When I was sixteen, I was introduced to the Gates for the first time. Part three of the Jersey / Jax series. It was dark from all of the tree cover, and my stomach began to drop as we climbed down to the level that the tunnel entrances were located on. The tunnel system was built as a drainage run-off for a stream called Weasel Brook, and in times of heavy rain the usual trickle of water through the tunnel can become a raging torrent almost instantly. The inactive one, on the right as you face them, is the Gates. Inside can be an extremely dangerous place even without the presence of Satan. No purchase necessary. Where are they? Whenever a place is known as The Gates of Hell, you can be sure that there is some kind of horrifying tale connected with it and this network of tunnels and storm drains in Clifton, New Jersey is no exception. This old-fashioned candy shop, ice cream parlor, and diner served as the setting for one of TV's most controversial series finales. - Wayne, NJ - Patch is looking into urban legends and spooky bits around the Garden State. ... Gates of Hell in Clifton, New Jersey. The Gates of Hell take the form of a dark tunnel in the town of Clifton, located in Passaic County. This was a shock to the system since it had been totally quiet except for the flow of the water. This New Jersey Tunnel System Is Said To Be The Gateway To Hell. To the Gates of Hell and New Jersey bgharison. If you knock on the railroad ties above the entrance in groups of three, you will hear a loud horn sound from within the tunnel. New Jersey is full of urban legends and local lore, the story of the gateway to hell is one of the more popular. 3 comments: Brooke Jinks August 7, 2017 at 7:30 PM. Safety Notes: There used to be a ladder that would take you down into the sunken concrete area, but it is gone now. Halsey also shouted out a few haunted New Jersey landmarks she’s been to: The Pine Barrens (where the Jersey Devil “lives”), the Gates of Hell in Clifton, Jenny Jump and the Profanity Houses. Edison's cast-in-place concrete houses were a massive failure, but way ahead of their time. Gate of hell is the oldest tunnel with a stone ceiling about 8 feet high. (Image credit: Owlsflight / Atlas Obscura) - ADVERTISEMENT -. This legendary passageway leads to a network of underground tunnels and storm sewers, and some say to … Offer subject to change without notice. The very Gates of Hell are located in New Jersey. This legendary passageway leads to a network of underground tunnels and storm sewers, and some say to the lair of the evil one himself. Stranger Jersey is a video series about urban myths. –Ralph Sinisi. Seems he and his new bride are taking the rest of the day to visit Tripler," Adam said. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. These gates are rumored to be the very gates of hell. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. But once you climb inside you’ll see that the drains,—the home of the devil according to an old urban legend—are covered with satanic graffiti and murals from generations of those who have dared to enter. Visit our SHOP for all of your Weird NJ needs: Magazines, Books, Posters, Shirts, Patches, Hats, Stickers, Magnets, Air Fresheners. A 21-year-old Port Reading man was rescued early Friday morning after falling roughly 20 feet in an area commonly referred to as the “Gates of Hell,” Clifton authorities said. An active drainage pipe flows into the one on the right. I have explored every inch of Clifton and nowhere is as eerie as the Gates of Hell! The Gates of Hell in Clifton, New Jersey. Growing up in Clifton, it wasn’t hard to learn of the stories of wrong doings and evil happenings at a spot known as the Gates Of Hell. Cross the tracks and proceed down the embankment. Check out our list of N.J.'s 10 creepiest spots - and feel free to add your own. I have also heard of this tale of the gates of hell. Weird New Jersey Gates of Hell? It is a very old tunnel with an arched stone ceiling about eight feet high. Exploring a huge network of tunnels underneath Clifton, New Jersey and famous for lots of creepy happenings throughout many decades. All that I had heard and envisioned for the last half of my life was hitting me at once. From the outside, the Gates of Hell, located behind the old Black Prince Distillery in Clifton, New Jersey, look like any other collection of drains. I know they are in Clifton but can I get a more specific location. I have been told that this is Red Eyed Mike. Follow/Fav To the Gates of Hell and New Jersey. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Another story I’ve heard is that at the very end of the Gates is the actual portal to Hell. I have heard this horn on occasion, and have seen rocks hurling themselves out of the tunnel with no person visible inside. In short, it's a large underground tunnel system located in Clifton, NJ, that is reported to be a hub of satanic and other cult activity. In addition to witches and time machines being built in the Pine Barrens, there is also the Clifton Gate. The September 2012 edition of Weird NJ magazine describes a large tunnel, referred to by urban legends as "The Gates of Hell". 5. That’s when we ran and got the hell out of there. The preceding article is an excerpt from Weird NJ magazine, “Your Travel Guide to New Jersey’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets,” which is available on newsstands throughout the state and on the web at www.WeirdNJ.com. Lv 4. Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. He had taken off a few minutes before, with Danny and Jax, loosely disguised in shorts, t … Must sign a waiver before entering the Gates of Hell. He had taken off a few minutes before, with Danny and Jax, loosely disguised in shorts, t-shirts, and sunglasses. It’s said that a spirit, known as Red Eyed Mike, guards the tunnel. –Richard M. The original story of the Gates of Hell was featured in our book Weird NJ. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. The name ‘Gates of Hell’ is quite a common nickname for any dark entrance, yet in all the years of research there is … From the outside, the Gates of Hell, located behind the old Black Prince Distillery in Clifton, New Jersey, look like any other collection of drains. At one time, Bernards Township was one of the central headquarters of the KKK in New Jersey – they held many demonstrations in our town and held many meetings throughout the hills. Deep inside the dark tunnel we started to hear a strange knocking sound. The light quickly evaporates behind you as you enter and you are soon enveloped in total darkness. Source(s): weird jersey gates hell: https://shortly.im/rfoy0. One of these, and one of the more famous, is the legend of the Gates of Hell. At this point I was ready to leave and go home. The Clifton drainage tunnel gained notoriety after being featured by the infamous publication, Weird New Jersey. 0 0. By: bgharison. Some say All Seven Gates of Hell located in New Jersey, New York, Stull, Kansas, or in even on the land of Voodoo, New Orleans? Danny's former rookie has a place on the team and in Steve's heart. Winner will be selected at random on 03/01/2021. Are their tales an accurate depiction of what lies beyond the murky threshold of the Gates of Hell, or are they more a window into the dark fears which can be found inside us all? Meet the Experimental Violinist Forging Her Own Path, How a Blacksmith in Jordan Created His Own Sign Language, https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/southpassaic/police-fire/cliftons-gates-of-hell-rescuers-save-severely-hurt-man-who-fell-20-feet/722218/, https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/crime/2017/10/23/clifton-gates-hell-story-called-bunk/783390001/, http://www.weirdnj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=28. I live in New Jersey and I have no idea. Mysterious heaps of stones dot these otherworldly woods. #*#*#*#*# To the Gates of Hell and New Jersey - Chapter 1. Years later I made several trips back to the Gates of Hell, however after telling my story I could never convince anyone to venture into the tunnels as far as my friend and I did that one summer day. Show the world your Jersey pride some of our Jersey-centric goodies. There is a groove about 20 feet deep, and about 40 feet across. … I wasn’t sure what we had heard. See. Posted by Jamie Loughlin at 3:09 PM. Truth Or Tale: Are The Gates Of Hell Really In A Clifton Tunnel? 1 decade ago. But I realized that the only way to conquer the Gates was to enter the tunnels. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). It was pure Evil. I also once witnessed a small human shaped figure run out of the tunnel towards Weasel Brook Park with superhuman speed. More Gates of Hell Are Being Kicked Open... Dec 16, 2020. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. But once you climb inside you’ll see that the drains—the home of the devil according to an old urban legend—are covered with satanic graffiti and murals from generations of those who have dared to enter. You might think that the term “Gates of Hell” would be a common nickname for any dark and foreboding entrance to the underground, yet in all of our years of research we have found no other subterranean passage in the state with the same moniker as this Clifton site. Clifton police are well aware of the dangers associated with the Gates Of Hell, so named by Weird NJ, a website devoted to New Jersey folklore and urban legends. Danny, of course, had been grousing the whole time; while Jax looked entirely too excited about the whole situation. New Jersey has a lot of hard-kept secrets and unsolved mysteries. Here is a sneak peak at chapter one - please look for the NEW story posted to continue! Also, the areas over which water flows are smooth and coated with slippery residue. Most chilling to me was a secret room many layers under the ground. This room was only to be entered if you possessed powers that enabled you to lift axes that weighed thousands of pounds and blocked the door. In 2011, we unveiled the first ever R-Rated Haunted attraction in the state of Nevada. There is probably no better way to prove one’s courage than by walking straight into the gaping maw of Hell, the gates of which can be found in the town of Clifton, Passaic County. Legends of treasure and spirits flow from this this fairy tale-like oasis. The Gates of Hell drain stands out from others nearby because it is square in shape and dry, while all others drains in the area typically have streams of water flowing from them. –Jeff H. My friends and I have heard some rumors about the Gates of Hell that may be of interest to you. Park at the Pathmark on the corner of Paulison Avenue and Clifton Avenue From there, walk down Clifton Avenue toward the railroad tracks and then turn left on Fornelius Avenue. Kono sat behind the desk in Kamekona's small but tidy office. It is a short drop in but requires some scrambling or lifting to get out. At the very center of the groove is a smoothed out granite manhole which is supposed to be one of the portals leading to Hell. Unlike the other tunnels which were round and had streams of water flowing from them, this entrance was square, and had no water flow. This old tunnel system with high arched stone ceilings is filled with graffiti, litter, and myriad stories of eerie happenings. Two pipes open into the one on the left. This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public. And so, the myth of the devil living in a town in north new jersey remains a myth. There’s a creepy location in New Jersey known as ” The Gates Of Hell” that many won’t dare go near. The room is filled with a glowing human skull that is the last sign before you encounter the devil himself. You will see two sunken concrete areas each surrounded by fencing. © 2021 Atlas Obscura. Tread carefully. According to local legend, a gate to Hell is located in this drainage tunnel in New Jersey. All contents ©Weird NJ and may not be reproduced by any means without permission. Amazing thing is light quickly evaporates, as soon as you enter the gates of hell. To the Gates of Hell and New Jersey - Chapter 1. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. The Gates Of Hell. Seven golden statues rise into the sky from sculptor Victor Victori's New Jersey front lawn. They would tell stories of people entering these tunnels and never returning. Chapter 9: Pupule ... "Bloody hell," Rachel exclaimed, as a huge cream colored cat stalked onto the lanai, eyeing the group with suspicion. It is a storm drain in Clifton, New Jersey. Not to mention the Devil's Tree and Shades of Death Road. My first recollections of this place were from the kids at the local BMX bike jumps. Satanic sacrifices, decaying carcasses, upside down crosses, satanic graffiti, anything dealing with the darkness in human nature was down there. There is probably no better way to prove one’s courage than by walking straight into the gaping maw of Hell, the gates of which can be found in the town of Clifton, PassaicCounty. Each episode explores some of New Jersey’s strangest locations and darkest legends. According to the legend, there is a room deep underground that can be entered only by those possessed with the powers to lift giant axes that weigh thousands of pounds and block the doors. I had seen the entrance, and I now believed everything I heard just by looking at it. I could feel the fear running from my feet straight to my shoulders. It skirted around the edge of the table and slunk underneath to settle at Jax's feet. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy. Ong’s Hat And The Portal To Another Dimension | The Gates Of Hell Is In New Jersey #higherself Holmdel, New Jersey See All From the outside, the Gates of Hell, located behind the old Black Prince Distillery in Clifton, New Jersey, look like any other collection of drains. This week, that work freed a Catholic Church in California, and the Supreme Court has now issued orders for churches in New Jersey and Colorado! Private Trip: Croatia’s Abandoned Sites & Ancient Cities, Private Trip: A Culinary Exploration of Lisbon, Private Trip: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Private Trip: Chernobyl by Day, Kyiv by Night, Sunday Sabor: An Afternoon of Spanish Sherry, 'Res Gestae Divi Augusti' ('The Deeds of the Divine Augustus'), Enter the Lair of an Enormous, Ancient, Predatory Worm, The 17-Year Cicada Swarms of Brood X Are Coming This Summer, The Blacksmith Turning Decades of Chinese Bombs Into Kitchen Tools. I live about 5 miles from Clifton. What Does the Title 'Esquire' Mean, Anyway? As discussed in several blog posts and, of course, our Jersey Devil series...a lot of weird things are happening in New Jersey. I always wanted to find this spot to satisfy my own craving of knowledge and wonderment of the unknown, but at that age Clifton seemed as big as the universe and finding them was a bit further than mom would let me ride my bike. Fengdu Ghost City in Chongqing Municipality, China. After a few dead ends we finally found a route to the tunnels. You can either jump down near the Gates’ entrance or look for the nearby ladder (it’s located near another drain entrance). In the 2014 film As Above, So Below, set in the depths of the Catacombs of Paris, has an inscription marking the entrance to hell. My friend asked me if I had ever been to the Gates of Hell. Windona. There were seven layers of tunnels under the ground, and the lower you got the closer you came to meeting the devil. There are dead trees planted exactly three feet apart from one another with dead cats and birds tied around their trunks. My friend swears it was someone whispering some chant deeper in the tunnels. There is a very evil truth to the mythology of the Devil’s Tree. Only those who are brave enough, or fool hearty enough to enter those gates can say for sure. To call the seven gates of hell an … Besides the glowing skull rumor, there’s supposed to be an area within the Gates that has some very disturbing  decor. All rights reserved. Weird NJ Experience- Gates of Hell A couple years ago, me and some of the guys decided we would go to "The Gates of Hell," mentioned in Weird NJ. Popularized by Weird NJ. From a fiery crater in Turkmenistan to a diabolical tunnel beneath New Jersey, peer into the underworld through these eerie earthly portals rumored to be gateways to hell. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. You need to climb down to reach all the storm drains. It was an unprecedented gamble based on one simple theory: that our adult audience was ready for something more. Reportedly, the drains go on for hundreds of feet underground, layered nine times just like the circles of hell, and are filled with the remains of satanic sacrifices—bones, decaying carcasses, crosses, and more. Myself and two friends decided to explore the Gates of Hell in Clifton New Jersey after hearing about it for years. This house covered in art created with volcanic rocks is shrouded in macabre lore. Looking at the entrance was more terrifying than anything else. Past the second building, there is a path that leads up to the tracks. Inside this room was a dungeon that housed a human skull, or so it was said. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders. The Gates of Hell is the name of Rodin's bar that doubles as a demonic weapons market. Kono sat behind the desk in Kamekona's small but tidy office. The Gates of Hell tunnel is about eight feet high and covered from top to bottom in graffiti. Generations of local teenagers have told stories of what lay deep inside these darkened corridors, and have dared each other to venture forth. Other, slightly more plausible legends, tell of people drowning in the drains, while trying to explore them and the rooms underground being used as meeting places for devil worshippers and members of the KKK. The Gates of New Jersey [Image via Atlas Obscura] In Passaic County, a semi-abandoned storm drain for Weasel Brook is supposedly the gateway to Hell. It’s located behind the old Black Prince Distillery in Clifton, New Jersey and is riddled with stories of some pretty creepy things. Originally built in 1869, this castle is currently part of Felician University's campus. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Gates Of Hell Part of Clifton's underground drainage system. 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