When you talk to most people about North Jersey, they will tell you that the most haunted location is Clinton Road. This road has so many tales, legends, and myths that it’s hard to keep track of them all. One just needs to head down (or up) Route 23 into West Milford to see the signs for the legendary road. Once making the turn, drivers will travel several miles through twists and turns of unknown forest.

Clinton Road

The road itself is gorgeous during the day, with many locals who use the forest/ lakes for hiking, swimming, fishing, or just taking a spin in a boat. But once night falls, the darkness creeps within each tree, leaving much to the imagination. Our readers have shared many tales of albino animals, hell-hounds, big black trucks, and of course “Dead Mans Curve,” but few readers know the story behind it.

Throw a Penny

As legend has it, years ago there was once a boy who enjoyed riding his bike up and down Clinton Road for its hills, curves and amazing views. At the time, the road was seldom traveled because of its position up north. The boy would bring along his dog, a large Doberman whose coat was as black as night. The two would make stops throughout the road, jumping in the lake, and playing until one-day disaster struck. While he was traveling with his companion down the road, he made a stop near the bridge (not to be confused with what is now known as “Dead Mans Curve”). A large black truck heading west towards Route 23 reached the bridge where the boy was standing. The driver who had been drinking drifted, hitting the boy, causing him to fall from his bike, and into the water where he hit his head on the rocks. The driver of the truck who panicked drove away in a rush leaving the young boy to drown.

Clinton Road

The dog who was very close to the boy dragged his dead body from the water and stood to cover over the remains. By the time police had found him the aggressive dog wouldn’t let anyone near the corpse. Police, unable to deal with the aggression shot the dog in the head, killing it. They never found the driver of the black vehicle, and the boy never truly identified.

Paranormal activity is said to occur around the bridge where the boy was hit. Today the boy will manifest if you throw a coin into the stream from the bridge. It has also been said that when you throw a coin, the boy will throw it back at you.

The Hellhound

Commonly believed to be the boy’s dog, there have been numerous sightings of a giant black beast with red eyes that can run as fast as most cars. This “Hellhound” as it is called has been known to chase cars, ram the sides, and in the blink of an eye disappear into thin air. Hellhounds are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural. Most believe that seeing a hellhound or hearing it howl may be an omen or even a cause of death.

Clinton Road

The Ghost Truck

You’re traveling down the road to see if anything will scare you, but so far nothing exciting has happened. Then without warning a bright light appears in your rear-view mirror. Someone is coming up close, speeding, trying to run you off the road. You’re racing through the curves at superhuman speed. Your heart is beating out of your chest. Then without warning…..it’s gone. This is what we hear from thousands of our listeners. What the truck is or where it comes from nobody knows. Is it the man who hit the young boy?

The Iceman

On May 14th, 1983 a bicyclist was traveling down the road when he came across the gruesome sight of a human body (confirmed later as Daniel Deppner) in the woods as a turkey vulture was eating him. After an autopsy was performed, ice crystals were found inside the body. The body had been frozen to hide the actual date and cause of death. After further investigations, it was discovered that Daniel was killed by Richard Kuklinski, otherwise known as the Iceman. Following his later statements (Kuklinski died in 2006) he performed the act of killing, freezing and dumping the bodies hundreds of times. It leads the question of how many potential unburied bodies could be lying in the woods.

The Castle

There are multiple hiking trails through the woods which lead to what is known as “Cross Castle.” Built over 100 years ago for unknown reasons, the building has since begun to decay with time. The building is littered with signs, symbols, and proof of secret rituals. Many users have informed us that there are people who perform either satanic rituals or witchcraft at the location. Others say that it’s grounds for a cannibalistic albino family who harms those who trespass.

Clinton Road has been called the most terrifying road in the US by Yahoo.com and has been featured on Travel Channels “Most terrifying places in America 2”. There are many more legends, creatures and unknown parts of the road. Oh, and don’t expect to have any cell service while traveling through.

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Fuurh

Scare Score

1 week ago
kein iee

Scare Score

3 years ago
Jimmy Wilson

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I’ve been up to Clinton rd a bunch of times throughout the years. It’s a long stretch of road with no houses or street lights. Your mind can really mess with you in a place like that. But there were never any genuinely “weird” experiences…. except for this one time.
I was up there with a friend. It was daytime and in the summer. The road used to be horribly maintained and just riddled with huge potholes. I took my eyes off the road for just a moment and then BANG! Drove right into a huge pothole and blew out my tire. I had a spare but no jack. Out of nowhere an old looking black pickup truck showed up. We figured it was a bunch of rednecks and they might mess with us. But they pulled over and asked if we were alright. Their clothes looked straight out of the 60’s and I couldn’t figure out how old the truck was.
But they were friendly and very helpful. They jacked up my car while I changed the tire then offered to drive us back to the gas station on 23 right across the highway from the start of the road. They followed us the whole way and right into the parking lot. Then I turned around for a minute and they were just…. *poof* gone. I was going to thank them again for their act of kindness but they were nowhere to be found. And there was nowhere they could have raced off to without us seeing. I asked the attendant if he saw which way they went and he gave me a funny look. He said that we drove in on our own and he never saw a truck. I didn’t know about the ghost truck story until years later, and after finding out about it I recalled this encounter and just freaked out. a little bit.
They were definitely not out to get us and seemed like a bunch of solid dudes. But man, the fact that they appeared and disappeared out of nowhere and the fact that the gas station attendant who was looking right at us when we pulled in didn’t see any truck really got to me.
3 years ago
Anthony

Scare Score

went to Clinton road last night with a good friend of mine and we were just exploring it got there around 9:00pm. after 20 mins we stopped at a bridge to look over it and we saw some headlights behind us so we decided to get back in the car. and the car was a white old beat up pick up truck and it tried cutting off my friend but my friend didn’t let him. then this car kept trying to get infront of us, and somehow kept up with his 2020 bmw. going 80 on the road. idk what this was but as soon as we got off the road the guy turned around and went back onto the road. this was a very scary experience and I will be returning to the road soon to get more answers on this.
3 years ago
Juice Box

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sounds pretty scary, but I get scared easily, so it could be that. But that boy who got run over is just… gonna make me throw up.
3 years ago
Sean

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I have been to that road. Drove it several times in the dark. Even got out and walked around. Heard a women scream very briefly. But being the reservoir was near by I assumed it was just someone messing around. Even did the dead man’s curve thing. I didn’t get chased by any other car either. Completely black out? Yes. Scary? No
3 years ago
ricky

Scare Score

creepy
3 years ago
Hayley

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A friend and I went here last year to record an episode of our podcast Crime Culture. We drove the length of the road twice as the sun was setting and we discussed the legend. It was creepy but we never got out of the car so I wasn’t too spooked. Cool place to visit though!
4 years ago
Hanka s

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I whould like to visit this castle!
4 years ago
elmo freestyle kid

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Next vacation: New jersey Clinton road. time to rap for my favorite haunted truck! 🙂
4 years ago
Myrakle Adams

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Thank you Mikey Manfs I really appreciate what you do thx so much ???
4 years ago
the beast

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can you fight back at a phantom truck
5 years ago
Dani Lyn

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I do not scare easy, so years ago when kids in my town told me about Clinton Road, I took the challenge as a joke. I took my two best friends with me and off we went. I remember it clearly. As we turned on to Clinton Road it seemed like just another country road, however after about a half a mile there were no more houses, just trees. After a few minutes, I was getting bored but my friends said “Keep going”. All of a sudden, I checked my side mirror and noticed a jeep behind us. No big deal, right? But soon the jeep was tailgating us very closely and swerving like maniacs. It was scary, whether it was real or a ghost truck! Today, I just think some kids were messing with us. The road has no street lights so they easily could have shut their head lights and pulled on and off the road with out me seeing. It’s a little strange now because the description above of “Ghost Truck” is almost identical to my experience.. I haven’t been back since but maybe I will go again. If I do I’ll share any exciting or scary news!
5 years ago
Makenna

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Wow it sounds super creepy but do not make fun of me because I’m a wimp I will never EVER go to Clinton Rd.
5 years ago
bro fro

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i was pretty scared still going tho 🙂 i will be going with my friends to so ye
im bringing- an axe for protection jic,hoodie and obviously the rest of my cloths
5 years ago
Ahrix Unknown

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Damn I believe you Mikey, I watch your vids all the time and still watch them today if this is really you. But anyways I am studying this road by itself so one day when I revisit New Jersey after my Sophmore year I can drive down there and see by myself. This helps me a lot because I am writing a report for this. My ELA teacher loves creepy shit so i’m possibly more likely to get an A+. Anyways besides wasting your time (hopefully not), Im going to go now and finish my report. And if you can do one about Moe Sargi’s “Tom’s House” I would be happy to write a report and have you edit as well if that’s fine. Anyway’s, See you later!
5 years ago
mickey manfs

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me and my buddy were driving and theres an old haunted house we ding-dong ditched it and we heard yelling and then we heard a gun shot in the house and a little girl screaming
5 years ago
Jackie

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I call B.S. Sorry
6 years ago
Paul Richard

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In the early 90’s, a young girl was speeding down the road in a 1976 Blue Camero. She hit the cement wall around dead mans curve and died. If you tell this story while traveling down the road, you will see the car travel past you.
7 years ago
James

Scare Score

We’ve been here hundreds of times. If you can avoid getting yelled at by the guards who patrol the road, its a beautiful place. Creepy as hell and no cell signal. We haven’t seen any ghosts but have seen some creepy looking animals!
7 years ago

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Haunted Places, Legends and Ghosts

Clinton Road : West Milford, NJ

Clinton Road : West Milford, NJ

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