These 12 State Parks In New Jersey Will Knock Your Socks Off
New Jersey has over three dozen state parks and forests, each incredible in its own way. You’ll find opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, and even a few historic sites in our state park system! There is so much to explore, and tremendous beauty to be found. While we highly recommend that you visit all the parks at some point, the following dozen are great places to get started! Here are our picks for some of the best state parks in New Jersey:
This 5,000-acre park is home to such historic treasures as Ringwood Manor, Skylands Manor, The New Jersey Botanical Garden, and the lovely Shepard Lake Recreation Area. Enjoy swimming, boating, hiking, hunting, fishing, skiing and more!
Address: 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, New Jersey, 07456
This 1,270-acre park offers miles of trails and boardwalks for easy hiking. Visit the nature center, head out on a canoe, and even stay the night in a tent or trailer!
Address: 300 Gordon Road, Matawan, New Jersey, 07747
There is so much to enjoy here! Visit historic Allaire Village and travel back in time, stop by the museum or nature center to get your learning on, and take a ride on the Pine Creek Railroad! Visitors can also enjoy hiking, fishing, camping and bird watching.
Address: 4265 Atlantic Avenue, Wall Township, New Jersey, 07727
Visit this unique park to get up close and personal with some of New Jersey's cranberry bogs, and a partially restored historic village. It's well worth spending a whole afternoon here!
Address: 581 Pinewald Keswick Road, Bayville, New Jersey, 08721
This beautiful state forest is home to several historic villages, including the ever-popular Batsto Mill. You'll find an incredible mix of nature and history here.
Address: 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, New Jersey, 08037
Located in Cape May and Cumberland Counties, this massive forest spans over 20,000 acres. Enjoy swimming in Lake Nummy and camp in one of the many available yurts, or even enjoy a stay at East Creek Cabin.
Address: 1 Henkinsifkin Road, Woodbine, New Jersey, 08270
Relive Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware and immerse yourself in history at this charming state park. Enjoy a museum, historic homes and stunning trails along the waterfront.
Address: 355 Washington Crossing Pennington Road, Titusville, New Jersey, 08560
This beautiful forest is home to Lake Absegami, which is available for swimming, fishing and boating. Enjoy easy walking trails with stunning views and make memories you won't soon forget!
Visit the High Point monument, where you can score incredible views of three states at once! You can also access the Appalachian Trail from this park, which is one of our very favorite trails.
Enjoy scenic views, camping, canoeing, and an incredible observatory to boot. Attend special astronomy presentations on Saturday evenings from April to October!
Address: 330 State Park Road, Hope, New Jersey, 07844
This one is nothing short of a hiker's paradise! Enjoy a wide variety of trails ranging from beginner to difficult. This park includes part of the Highlands Trail, which runs from the Delaware to the Hudson River.
Address: 150 Snake Den Road, Ringwood, New Jersey, 07456
Enjoy bird watching, camping, hunting, picnicking, swimming, boating, and more!
Address: 701 Almond Road, Pittsgrove, New Jersey, 08318
Remember, our state parks are always free in the fall – the perfect time for a breathtaking foliage hike! Of course, they’re perfect year-round, too, all for their very own reasons. State parks in New Jersey are definitely worth the trip, no matter which one you choose!
On or off this list, which is your favorite park to visit during which season?
Address: 1304 Sloatsburg Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456, USA
Address: 300 Gordon Rd, Matawan, NJ 07747, USA
Address: 4265 Atlantic Ave, Farmingdale, NJ 07727, USA
Address: Pinewald Keswick Rd, New Jersey, USA
Address: 31 Batsto Rd, Hammonton, NJ 08037, USA
Address: 355 Washington Crossing Pennington Rd, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
Address: Tuckerton, NJ 08087, USA
Address: Sussex, NJ 07461, USA
Address: State Park Rd, Frelinghuysen, NJ, USA
Address: 150 Snake Den Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456, USA
Address: 701 Almond Rd, Pittsgrove, NJ 08318, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
State Parks in New Jersey
March 14, 2021
Tori Jane
What are the best parks in New Jersey?
Luckily for us, New Jersey is full of amazing parks and awesome places to visit should you be in the mood for exploration! Some of the most popular parks with great hiking in the Garden State include Wawayanda State Park, with 16 trails to choose from, Palisades Interstate Park, with nine fabulous trails to choose from, and Worthington State Forest, with 20 trails to choose from. Of course, these are nowhere near all of your options – New Jersey is home to 50 state parks, so you’ll never have any shortage of places to explore.
Where are some places to hike in New Jersey?
Our state has 50 state parks sprinkled throughout it, so we have tons of choices when it comes to great hiking in New Jersey. Some of the most popular hikes in the Garden State include both the Red and Blue Dot Loop trails at Mount Tammany, Worthington State Forest, the White Shore, and Long Path loop trails at Palisades Interstate Park, and the ever-popular Stairway To Heaven trail at Wawayanda State Park.
Where are the best places to see New Jersey nature?
New Jersey is a nature lover’s dream! With 130 miles of beautiful shoreline, 50 state parks, 81 awesome trails and so much more, you could probably throw a dart at a map of New Jersey and find somewhere that’s naturally beautiful. Check this list out for a selection of some of our very favorite spots to take in all that’s beautiful about our state!
Address: 1304 Sloatsburg Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456, USA
Address: 300 Gordon Rd, Matawan, NJ 07747, USA
Address: 4265 Atlantic Ave, Farmingdale, NJ 07727, USA
Address: Pinewald Keswick Rd, New Jersey, USA
Address: 31 Batsto Rd, Hammonton, NJ 08037, USA
Address: 355 Washington Crossing Pennington Rd, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
Address: Tuckerton, NJ 08087, USA
Address: Sussex, NJ 07461, USA
Address: State Park Rd, Frelinghuysen, NJ, USA
Address: 150 Snake Den Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456, USA
Kristen is a writer, editor, and social media maven who loves her state. Born and raised in New Jersey, sharing all it has to offer is her passion. After attending Montclair State University, she continued her education online, obtaining certifications in social media management.
