Clinton Road
West Milford, New Jersey, United States
Road or bridge · local-legend
The Story
Northern New Jersey’s Clinton Road has a ghost-boy bridge, phantom headlights and an unusually durable reputation for roadside encounters.
The Hauntings
The best-known story concerns a boy said to have drowned near a crossing over Clinton Brook. In some versions he appears by the bridge; in others a coin placed there is mysteriously returned. The road has also acquired tales of unexplained lights, a phantom car, and unsettling figures in the woods. The stories vary by teller, as roadside legends tend to do. The important constant is the identifiable stretch of public road in West Milford, not a documented accident involving a particular child.
The History
Clinton Road runs through the wooded Passaic County landscape. Its isolated character has helped folklore spread through regional publications, online discussions and later ghost-story reporting.
A sense of place.
Visitor Experiences
Have you experienced something here?
This future chapter will bring together stories from the PHASM community. An unexpected encounter, a lingering feeling, or a quiet visit—your experience will be welcome.
Submissions are not open yet.
Sources & further reading.
- Clinton Road blog — Clinton Road: Fact or Fiction? — local ghost-story collection (history)
- Wikipedia overview citing Weird NJ — Weird NJ Clinton Road traditions (overview) (history)
- Clinton Road blog — Clinton Road: Fact or Fiction? — local ghost-story collection (reports)
- Wikipedia overview citing Weird NJ — Weird NJ Clinton Road traditions (overview) (reports)
- Clinton Road blog — Clinton Road: Fact or Fiction? — local ghost-story collection (visiting)
- Wikipedia overview citing Weird NJ — Weird NJ Clinton Road traditions (overview) (visiting)
Plan Your Visit
This is a traveled public road, not a paranormal park. View the setting only while driving legally and attentively; do not stop on narrow shoulders, obstruct traffic, leave objects in the roadway or enter adjacent private land. No organized visitor or investigation program was established.