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New Jersey is shrouded in mystery and legends, and according to Google searches, two haunted trails in the Garden State are among the most popular in the country.

In a recent study conducted by buycycle, more than 100 haunted trails across the U.S. were analyzed to determine the top destinations for outdoor and paranormal activity. Researchers looked at Google search volume linked to trail names and their haunted legends.

The Pine Barrens Trail within the Pineland forests had a search volume of 22,340, placing it ninth on the list. If you live in New Jersey, you know all about the Jersey Devil, which according to legend was the 13th child of the Leeds family that turned into a winged creature and now haunts South Jersey. The Batona Trail (BAckTONAture) is considered the creepiest section and where our state mascot resides.

The 10 miles of Clinton Road is densely wooded, with a bridge at Dead Man’s Curve where the Ghost Boy lives. Apparently, the boy was hit by a car and killed on the bridge when he went to pick up a quarter he saw on the ground; if you bend down to pick it up the coin boy would push you into the lake to save you from being hit by the car. And if you throw coins into the creek, he will return them to you. The search volume for this area is 14,800.

These are the 15 most popular haunted trails in the U.S.:

  1. Appalachia Trail, Bluff Mountain, Virginia
  2. Hollywood Sign Trail, Los Angeles, California
  3. The Stanley Hotel Trail, Stanley Hotel, Colorado
  4. Mammoth Cave Trail, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
  5. Bonaventure Cemetery Trail, Savannah, Georgia
  6. Sam Merrill Trail, Altadena, California
  7. Mt. Rubidoux, Riverside, California
  8. North Rim Trail, Tyron Creek State Park, Oregon
  9. Pine Barrens Trail, New Jersey
  10. Clinton Road, New Jersey
  11. Bash Bish Falls Trail, Mount Washington, Massachusetts
  12. Bell Witch Cave and Trail, Adams, Tennessee
  13. Lime Kiln Trail, Mountain Loop Highway, Washington
  14. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Walkabout, Sleepy Hollow, New York
  15. Solstice Canyon Trail, Malibu, California

In a separate survey, Gunther Volkswagen Delray Beach asked 3,000 drivers about which roads scare them the most, between ghost sightings and haunted legends. Three New Jersey roadways made the list – and of course Clinton Road was mentioned.

There have been numerous reports of a ghost hanging around Annie’s Road in Totowa, as well as “blood”- or something red – on the guardrail at the curve, placing it at No. 18 on the national list.

Shades of Death Road in Warren County ranked 61st for what people claim is a haunted lake bed as mist rises above the water. The 6-mile road goes along Jenny Jump State Forest up to Allamuchy. There are tales of squatters and murderers and gangs hanging out in the area.

Survey asks drivers which roads they fear the most.
18. Annie’s Road, or Riverside Drive, in Totowa
61. Shades of Death Road in Warren County
94. Clinton Road in West Milford

The Top 10 scariest roads in America are:

  1. Route 9 – Sleepy Hollow, New York
  2. Old Ghost Road – Brooklet, Georgia
  3. Superstition Mountains Apache Trail, Arizona
  4. Haunted Highway 359, Louisiana
  5. Bayou Sale Road – Franklin, Louisiana
  6. State Road 14 (Turquoise Trail), New Mexico
  7. Stony Hollow Road – Burlington, Iowa
  8. Croison Creek Road – Salem, Oregon
  9. Highway 90 – Gautier, Mississippi
  10. Highway 93, Arizona

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