Cheesequake State Park Loop

The park -- located in a transitional zone between New Jersey’s southern and northern vegetational types -- has four marked hiking trails, blazed in yellow, green, blue and red, respectively. This hike will follow the Green Trail, which is the longest and most interesting of the park’s trails, proceeding for most of its route through a protected natural area. The Green Trail is sparsely blazed for much of the way, but there are green blazes at all intersections and important turns in the trail.

All four trails begin at the large trail map at the southern end of the parking area. Soon after the start, the trails fork. Bear left and follow the blazes downhill along a wooden boardwalk with many long steps. At the next intersection, the Yellow Trail continues straight ahead, but you should turn left, following the green, blue and red blazes. After crossing the first of many wooden bridges you’ll encounter on this hike, the trail heads uphill to the park’s Interpretive Center. You will want to stop here to view the informative exhibits and obtain a trail map.

Continue ahead along the trail through the hardwood forest. You will soon reach a spot with a view over the Cheesequake Salt Marsh to the right of the trail (the view is partially blocked by vegetation in the late spring and summer). Continue downhill on wooden steps and a boardwalk, then climb a long flight of wooden steps. Just beyond the top of the steps, the Blue Trail leaves to the right, but you should bear left, following the green and red blazes, then turn right at the next T- intersection, passing under an archway for the Red Trail.

After paralleling a ravine to the left, the trail descends wooden steps to cross a bridge over the ravine. The trail now climbs some more wooden steps, levels off, and soon crosses a sandy road known as Perrine’s Road. Just beyond the road, the Red Trail leaves to the left, but you should continue ahead on the Green Trail.

After another level stretch, the trail climbs a little, then descends rather steeply and passes a beautiful stand of tall phragmites (swamp grass) on the right. Next, it descends wooden steps to cross a fresh-water swamp on a long boardwalk. Benches are provided near the end of the boardwalk (where the boardwalk has been built around several large red maple trees), and you may wish to use this opportunity to take a break and contemplate this tranquil setting.

At the end of the swamp, the trail climbs wooden steps and bears right. Soon, it goes down to cross another boardwalk which passes through an Atlantic white cedar swamp, with dense thickets of sweetbay magnolia. Here, a layer of clay beneath the surface traps the water and prevents it from draining off. 

After crossing this interesting and unusual swamp, the trail continues through deciduous woods, crossing a boardwalk over a wet area. It climbs over a ridge and descends to cross Museum Road, another sandy road. Just beyond, look for several large 150-year-old white pine trees on the right side of the trail. After another level stretch, the trail climbs over exposed tree roots, ascends wooden steps, and bears left at the top of the rise. It descends gradually, turns right to cross a ravine on a wooden bridge, then turns left to cross a smaller ravine on another bridge and continues ahead on a level path.

After descending on an eroded path through a shallow ravine, the sandy Museum Road is visible straight ahead. Here, the Green Trail bears right, as an unmarked trail joins from the left. Just beyond, you will notice a depressed area to the left of the trail. This is the site of the former park museum, built in the 1950s but never used. The building – after which Museum Road is named – was demolished soon after it was constructed.

The trail bears right to skirt a low-lying area with deciduous trees on the left, often flooded during periods of heavy rain. Just beyond a huge oak tree on the left, the trail turns left and proceeds across the low-lying area on a long boardwalk. After crossing a stream on bridge, the trail bears left and continues to skirt the low-lying area. Soon, it curves to the right and crosses a short boardwalk, with a viewing platform that overlooks a grassy, wet area on the left. The dead trees in this area were killed by siltation from development outside the park that settled into this low area.

The trail now turns left and crosses another boardwalk. It then turns right, climbs over a small hill, descends wooden steps and crosses the floodplain on a section of boardwalk destroyed by Hurricane Irene. It climbs some more wooden steps and follows a level footpath out to Perrine’s Road.

Turn left and follow this paved road past the entrance to Gordon Field, a group camping area (restrooms are located here). About 150 feet beyond the field, follow the Green Trail as it turns right at a wooden arch and – along with the Red Trail – follows a footpath into the woods. It skirts to the left of the field, then bears left and descends to Museum Road. Turn right on this road and follow it, past a turnoff to the Interpretive Center, back to the parking area where the hike began.