Tales from the ‘most haunted road’

West Milford residents are no strangers to the stories that haunt Clinton Road.

The desolate roughly 10-mile span that runs from Route 23 near Newfoundland to its northern end at Upper Greenwood Lake ranks as the most haunted roads in the United States and the second-most-haunted in the world, according to Sixt.com.

The sheer mention of Clinton Road congers up chats on the paranormal, including the ghost of a young boy said to haunt the waters beneath a bridge at dead man’s curve where he perished; toss a coin into the water and it may come back to you, some say.

The collection of coins on the stream bed suggests that many folks have tested the myth. Scary for sure!

The legend cites strange creatures and gatherings of witches, satanists and the Ku Klux Klan. Have professional killers disposed of bodies in the surrounding woods? A body of a man wrapped in a green garbage bag was found on the roadside in 1983. Yikes!

Residents and visitors point out phantom headlights that follow them at night before quickly vanishing. More paranormal?

Then there are the remnants of Clinton Furnace and Cross Castle. The deep woodlands and tree-lined reservoirs add to the mystique beautiful in daylight, dark and frightening at night should you dare to traverse. Haunting!

The 2019 horror film “Clinton Road” is about a firefighter trying to unravel the mystery of his wife’s disappearance on the byway. Solved or unsolved? You have to watch.

Clinton Road’s fables and realities have played out for decades in local eateries and drinking establishments, shops and schools, social media and articles, including in Weird NJ magazine, which devoted an entire issue to the legend.

With mostly undeveloped watershed property and state forest, Clinton Road has few homes and businesses along its span. The once-rough and -rocky narrow two-lane dirt road is now paved. It’s a smooth ride but worth keeping your eyes wide open.

So, what do residents and visitors think?

Disappearing headlights

Kimberly Marquez has lived in the same home at the northern end of Clinton Road across from Lake Lookout her whole life: 30-plus years.

“As kids, my friends and I would walk up and down the dirt road all times of day - it was quieter back then and gave off a chill, earie sense,” she said. “Since being paved, it’s a nice smooth ride with far more traffic.

“The stories are scary, like the infamous car and driver. On two occasions while driving at night, headlights were following behind me only to disappear. It was interesting but not enough to scare us off. We’ve even thrown coins off the bridge - nothing ever came back at us.”

Her husband, Joey Santiago, frequently drives on Clinton Road either side of midnight.

“The myth is the legend,” he said. “It’s not an easy drive especially at night. It’s a twisting road and the tree canopy keeps it dark, even in moonlight. Turn off your headlights, it’s total darkness. You can’t see anything in front of you.

“One night, 20 sets of eyes were staring at me. I stopped my car to see them move into the woods. Just deer. So I’ve never experienced any hauntings. Just wild drivers and animals on the road. I once had a group of kids waving arms and screaming on the roadside trying to scare people. I stopped, told them they weren’t able scare anyone and we all had a good laugh.”

Marquez and Santiago love their home, Clinton Road and the notoriety - and have no fear.

Things teenagers do

Michael Lombardi, 61, of Wayne has visited Clinton Road since his teens.

“My friends and I would hitch rides up here to hike, fish and do things that teenagers do - or shouldn’t do, as we were chased out quite often,” said Lombardi, who was readying his gear at a reservoir boat launch. “The myths are largely folklore, yet there’s been a lot of crazy stuff that’s gone on up here over the years, including partying youngsters.

“At the infamous Castle near one of the road’s bad turns, one of my friends fell badly enough that he had to go to Chilton Hospital. We’ve thrown pennies from the bridge, never saw anything. In daytime, it’s a great place to visit and enjoy. The rangers who patrol Clinton Road are terrific. It’s a favorite area of mine.

“But let me tell you something, at night you can’t see your hands in front of your face,” he said. “I’ve been here in the dark, sometimes alone. It is scary as you don’t know if you’ll meet up with a bear, someone walking in the woods or drifters with bad intentions.

“There’s been crime over the years. Haunted or not, nighttime here freaks me out, it’s scary. A cop once said you don’t want to be here at night.”

Fast, crazy drivers

Colleen Benedetto bicycles on Clinton Road several times a week.

“I really like the road and don’t find anything scary,” said the West Milford resident. “I can’t say that about nighttime, as I ride during the day. My biggest fear are cars passing while biking as there are a lot of fast, crazy drivers, especially those who are not familiar with the road. There are many twists and turns and animals jumping out at times. You must be very cautious.

“Clinton Road is beautiful and a great place to leave your thoughts; feelings and worries go off into the trees. It’s meditative. I love it!”

David and Alexis Shumard and their dog, Chitto, of Wall Township drove 1 1/2 hours to tour Clinton Road on a recent sunny Saturday.

“We came to see the myth and the magic as we learned of the road’s scary ranking,” he said. “We’re here on a beautiful day and on a beautiful road. It’s a nice drive. We’ll explore, walk Chitto, and look for the haunted bridge and other interesting spots along the way.

“Our hope is to see something scary, but nothing so far. I imagine the area can be a little scary at night. Chitto doesn’t get frightened. He protects us.”

’Gem in our town’

As a youngster, Mayor Michele Dale rode the family’s horses on the densely tree-lined road when the span was unpaved: dirt, stones, puddles and holes.

“The legend of Clinton Road along with the recreational activities attract visitors and locals,” she said. “It’s a gem in our town, a beautiful road to travel from the southern to the northern points -nature, scenery, reservoirs and more amazing sights.”

Dale, who has never encountered the Clinton Road paranormal, urges everyone to drive slowly and safely along the road and be cautious when biking, boating, hiking, jogging and enjoying other outdoor activities.

As for Halloween, there’s little trick-or-treat happening on Clinton Road. But if you want to get a bit of a fright, well, go for it.