Kinnelon, New Jersey

Smoke Rise.

Only 30 miles from New York —
yet a million miles away.

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Where nature and luxury meet.

Created by Nature — Preserved by Man

Smoke Rise Homeowners

Curious what your Smoke Rise home is worth today?

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A Community Apart

Shaped by glaciers. Preserved by people.

Nestled in the New Jersey mountains, Smoke Rise is a historic, private, gated community spanning 2,500 acres of natural beauty. Shaped by glaciers more than 25,000 years ago, its rolling hills, valleys, and pristine lakes have long been a sanctuary — first for the Lenni Lenape, then as the grand estate of Francis Kinney, a tobacco magnate, in the late 1800s.

In 1946, Smoke Rise became one of America's first gated residential communities, designed to offer privacy, luxury, and outdoor recreation. Today, residents enjoy fishing on Lake Kinnelon, hiking, tennis, pickleball, and equestrian stables — all within their own front gates. Just 30 miles from New York City, it remains a premier community where nature and modern living coexist.

Smoke Rise gets its name from the mist that rises off the lake, creating a scene as timeless as its history. It proudly lives up to its motto: "Created by Nature — Preserved by Man."

2,500

Scenic Acres

1946

Founded as Gated

1,150'

Mountain Elevation

Miles to NYC

Only 30 Miles from New York

A million miles away.

Smoke Rise is a private, gated community just 30 miles from New York City — offering peaceful, luxurious living without sacrificing convenience.

With a direct express bus from the North Gate to the Port Authority in just 45 minutes, commuting to Manhattan is effortless. Whether you work in the city or simply enjoy its dining, entertainment, and culture, Smoke Rise provides seamless access while remaining a quiet retreat from the hustle.

Located off Route 23 with quick access to Interstates 80, 287, and other major highways, Smoke Rise is ideal for NYC commuters seeking tranquility just outside the city.

45 min

Bus to Port Authority

30 mi

to Midtown Manhattan

23 · 80 · 287

Highway Access

Inside the Gate

The lifestyle, at a glance.

Every Smoke Rise home comes with optional access to one of New Jersey's most distinctive private community amenity sets — a four-season lifestyle that's hard to find at any commute distance from Manhattan.

The Lake · Fall

Smoke Rise Lake

The Smoke Rise Club

The Inn

Waterfront

Sailing & Boating

Recreation

Tennis

Equestrian

Riding Club

Fields

Ballfield

For Families

Playground

The Lake · Winter

Year-Round

The Lake · Summer

Beach & Swim

Facts About Smoke Rise

What life inside the gate actually looks like.

The details that make Smoke Rise different — from elevation and acreage to the dining, services, and recreation residents enjoy every day.

Premier Location & Accessibility

30 miles from New York City on a limited-access highway
Commuter express bus to the Port Authority
32+ miles of paved roads inside the community
2,500 scenic acres
1,150 ft mountain elevation
Mountain-cool summers — 10° cooler than the city

Dining & Social Life

The Club House Inn — cocktail lounge, restaurant & catering hall
Automotive service station
Private lake snack stand
Lake BBQ area with firepit
Horseshoe pit, bocce ball
Year-round community events & gatherings

Community & Essential Services

Minimum 2,500 sq ft homes on 1.5+ acre wooded lots
Over 920 homes — no two alike
Top-ranked Kinnelon Borough schools, 10 minutes away
Houses of worship within 10 minutes
Nondenominational community church on-site
Garbage, recycling & bulk pickup; on-site fire station
24-hour gate keepers at two protecting gates

Recreation & Outdoor Activities

Bathing beach with seashore sand, bath house & lifeguards
Sailing, fishing, boating, swimming & lake docks
Tennis, pickleball, basketball, baseball & bocce
Riding stables, instruction, training rings & bridle paths
Hiking trails, camp sites & park areas nearby
All winter sports — including skating & hockey
Golf courses nearby; 30 mi to Mountain Creek & Crystal Springs

Where Nature & Luxury Meet

Architecture as varied as the land itself.

Every home in Smoke Rise is as unique as the land itself, designed to blend seamlessly with rugged rock formations, rolling hills, and untouched forests. From classic American farmhouses to Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired architecture, this community offers a home for every style.

Surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains, Smoke Rise is anchored by pristine lakes, woodlands, and protected nature reserves at an elevation of 1,150 feet. To the north and west, a 10,000-acre wildlife sanctuary preserves the natural landscape, while a private 2,000-acre game preserve ensures the area's beauty remains untouched for generations.

For those who love the outdoors, Smoke Rise is an all-season retreat — hiking, tennis, fishing, horseback riding, boating, swimming, skating, and hockey, all within your own community. Wildlife thrives here, from chipmunks and deer to bobcats and rare birds, making every day a chance to connect with nature.

More than just a neighborhood, Smoke Rise is an experience. It must be seen to be appreciated — with 2,500 acres of sparkling lakes and unspoiled woodlands, it offers not just a home, but a new standard for year-round country living, unparalleled in the metropolitan area.

The Brokers Who Live Here

Two owners. Both Smoke Rise residents.

When you list or buy in Smoke Rise with CENTURY 21 Preferred, you're working with people who have lived inside these gates for years — not visitors with a key code.

Jeff Montemarano

CENTURY 21 Preferred · Broker | Owner

(973) 670-1009

Having called Smoke Rise home for over 30 years, Jeff and his wife Jennifer raised their two daughters in this incredible community. As a full-time broker, Jeff established CENTURY 21 Preferred in 1991, bringing unmatched knowledge and experience to the real estate market. Having lived, worked, and built a life here, he knows every corner of Smoke Rise and what makes it such a special place to call home.

Jason Alan Amendolia

CENTURY 21 Preferred · Broker | Owner

(973) 216-5356

Having grown up in Smoke Rise, Jason was fortunate to attend the Kinnelon school system and fully immerse himself in the community's activities since 1993 — including his first job as a lifeguard at the lake. After traveling the world and experiencing different cultures, he gained an even greater appreciation for the natural beauty, close-knit community, and unique lifestyle that make Smoke Rise so special.

Why CENTURY 21 Preferred

The Smoke Rise specialists. Decades deep.

Smoke Rise is a community most agents don't know how to sell. The architecture is custom. The Club has its own culture. Lake and trail rights vary by section. Inventory is tight, off-market activity is real, and buyers are screened. Selling well here isn't about online reach — it's about who you know, and who knows you.

Local Office, Local Team

Our Butler/Kinnelon headquarters sits minutes from the East Gate. Our team has been listing, showing, and closing inside Smoke Rise for decades — in every season, in every section, at every price band.

A Curated Buyer Pool

We maintain an active list of qualified buyers specifically waiting for Smoke Rise inventory — many introduced through referral, the Club, or our broader Fine Homes & Estates network. Listings often move quietly before they ever go public.

The Fine Homes Platform

When a Smoke Rise listing benefits from broader exposure, we activate the CENTURY 21 Fine Homes & Estates platform — with luxury print distribution, paid press placement, and submission to publications like Mansion Global and Robb Report.

Custom Property Webpages

Every Smoke Rise listing receives its own dedicated property page, professional photography and videography, signage with three feature photos, and a QR code for buyers walking the gate.

The Club & Community Fluency

Buyers ask about lake rights, beach access, trail access, equestrian, gate house procedure, and Inn membership. We answer accurately — and we set expectations correctly so deals don't fall apart at due diligence.

Accompanied Showings, Always

We don't lockbox-and-go inside Smoke Rise. Every showing is accompanied. Every buyer is qualified. Every visit is logged with the gate. It's how the community expects business to be done here.

The Location

Country living, commuter convenient.

Smoke Rise sits in Kinnelon, Morris County — tucked into the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains, but just a short drive from Routes 23, 287, and 80. Express commuter buses and nearby trains put Midtown Manhattan well within reach for daily commuters.

Within five to fifteen minutes you're at top-rated schools, dining, supermarkets, and the surrounding Pequannock and Wanaque watershed lands. Within an hour you're in the city.

30 miles to Midtown Manhattan
Express commuter bus access
Routes 23, 287, 80 nearby
Top-rated Kinnelon schools
Watershed land surrounding
Nearby Newark Liberty (EWR)

Buying in Smoke Rise

Your insider — even when the listing isn't ours.

Buyers can choose any brokerage to represent them — regardless of who holds the listing. For a community as layered as Smoke Rise, that choice matters more than almost anywhere else in New Jersey.

We've represented buyers and sellers in Smoke Rise for over 30 years. We know the homes — their histories, their quirks, their previous sale prices, what's been added, what's been hidden. We know the Club, the lakes, and the families. When you tour a Smoke Rise home with us, you tour it with someone who has likely been inside before.

The North Gate of Smoke Rise — private gated entrance to the 2,500-acre community in Kinnelon, NJ

Behind the Gate

Knowledge you can't get from a public listing.

Behind-the-gate knowledge

Lake rights vs. lake views. Club membership requirements. Septic systems and well water specifics. HOA rules and dues. Right-of-way access to trails and beaches. The things only locals know — that affect what a home is actually worth.

Real sales history

We've sold dozens of Smoke Rise homes over three decades. We know what each one previously sold for, what was actually included, what got renovated, and how to value an offer against true comparables — not Zillow guesses.

No conflict of interest

When the listing is held by another brokerage, dual representation isn't possible. Hiring us as your buyer's agent means you have someone whose only loyalty is to you — and our compensation is paid out of the listing commission, at no cost to you.

Have a Smoke Rise home in mind — even one listed with someone else? Let us tour it with you. Our knowledge is your advantage at the negotiating table.

Tour a Smoke Rise Home Talk to a Specialist

Buyer representation at no cost to you · Confidential · Insider expertise since the 1990s

Thinking of Selling in Smoke Rise?

Work with the team that actually lives here.

Smoke Rise homes don't sell like ordinary homes. Behind the gate, the buyer pool is smaller, more discerning, and harder to reach — which is exactly why decades of relationships matter. CENTURY 21 Preferred has specialized in Smoke Rise for 30+ years. We know the homes, we know the families, and we know what your property is worth in today's market.

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