lied. We asked why he was on such a scary road. His reply was "I’m only out here because I have a gun.”
- Anonymous


THE GHOSTS OF THE DANGEROUS CURVES ON CLINTON RD.
I am a resident of West Milford, but I am now away at school in Ithaca, NY. I'm eighteen, and ever since I was little, there have been stories about Clinton Rd. From the ghosts of people that died in car accidents on a dangerous curve, ghosts of Cross Castle (it was knocked down but there is still rubble), ghosts of the iron forge and numerous accounts of cult stories. There is also a haunted nudist colony between Paradise and Clinton Roads.

The Ghosts of the Dangerous Curve are said to be visible if you drive up to it at midnight, then turn off your car lights. It is also said that on the island in the center of the reservoir there are many satanic rituals, including KKK happenings taking place using animal sacrifices. I am not confirming these stories, but I do know they have reached Paterson.
- Laura R


TRAVELING CLINTON ROAD
For years now friends and I have avoided malls and social places in order to find the mysteries on the backroads of this lovely state. When I first heard of Weird NJ I was in love. This is what New Jersey is about, and this is a genius guide around the state.

Clinton Road, located off Route 23 in Northern NJ, was one of the first places I've explored after seeing Demon's Alley and the Jackson White Houses in Ringwood. I had heard rumors of midgets, albinos and Nazis on Clinton Rd. The first thing I saw was the big rock pyramid. I thought originally it was a conspiracy, but later rational minds insisted that it was an old lime kiln from the old days...I still doubt it. I used the pyramid and several other sights on the road in a film I made titled The Drip Divest (from soup to nuts), a must see.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any albinos, but I have heard that in the woods there is an old foundation of a castle that was once there.

Once, after walking in the woods, we returned to find a warning posted on the car. We called the number on it and they said we needed a permit to walk around. When asked what exactly was back in those woods, the person just said lakes and trails...more doubt or sheer ignorance?

So all in all, Clinton Road has got to be checked out. It's a must for all Northern explorers. Just watch out for those charging dogs, and don't leave the car unattende.
- Craig H.


THE HELL HOUND OF CLINTON ROAD
OK here we go: West Milford, I think, can stand out as a very WEIRD town. In high school I always hear of a road there with many legends. Clinton Rd. How scary can one road be? How wrong I was. There are, of course, the stories... like the little boy who died by the bridge and when you throw a quarter in the water, the boy will walk up and give it back to you.

Then there's the little demons that dig holes at the side of the road (that explains the dirt mounds). Or the white witches and/or Klan members who just stand in the woods, the lights across the lake with no house to them, the castle and blah, blah.

So we hitch up 2 cars, 8 people altogether and went. Once through this 10 mile road nothing happened. So we went back, and on a side road. We walked, at first, through the dirt road but a strange light startled us and we decided to drive. Nothing was around except for dense wood... I felt very eerie and the "trespassers will be shot on sight" sign did not ease me. So we decided to turn around and that's when I noticed something walking toward our car. It was too small to be a person. Well, this thing charged. All 8 saw the same thing... like an animal of some sort. We went 60 down this off road with this "animal" on our back. Finally we get back on Clinton Rd., got pulled over by a cop and the animal disappeared!

On the way back we thought we saw a car vanish behind us and a yellow ball follow us. I thought maybe it was our imagination but then I saw the scratch marks on my friend's car. People say it's a hell hound or the Jersey Devil... all I know is that it was not human.
- Jessica F.


THE ENTIRE ROAD IS SCARY
One road in New Jersey that's really terrifying is Clinton Road off Route 23 North in West Milford. The road is well known for many mysterious occurrences and weird activity.

Cross Castle, which used to be off Clinton Road, had dungeons where many bodies were found. Satan worshipping was active around Cross Castle and the KKK was also rumored to be active in the area.

The entire run of the road is scary. There are no houses on it except for the two farthest ends, and the road is 10 miles long, winding around the Clinton Reservoir.

I once heard there was an insane asylum along the road but it was shut down many years ago. Terrace Pond is also off Clinton Road, where the tripod rocks can be found. Many old cemeteries dating back to the 1700âs can be found in the woods. You can still read the inscriptions on the stones. The old Clinton Furnace is still along the road and visible when you ride by the falls.

Never get out of your car, especially at night. It is definitely weird.
- U101


DO NOT GO THERE AT NIGHT
I have taken a great interest in your web page, and will soon be a subscriber for life. My friend informed me of you guys when she heard you on 89.5FM. She recommended that I look you up on the net, so I did. And guess what... YOU KICKED MY ASS WITH THIS PAGE! YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE IN HISTORIANS OF SUCKY STATES! Because of you, I actually think a little higher of this middle of nowhere hicksville of a state.

I recommend checking out Clinton Road for your page, but DO NOT go there at night (even though that is when all of the happenings go on) because the people there will chase you out. This is not a joke. You can go look for yourself. There are no ghosts, or anything, but a great deal of satan worship and racial slayings have been going on there for some years now.

Many of my friends have gone down this road for fun, and have been scared out of their wits by riding at night. They told me of seeing a satanic church, and some people running on the road as if to scare them off. People say that the cult and racist members like to scare people off so they can continue their slayings in peace without police interference.

So I highly suggest checking this site out during THE DAY TIME ONLY!! Believe me this is a well known road, and I'm not lying. I assure you that I have ABSOLUTELY NO PART IN THE SLAYINGS DONE ON CLINTON ROAD, but I know people who have driven down that road and heard things going on, and witnessed things lying around in the daytime, such as loads of beer cans and blood. I myself have never gone down this road, and after the things I've heard, I NEVER WILL.
- Rebecca


You can read more on Clinton Road in issues 10, 11, 12 and 15 of Weird NJ.

Click here to purchase Weird NJ's special issue, "Tales From Clinton Road."