Tillman Ravine Trail

Tillman Ravine preserves the finest old-growth hemlock grove in New Jersey, a cathedral forest of eastern hemlocks up to 300 years old and 90 feet tall lining the walls of a narrow gorge carved by Tillman Brook through Precambrian gneiss in the Kittatinny Mountains. The 2-mile loop descends into the ravine through a noticeably cooler microclimate created by the dense hemlock canopy and the cold water emanating from mountain springs, a temperature differential of 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit compared to surrounding upland forest in summer. Tillman Brook tumbles over a series of natural flumes, potholes, and cascades carved in the smooth bedrock at the ravine floor, creating continuous white water sound that fills the gorge. The hemlocks in Tillman Ravine have received intensive treatment for hemlock woolly adelgid since 2005, with state foresters applying trunk injections and foliar sprays to preserve the irreplaceable old-growth stand. Mosses, liverworts, and ferns carpet every available surface in the deep shade, creating a lush green environment reminiscent of Pacific Northwest rainforest. The loop emerges from the ravine into second-growth hardwood upland before returning along the rim. Tillman Ravine is considered one of the ten most ecologically significant natural areas in New Jersey by the state's Natural Heritage Program.