This Is the Most Secluded Part of This New Jersey State Park

Summer is the perfect time to visit New Jersey's incredible state parks. The good news is, many of them make incredible day trips. The bad news is... everyone else thinks so, too! That means some of the parks can be incredibly crowded during this time of year, and while that's sometimes a great day, there are other days when you just want a little peace and quiet. That goes double for High Point State Park, a beautiful park with a miniature Washington Monument as its flagship attraction. That makes this a huge family destination, and so it's great to know that if you want to beat the crowds, this park also has a hidden hiking gem that many people don't even know exists. White Cedar Swamp Trail is a hidden trail in High Point State Park, offering an easy, relaxing hike of 2.6 miles with a beautiful lake as its centerpiece. It's exactly the ticket for a warm day at one of New Jersey's most exciting state parks.

High Point State Park is usually filled with people looking to catch a glimpse of the famous monument, but only a short distance away, it feels like a whole other world. The White Cedar Swamp Trail is an easy nature trail that takes less than an hour to explore and is located near the entrance to the Dryden Kuser Natural Area.

This trail should be suitable for anyone who has any experience hiking. While much of the trail is on gravel roads, there are some well-maintained boardwalks over swampy areas. It's a kid-friendly hike, and dogs are welcome as long as they stay on a leash. But make sure they're well-trained—they're likely to see some unexpected company here!

One of the reasons I love this hike is that it's rich in flora and fauna, and you're much more likely to see some of New Jersey's furry residents as you take a hike along the path. This little porcupine was definitely a welcome surprise for one hiker, but he's very much a look-but-don't-touch friend, and that's a good rule of thumb in general.

Of course, most people do come to the park for the stunning central monument, and while this hike pairs perfectly with that trip, it's also great that you can get some amazing photos of the monument from the trail!

There's a mid-sized, beautiful lake near the beginning of this loop trail, so it's an amazing place to cool off and take in the freshwater breeze. While the rest of the park is often crowded, this trail will rarely see large crowds, even on busy days.

Have you explored the White Cedar Swamp Trail before? If not, tell a hiking buddy about this hidden trail in High Point State Park—it's waiting for more visitors! You can see more photos on the official AllTrails trail listing. This is a relatively easy hike, but it is more remote than the other trails in this park, so a subscription to AllTrails+ will make it easy to stay oriented and keep track of your progress on this interactive app.