<<<Hikes in NJ - Trails Less Taken
Cheesequake State Park - Blue Trail
Matawan, Middlesex County.
Summary: Cheesequake State Park contains a diverse mix of hardwood forest, Atlantic white cedar swamp, and pineland. This short route passes near Hooks Creek Lake, onto the Blue Trail to Perrine Pond before picking up the Green trail.
4.3 miles. Easy, with some rolling hills, a few minor steep sections. Trail surface is not too rocky, and there are many boardwalks over muddy or marshy areas, courtesy of various Scout Troops.
Map: We have a scan of
the park map here.
It is older however, the BLUE trail isn't even on it. The ranger station has
just had a photocopy which isn't much help in black and white. We'll post
a map when we get one but in the mean time you can use this map
photo from
one of our Connect forum members. A nice map diagram can be found in "Hiking
New Jersey"
Books: This exact route can be found in "Hiking
New Jersey"
Parking: From the Garden State Parkway, take exit 120, follow brown state park signs. Or take Rt 34 to Cheesequake-Morristown Road and turn onto Gordon Rd, and follow into park. There is a gate, and the ranger station on your right.
Shortly after is the hikers parking on your left. There is another lot further in the park for the lake, and near the campground areas are the mountain biking trails. The GREEN, RED and YELLOW trails from this lot are foot traffic only.
Fees: From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the entrance fee is $10 on weekends and $7 on weekdays. You can purchase an annual NJ Park Pass for $50 that will get you into any NJ park with a fee all year. You can buy this at the ranger station.
Restrooms: Ranger station and interpretive center should have park maps. Restrooms at ranger station, interpretive center, and comfort stations near the campground (seasonal). Check the park site for opening times.
Hike Directions: The trail starts at the large map at the end of the parking lot. Almost immediately, the trail splits. Bear RIGHT onto YELLOW. On your left, stairs/boardwalks lead down. Follow YELLOW as it curves around. It's not marked much but is very obvious.
.2 miles - come to a T-intersection, turn LEFT. RIGHT would just loop you back to the lot.
The trail is up on a hill, overlooking Hooks Creek Lake.
.4 miles - Arrive at a large staircase and head down. Turn LEFT at the bottom and start going away from the lake, continuing on YELLOW. The trail curves around a marshy area.
.7 miles - Arrive at a bridge and the bottom of the same staircase you saw at the beginning. Turn RIGHT, go over the bridge and head up one of the few steep hills in the entire park. The Interpretive Center is at the top of the hill. Check it out and then continue. The trail is marked RED-GREEN-BLUE at this point.
.9 miles - Just after going up a large set of stairs, come to the junction of BLUE and RED/GREEN - you can't miss it, there are wooden signs galore here. Turn RIGHT and follow BLUE. RED/GREEN go to the left.
Follow BLUE around, come to an uphill with large blocks as steps. The trail continues past an openish dirt area, back into the woods and ends up on a dirt road. Make a RIGHT, then a quick LEFT, continuing down a wide sand road.
1.6 miles - a bird blind overlooking Perrine Pond. Continue around the pond.
2.0 miles - arrive at a 4-way trail junction with wooden archways, a trail sign and a bench. Here, BLUE goes straight, and RED/GREEN comes in from your left. Turn RIGHT, then immediately turn RIGHT again to follow GREEN. The trail has split, and RED goes to the LEFT as noted by the signs.
2.5 miles - cross a dirt road, continue straight on GREEN. There is a brown park sign with arrows, and other large GREEN wooden archway.
3.8 miles - meetup with the gravel campground road, turn LEFT and follow the road past the comfort stations on your right, then not long after that, turn RIGHT onto GREEN/RED. It's marked with another wooden arch. Follow the trail around the campground/field.
Meetup with the gravel road again, turn RIGHT onto it and follow that back to the lot.
