Distance: 5.3 miles
Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Elevation gain: 295 feet
Year to date miles: 55.2
Map: Jakes Branch County Park Trail Map
Parking: Nature Center, Double Trouble Road, Beachwood, NJ
N 39 degrees 55.763'
W 074 degrees 12.853'
Restrooms: Nature Center building
Directions:
I did a slightly extended version of this hike: Jakes Branch County Park Loop
We just added the green loop in.
Our mileage is slightly extended due to me doubling back a few times in one section.
In the parking area, if you face the nature center, look for the trail kiosk to the right.
Take the blue blazed Tinley trail.
Keep right where the blue blazed trail splits left & right.
Follow the blue blazed in a counter clockwise loop, passing several trails & sand roads.
Turn right on the white blazed swamp spur.
When you reach the swamp, retrace steps back to the blue trail.
Turn right on the blue blazed Tinley trail.
Turn left on the green blazed Interpretive trail.
Stay left where the trail splits to the left & the right.
Follow the green trail in a clockwise loop until you return to the blue blazed Tinley trail.
Turn left on the blue blazed Tinley trail.
Return to parking area.
Notes:
I like to visit the pine barrens at least once a year. It's a nice place to escape the snow in NY. Unfortunately, they had just gotten snow there last night, but it was melting fast.
This hike does have some car noise in the beginning and the end. Otherwise it was very peaceful. We didn't see anyone on the trails. The trails are typically pine needle covered sand. They are very level trails, making for very easy hiking. We did encounter a lot of flooding of the trails though, presumably from all of this winter's snow. I felt like I should have been hiking in rubber boots, not regular hiking boots! There are a number of "streets" that cross the trails, but they are just sand rows - so I wouldn't expect any vehicular traffic on them. The trails were well marked and easy to follow.
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| The trail starts near the Do Not Enter sign on the right. |
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| The "roads" that cross the trail are marked |
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| Hiking through slush |
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| Hiking through water |
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| Turn for the short out and back on the white trail |
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| The end of the white trail. We thought we were supposed to cross the swamp, so we did! Luckily no one fell in. |
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| Hairpin left turn to the green trail. |
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