Hackettstown smells faintly of chocolate on some days, thanks to the Mars factory in town, where candy has been made for decades. It is a pleasant small town in the valley of the Musconetcong River, in the hills of north-western New Jersey, with a main street, old churches and a college. For riders, it is a gateway to some of the best roads in the state.
The Musconetcong is a lovely river, flowing south-west towards the Delaware through a valley of farms, forests and old mill villages. It has been designated a National Wild and Scenic River, and its banks are lined with trees and meadows. To the north and west, the land rises into the Kittatinny Ridge and the Delaware Water Gap, where the Delaware River cuts through the ridge in a dramatic gorge.
The riding from Hackettstown is excellent. Route 57 and the roads along the Musconetcong are scenic and winding, while the roads over Schooley's Mountain and towards the Water Gap offer steeper climbs, tighter curves and more challenging riding. The Old Mine Road, which runs along the Delaware on the New Jersey side of the Water Gap, is one of the oldest roads in the United States, narrow, rough and beautiful. Traffic is moderate, but deer are a constant hazard, and the roads can be busy on weekends.
Hackettstown has fuel stations, diners and cafés, making it a good place to stop. A hearty breakfast at a local diner is a New Jersey tradition. Fill up here before heading into the Water Gap, where services are limited and the scenery takes over.