The Haunted Cemeteries In New Jersey That Locals Say Are Too Creepy To Ignore

New Jersey may be famous for its boardwalks and diners, but beneath the surface lies a darker side that few dare to explore after sunset.

Scattered across the Garden State are burial grounds steeped in centuries of history, mystery, and spine-chilling tales that have been whispered from generation to generation.

From Revolutionary War soldiers who refuse to rest in peace to ghostly apparitions that wander among weathered tombstones, these graveyards have earned their haunted reputations through countless eerie encounters reported by locals and visitors alike.

Paranormal investigators have documented unexplained phenomena, while brave souls who ventured too close at night have returned with stories that make even skeptics pause.

These aren’t just ordinary resting places; they’re living legends where the boundary between our world and the next feels paper-thin.

Will you be brave enough to visit after reading what lurks in the shadows? Pack your courage and maybe a flashlight, because this ghostly tour through New Jersey’s most haunted graveyards is about to get seriously creepy!

1. Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Nestled in the heart of Newark at 375 Broadway, Newark, NJ 07104, this historic burial ground dates back to 1844 and holds the remains of some of New Jersey’s most prominent citizens. The atmosphere shifts dramatically once the sun dips below the horizon, transforming this peaceful resting place into something far more unsettling.

Visitors have reported cold spots that appear out of nowhere, even during summer months, and the distinct feeling of being watched by unseen eyes.

Local paranormal enthusiasts claim that a woman in Victorian-era clothing has been spotted wandering among the graves, searching for something or someone she lost long ago. Her translucent figure appears most frequently near the older sections where Civil War veterans rest.

Some witnesses describe hearing her weeping softly, a sound that cuts through the silence and sends shivers down spines.

The cemetery’s elaborate Victorian monuments and mausoleums create eerie shadows that seem to move independently when moonlight filters through the ancient trees. Groundskeepers have shared stories of tools mysteriously relocating overnight and unexplained footsteps crunching on gravel paths when no living person is present.

Photography enthusiasts who visit during daylight often discover strange orbs and unexplained mists in their images that weren’t visible to the naked eye.

Security cameras have captured footage that defies logical explanation, including shadowy figures that appear and vanish within seconds. Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, the undeniable sense of unease that permeates Mount Pleasant Cemetery after dark has convinced many locals to avoid it entirely once evening falls, making it a true hotspot for those seeking genuine ghostly encounters.

2. Old Tennent Cemetery

Revolutionary War history comes alive, or rather, refuses to die, at this legendary graveyard located at 454 Tennent Rd, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726. The Battle of Monmouth raged nearby in 1778, and many believe the soldiers who fell that scorching June day never truly left the battlefield or the cemetery where they were laid to rest.

The church adjacent to the burial ground still bears cannonball damage, serving as a permanent reminder of the violence that unfolded here.

Ghost hunters and history buffs flock to this location hoping to encounter the spirits of Continental Army soldiers who allegedly march in formation among the graves on foggy nights. Witnesses describe the sound of drums and distant musket fire echoing across the grounds when no reenactments are scheduled.

Several visitors have photographed mysterious figures in Revolutionary War uniforms standing near military headstones, only to find nobody there when they looked up from their cameras.

One particularly chilling legend involves a British soldier who appears near the church, seemingly confused and still searching for his regiment more than two centuries after the battle ended. Locals warn against visiting alone after dark, as the overwhelming sensation of sadness and loss can become emotionally crushing.

The energy here feels heavy, as if the ground itself remembers the bloodshed and refuses to let anyone forget.

EMF detectors go haywire in certain sections, and voice recorders have captured what sound like orders being shouted in colonial-era English. Old Tennent Cemetery stands as a powerful reminder that some battles leave scars that transcend time itself.

3. Piscatawaytown Burial Ground

Few places in New Jersey can match the ancient, unsettling atmosphere of this colonial-era cemetery located at 1618 Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ 08817. Established in the early 1700s, this burial ground predates the American Revolution and contains graves of some of the area’s earliest European settlers.

Weathered headstones lean at odd angles, their inscriptions worn nearly smooth by centuries of wind and rain, creating an otherworldly landscape that feels frozen in time.

What makes this location particularly unnerving is the reported phenomenon of shadow people, dark humanoid figures that dart between monuments and disappear when approached. Unlike typical ghost sightings, these entities lack distinct features and seem to absorb light rather than reflect it.

Multiple witnesses have independently described the same experience of seeing these shadows move with purpose through the graveyard, as if patrolling their eternal territory.

The burial ground sits surrounded by modern development, creating a jarring contrast between the ancient dead and contemporary life rushing past just yards away. This juxtaposition seems to amplify the paranormal activity, as if the spirits resent being hemmed in by progress.

Visitors often report their electronic devices malfunctioning completely within the cemetery boundaries, with fully charged batteries draining in minutes and cameras refusing to function properly.

Local historians have documented accounts of strange lights hovering above specific graves, particularly those of children who died during colonial epidemics. The overwhelming feeling of sorrow mixed with an inexplicable sense of warning keeps most people from lingering long after discovering this hidden pocket of haunted history.

4. Rose Hill Cemetery

Perched on a hillside at 176 Ravine Dr, Matawan, NJ 07747, this Victorian-era cemetery offers stunning views during the day but transforms into something far more menacing once darkness falls. Founded in the mid-1800s, Rose Hill contains elaborate monuments and family mausoleums that speak to the wealth and status of those interred here.

The winding paths and steep terrain create natural blind spots where anything, or anyone, could be lurking just out of sight.

The most frequently reported phenomenon involves a spectral groundskeeper who appears to be tending graves with old-fashioned tools, completely oblivious to living observers. He wears clothing from the early 1900s and seems to follow the same routine night after night, as if eternally bound to his duties.

When approached, he simply fades away like morning mist, leaving witnesses questioning their own sanity.

Another disturbing aspect of Rose Hill involves the children’s section, where small headstones mark the graves of young lives cut tragically short. Visitors consistently report hearing the sound of children laughing and playing, yet the area remains completely empty when investigated.

Some have even claimed to feel small hands tugging at their clothing or touching their arms, accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature that makes breath visible even on warm nights.

Paranormal investigation teams have recorded unexplained voices on audio equipment, including what sounds like a woman calling out names desperately, as if searching for lost loved ones. The combination of genuine historical tragedy and persistent supernatural activity makes Rose Hill Cemetery one of the most authentically haunted locations in the region.

5. Finn’s Point National Cemetery

Standing at 454 Fort Mott Rd, Pennsville, NJ 08070, this Civil War-era burial ground carries the weight of one of America’s darkest chapters. More than 2,400 Confederate prisoners of war who died at nearby Fort Delaware are interred here, along with Union soldiers and veterans from subsequent conflicts.

The sheer number of souls resting in this relatively compact space creates an atmosphere so heavy with sorrow that sensitive visitors often feel physically ill within minutes of entering.

The most documented paranormal activity centers around the massive monument dedicated to the Confederate dead, where apparitions in tattered gray uniforms have been photographed and witnessed by dozens of credible sources. These spirits appear confused and disoriented, as if still suffering from the diseases that killed them in captivity over 150 years ago.

Some visitors report hearing coughing, moaning, and whispered conversations in Southern accents drifting across the grounds when nobody else is present.

During certain times of year, particularly around anniversaries of major Civil War battles, the paranormal activity intensifies dramatically. Witnesses describe seeing entire groups of soldiers materializing near the rows of white headstones, only to vanish seconds later.

The smell of gunpowder and smoke occasionally permeates the air despite no logical source, and the temperature can plummet thirty degrees in isolated pockets without warning.

Park rangers and maintenance workers have their own collection of unexplained experiences, including tools that move on their own and the sound of marching boots on gravel paths during the middle of the night. Finn’s Point serves as a sobering reminder that war’s casualties extend far beyond the battlefield.

6. Cedar Ridge Cemetery

Tucked away in the rural landscape at 113 NJ-94, Blairstown, NJ 07825, this lesser-known burial ground punches well above its weight in terms of paranormal intensity. The surrounding woods press close to the cemetery boundaries, creating an isolated feeling that becomes genuinely oppressive after sunset.

Local legends speak of a curse placed on the land long before it became a burial ground, though historical records provide no confirmation of such tales.

What cannot be disputed are the numerous accounts of a phantom black dog that appears on the cemetery road, causing drivers to swerve and brake suddenly before the creature vanishes into thin air. This phenomenon has been reported so frequently that locals have nicknamed the entity “The Guardian” and believe it protects the graves from vandals and trespassers.

Several would-be troublemakers have claimed the dog chased them from the property, its eyes glowing an unnatural red color.

Within the cemetery itself, visitors describe an overwhelming sensation of being followed, with footsteps matching their own pace from just behind or beside them. Turning to look reveals nothing, yet the sounds continue relentlessly.

Photographs taken here frequently show strange light anomalies and faces appearing in the background that weren’t visible when the picture was snapped.

The older section contains graves dating to the 1800s, and it’s here that the most intense activity occurs. People report their names being whispered by unseen voices and feeling invisible hands touching their shoulders or arms.

The combination of isolation, persistent paranormal phenomena, and genuinely unsettling atmosphere makes Cedar Ridge Cemetery a location that even experienced ghost hunters approach with caution and respect.

7. Princeton Cemetery

Elegance meets the ethereal at this historic burial ground located at 29 Greenview Ave, Princeton, NJ 08540, where some of America’s greatest minds have been laid to rest. Presidents, scholars, and Revolutionary War heroes occupy plots beneath towering trees and beside elaborate monuments that reflect the intellectual prestige of the surrounding university town.

Yet beneath the refined atmosphere lurks something decidedly unquiet that has been documented for generations.

The most famous resident, both in life and death, is former President Grover Cleveland, whose grave attracts history enthusiasts from around the world. However, visitors often report feeling an inexplicable presence near his monument, as if someone is standing just out of peripheral vision.

Photographs taken at his gravesite frequently show unexplained mists and light anomalies that seem to swirl around the headstone.

Another hotspot of activity centers on the older colonial section, where victims of Revolutionary War battles rest alongside early Princeton settlers.

The sound of horses’ hooves on cobblestones has been reported echoing through the cemetery despite the modern paved roads, and the scent of wood smoke from long-extinguished fires occasionally drifts past confused witnesses.

Some claim to have seen figures in colonial dress walking purposefully through the grounds before fading away like memories.

The combination of Princeton’s academic atmosphere and the cemetery’s genuine paranormal activity creates a unique environment where skepticism meets undeniable strangeness. Even those who enter with no belief in the supernatural often leave questioning what they experienced among the graves of the accomplished dead who apparently aren’t quite ready to retire from this world.

8. Rahway Cemetery

History seeps from every corner of this ancient burial ground situated at 1670 St Georges Ave, Rahway, NJ 07065, where graves date back to the earliest colonial settlements in the region. The cemetery has witnessed centuries of burials, from Revolutionary War casualties to victims of various epidemics that swept through the area during the 1800s and early 1900s.

Walking these grounds feels like stepping backward through time, with each section representing a different era of American history and its accompanying sorrows.

Paranormal investigators have designated certain sections of Rahway Cemetery as particularly active, especially the area containing victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Visitors report feeling sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, including chills, dizziness, and nausea, that disappear completely once they leave the cemetery grounds.

This phenomenon has been documented so consistently that it’s become a hallmark of the location’s haunted reputation.

Another frequently reported experience involves the apparition of a woman in a long white dress who appears near a specific family plot, wringing her hands in obvious distress. She never speaks or acknowledges observers, simply repeating the same gestures before vanishing.

Local legend identifies her as a mother who lost multiple children to disease and now eternally mourns their loss.

The cemetery’s proximity to residential areas means that neighbors have their own stories to share, including strange lights floating above the graves late at night and the sound of crying echoing from the burial ground when it should be completely empty.

Rahway Cemetery proves that you don’t need to venture far from civilization to encounter the supernatural; sometimes the most haunted places hide in plain sight.

9. Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery

Urban legends take on new meaning at this historic burial ground located at 435 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302, where the dead rest surrounded by the bustling energy of one of New Jersey’s most densely populated cities. Established in 1829, this cemetery represents a fascinating pocket of preservation amidst constant development and modernization.

The contrast between the ancient graves and the contemporary cityscape creates a surreal atmosphere that seems to amplify paranormal activity rather than diminish it.

The most compelling phenomenon reported here involves full-bodied apparitions that appear solid and lifelike until they walk directly through monuments or simply dissolve into nothing. Unlike typical shadowy figures, these entities look completely real, dressed in period clothing from various eras spanning the cemetery’s nearly 200-year history.

Witnesses describe making eye contact with these figures, who sometimes appear just as startled to see the living as the living are to see them.

Local urban explorers and paranormal enthusiasts have documented EVP recordings capturing voices speaking in languages no longer commonly used, including older forms of Dutch and German reflecting the area’s settlement history. The voices often sound distressed or confused, asking questions about what happened to familiar landmarks that have long since been demolished or replaced.

Despite being surrounded by traffic noise and city sounds, visitors frequently report experiencing pockets of absolute silence within the cemetery, as if stepping into a bubble where the outside world cannot penetrate.

These quiet zones coincide with the most intense feelings of being watched and the highest concentration of paranormal sightings, making Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery a genuinely unnerving location despite its urban setting.

10. Fairmount Cemetery

Gothic beauty meets genuine terror at this sprawling Victorian burial ground located at 620 Central Ave, Newark, NJ 07107, where elaborate monuments and mausoleums create a landscape that looks like something from a classic horror film.

Established in 1855, Fairmount spans over 120 acres and contains tens of thousands of graves, including those of Newark’s most prominent historical figures.

The sheer size of the property means there are countless hidden corners where anything could be lurking unseen.

The cemetery’s most infamous resident is believed to be responsible for the majority of paranormal activity: a caretaker who died under mysterious circumstances in the early 1900s and allegedly never left his post. Witnesses describe encountering a man in old-fashioned work clothes who offers directions or warns visitors about dangerous areas, only to vanish when they turn to thank him.

His appearances are so frequent and consistent that even skeptical groundskeepers acknowledge something unexplainable happens here regularly.

Certain mausoleums have earned reputations as particularly active locations, with visitors reporting the sound of scratching from inside sealed crypts and the distinct feeling of being watched from behind iron gates. Photographs taken near these structures often show strange shadows and light anomalies that seem to emanate from within the buildings themselves.

Some brave souls who’ve peered through the small windows report seeing movement inside, despite the fact that these tombs have been sealed for decades.

The Victorian-era landscaping, with its winding paths and strategic plantings, creates an intentionally atmospheric experience that becomes genuinely frightening after dark. Fairmount Cemetery stands as New Jersey’s crown jewel of haunted burial grounds, combining architectural grandeur with persistent supernatural phenomena that continues to terrify and fascinate in equal measure.