I never realized how many hidden treasures New Jersey had until I started looking for them. On the weekends, when the kids do not have any sports, I try to find a new adventure for us to go on.
We were looking for a place close to our home with biking and walking trails. To my surprise, we found a place called Hartshorne Wood Park.
What is Hartshorn Wood Park
Hartshorne Wood Park is a part of the Monmouth county park system located in Highland, New Jersey, which overlooks the Navesink River. It’s also a historic site founded in 1669 by a London settler named Richard Hartshorne.
Click here to learn more about the history of Hartshorne Wood Park: https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2524.
In 2013 the Park went under a 4-year restoration project completed in 2017.
Today we get to explore the fine history of this Park with access to tours Thursdays-Sundays from 10 am – 4 pm.
Things to do at Hartshorn Wood Park
Families that visit this Park can enjoy various activities on these grounds. The park system allows people to partake in activities along the trails, such as bike riding, hiking, horseback riding, walking, cross-country skiing, and also fishing.
Trails
Hartshorne Wood Park has about 797 acres of land to explore, but as new hikers and mountain bikers, we decided to stick with the basic trail.
During our visit to the Park, we stuck with an easy paved trail for the most part.
There is a section where you can go off course a little to get closer to the shore, but I would not recommend it for parents with young children because the area is unpaved and very steep.
There is a paved path to get to the shore; my advice is to take it that way.
How many trails do Hartshorn Wood Park have?
The Park has 12 different trails, all ranging from easy to challenging. My family stayed on the Kings Hollow and Battery Loop trail.
Although these trails are paved and easy to walk, I recommend bringing water with you if you need to hydrate.
Also, we found that the trails get a little steep while walking, so you will feel it in your legs.
The kids rode their bikes while the adults walked. Sometimes, we had to make the kids get off the bikes because the hills were too steep for them to ride down.
The kids would have loved to ride freely down the hill, but we know they would’ve panicked and somehow hurt themselves.
Names of trails
The easy trails in the Park are the following:
Lewis Overlook, which is about 0.2 miles, has a beautiful overlook view of the water.
Battery Lewis is a paved trail that is 0.4 miles long. This trail will loop you around the bunkers.
Kings Hollow is a 0.7-mile unpaved trail which you will find beautiful oak trees and wildflowers. If you are lucky, you’ll get to take some pretty pictures of the wildflowers and butterflies together.
The Kings Hollow trail is also how you must go to get to the overlook.
Candlestick is on the other side of the Park. This trail is a 1.5-mile unpaved trail. We decided not to take this trail because we wanted to see the water. The entrance to this trail is 307 Navesink Ave. Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716.
To get to the Navesink River, we had to get in the van and drive to another location.
Moderate Trails
Black Fish Cove is a paved 0.2-mile walk to the Navesink River. There is a dock that looks out over the water for you to admire the beautiful view. You will find boats hanging out on the river enjoying the summer day.
Warning: On your walk back to the trail, there is a gradual incline. (This is the trail I have been warning you about)
Bunker Loop is a paved 0.3-mile trail that loops you to a wood bunker site. (We did not get to take this trail because the big guy was ready to leave.)
Command Loop is a paved trail that is 0.4 miles. This trail takes you to the former Army Defense Site.
Battery Loop is a 1.3-mile walk with sharp inclines and declines. Make sure you only do this trail after leg day at the gym. However, this trail was a nice paved walk through beautiful trees.
*Don’t let these small trails fool you because you must take another small pathway to get to the other one for some of them. These small miles will add up.
Cuesta Ridge Is 1. 6 miles through the woods. You can access this trail from the Buttermilk Valley section at 307 Navesink Ave. Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716.
Challenging Trails
*Our family did not take the more challenging trails because we needed to learn about them. On our next visit, we plan to pack up all of the bikes and conquer one course at a time.
Rocky Point Trail If you want to travel a little farther and away from the crowd, try the Rocky Point Trail. This is a 2.3-mile trail that runs along the edge of the Park. This is an unpaved trail suitable for hiking and mountain biking. You can also bring your horse along this trail but check with the Park first because I don’t want to get you in trouble.
Grand Tour: They came up with the perfect name for this 3.1-mile trail. This trail is the longest in the Park, and it crosses over Cuesta Ridge and the Rocky Point trail if you’re looking for an adventure.
I love bike rides because they remind me so much of being a kid again. (non-guilty mom moment- I like going biking riding without the kids)
Historic Battery Lewis Tour
Tours for this area are done in the warmer months. (Check sites for dates) The tours are guided and self-guided.
We took the self-guided tour because the exhibit was about to close. I found the history behind this facility very interesting, which I never knew existed, especially in New Jersey.
Parking
Parking is free but limited, so there is a first come, first serve basis.
We went to the Park on a Sunday in August at about 2:30 pm, and there were more than enough parking spaces available. It may have been less crowded because the Park was closing at 5:30 pm.
Where is Hartshorne Wood Park Located?
Hartshorne Woods Park is located at 1402 Portland Rd Highland, NJ 07732, on the Navesink River.
Hartshorne Wood Park hours?
The Park is open 7 days a week from 7:00 am – 5:30 pm. Always check the website for up-to-date access to the Park before you go.
Map of Hartshorne Wood Park
Click here to view a map of the Park.
https://www.co.monmouth.nj.us/documents/130/hartshorne_map_august_2013.pdf
Thank you again for coming along this journey with my family and me. If there’s any place, you feel my family would enjoy visiting, please tell us in the comments below. You can also put any questions in the comments if there are any questions I have not answered about Hartshorne Wood Park.
