A few weeks ago we had our second group hike with our Hiking in New Jersey Group. It motivated me to resume sharing my weekly hikes here on the blog on Thursdays. So here’s today’s feature of Thursday Hike: Hartshorne Woods & Sandy Hook Lighthouse.
Thursday Hike: Hartshorne Woods & Sandy Hook Lighthouse
We started our hike at the Hartshorne Woods Park, more specifically the Rocky Point Loop Trail.
The trail itself was under 3 miles, but it was super fun to explore the trail with some members of our Hiking in New Jersey Group!
Dirt trail with some rocks and shady for the most part. I consider this hike an easy one, but All Trails rated it as moderate.
We stopped to enjoy the view.
We had a close encounter with a people friendly deer.
She was so close! I love seeing wildlife when I hike!
The Trail has some interesting war ruins, which are located outside the trail itself, but near the parking lot, not clearly marked, though.
We went to check it out, because some of the members have been there before.
The trail has clean bathrooms and plenty of space to park! There’s no cost to enjoy the trail or park there.
Water views and Dog Friendly. Fishing is permitted.
Gateway National Park
We drove nearly two hours to The Rocky Point Loop Trail, so we wanted to make the best out of that day and explore the Gateway National Park to see the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and other interesting things in the park.
Fee to visit Gateway National Park: It costs 20.00 per car to enter the National Park, paid at the gate.
You can drive through the park, starting with some beaches open to the public, but some require additional payment for you to get in. You can read more HERE. We didn’t stop at the beach, but it wasn’t clear if we had to pay an additional parking fee to enjoy the beaches in the park or if the initial $20.00 fee was the only fee to be paid.
We stopped at the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and took a timed tour with a Park Ranger.
We moved to walk around the Fort Hancock Historic Post and checked out all the history! So fascinating!
We also went to check out the Mortar Battery:
The location has a snack bar called Mc Fly’s On the Hook.
We stopped for a drink and a snack there. It’s great for a drink or ice cream but the food options were very limited.
We drove around to see what we could see:
We felt there was so much more to explore! We didn’t get to check out the pier and the Sandy Hook seals!
We’ll definitely be back!
Save these Hikes for later:
You can check out more hiking info HERE.
Can’t wait to hear what you think about our Thursday Hike: Hartshorne Woods & Sandy Hook Lighthouse.
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Oh wow! . My local town has just started up a hiking group and I’ve just joined 🙂
That lighthouse looks amazing! My son is really into learning about light houses!
What a lovely hike! I love that it has shade. And lighthouses are always a fun place to go for the views.
Wow, what a wonderful hiking adventure! I love exploring nature and it sounds like the Hartshorne Woods Park and the Rocky Point Loop Trail provided the perfect backdrop for a Thursday hike. The photos you shared on the blog are absolutely breathtaking and capture the beauty of the trail.
I can just imagine how much fun the whole family would have visiting this place! Thanks for sharing
Aaawwww….the poor deer?! You guys really had a good hike; out and far in nature with a little sunlight! Thank you for sharing this .
Oh, I love hiking. I wish I live nearby so I can hike this amazing place. I love a challenging trail system and a scenic view.
I enjoyed reading about your Thursday hike to Hartshorne Woods and Sandy Hook Lighthouse. The description of the trails, scenery, and historical landmarks was captivating. It sounds like a great outdoor adventure that I would love to experience myself.
Your Thursday Hike post featuring Hartshorne Woods and Sandy Hook Lighthouse, and I must say it looks like an amazing adventure! The trail, views, and encounters with wildlife make it a captivating experience. Thanks for sharing your hike and all the fantastic photos. Can’t wait to read more of your hiking explorations!
You have such beautiful hike trails and love all the photos and interesting places! You are lucky!
I love lighthouses, they are so magical and they have such as special place in the history as they saved so many lives. I really enjoyed reading this blog post, nice to see that you found your way around even when not everything was clearly marked.
The final scene is well-worth the hike! What a gorgeous…and spending a day outdoors when the weather is warm and nice like this sounds perfect.
This looks like a lovely place for a hike. It is always nice when there is a feature to enjoy. Sounds like a fun day!
This looks like a gorgeous spot to hike! I’ve always enjoyed hiking and really need to get back into it, once the weather cools down here I am going to get back out there.
The trails looks easy and fun but the destination is beautiful and amazing! What a great hike you did.
It looks like a really beautiful place for a hike. That deer is just adorable and I love the photos that you have taken at the lighthouse.
What a neat hike! And that lighthouse tour too. Both of my most favorite things to do.
oh wow, the hike seems gorgeous! I’ve never been to a lighthouse before, I would love to see one up close.