Entering the Twilight Zone on Clinton Road...

Those growing up in the ‘60’s and 70’s will remember such weekly viewing fare as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, One-Step Beyond and Tales from the Crypt. These were bizarre stories of the paranormal that frequently left one—well—feeling a bit unsettled. However, there are places on this earth where the peculiar and uncanny tend to be commonplace.

Take Clinton Road for instance...

Many have experienced a close encounter of the creepy kind on this long, winding road in Passaic county, New Jersey. WeirdNJ.com has devoted many articles to this lonely stretch of asphalt, with multiple tales of the frightening and uncanny.

My husband is a 32 year retired veteran of the Las Vegas Police Department. One fine evening, as we watched a 1950’s horror movie, he said, “Have you ever noticed that the first casualty in these films is the lone cop on duty—and he’s always out in the middle of a deserted desert or something close to it? I think I’m glad my job is more urban.”

Yeah...me too...

Anyway, WeirdNJ.com has included a story that takes place at Terrace Pond, near Clinton Road. To sum it up... a group of revelers had set up their camp at this mountain lake. At approximately 1:00 A.M., two park rangers approached them and voiced their concerns about the campfire and drinking. A member of the group then asked the rangers if they had parked their vehicles in an area safe from fines and tickets, the park authorities assured them they were fine in that regard.

Yet, after hiking back to their cars in the morning, they found a summons placed on each car. Of course, this led them to question the Milford Police and Newark Watershed authorities about the incident. When they told them about their conversation with the rangers, the authorities looked very bewildered and asked the party to describe the rangers in detail. The authorities then informed the group that they no longer assigned rangers to patrol the area, and that the description they gave fit two men killed while on patrol in 1939.

Yep...

Then there’s Cross Castle. Again, according to WeirdNJ.com and other sources, a man named Richard J. Cross built a castle in this area around 1905. Connected with stories and allegations of Satan worshiping, KKK rituals, and the obligatory sacrifices, the area where Cross Castle once stood has developed an unsavory reputation. Visitors report suffering seizures and bruises after visiting the area or suffering strange and disturbing visions. Some say the castle appears in all its former glory once a year with a troubling and distressing appearance of the KKK conducting unholy sacrifices.

Well so much for haunted places during this installment. One suggestion however, never traverse Clinton Road by yourself... in the dark…

To see more on Clinton Road and other strange happenings in New Jersey, visit the Weird N.J. website!

And I’d like to thank Mark Sceurman for allowing me the use of the pictures!