Sandy Hook, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Things To Do - Sandy Hook - National Park Service
$15 parking fee Memorial Day - Labor Day, otherwise no fee

The sign is a little misleading since dogs are not allowed on the beach from March 15 - September 15.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.426093, -73.984232

The far end of Parking Lot D.

TRAIL MAPS:
Sandy Hook Trail Map - National Park Service
Fort Hancock Map - National Park Service

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HIKE DISTANCE:  8.9 miles

THE HIKE:

We headed straight for the beach because I wanted to catch the early morning sun before clouds started rolling in.

New York City waaaaaay up ahead.

We left the beach heading towards the visitor center.

Around to the right of the visitor center ...

... then across Hartshorne Drive ...

... to a boardwalk.

Spermaceti Cove

There is supposed to be a loop trail at the end of the boardwalk through a holly forest but it was closed.

So back over to the visitor center in search of the hiking trail.

The hiking trail was nowhere to be found so we cut through Parking Lot E...

... and headed back to the beach.

Ah ha, from the beach I spotted a trail marker.

This trail lead to ....

... Nike Pond ...

... which has been overtaken by phragmites.  The trail continued to the left, probably the part I could not find, so I decided to go that way on the return route to see where it comes out.

Lots of deer hang out back here.

Back at that dilapidated trail marker ...

... and back on the beach.

Our first balloon of the day (#6 of the year) but it would not be our last.

Another trail marker on the beach.

We weren't going to be able to continue along the beach without going into the water (we could on the return route because tide was lower by then).

Coney Island

We turned left on Fishing Beach Road ...

... where the South Beach Dune Trail (yay a sign!) crossed over.  We went right, left would be the return route.

Three robins in a tree.

A robin, a cedar waxwing and a female evening grosbeak .  I had no idea what the evening grosbeak was (lower right) so I posted the picture to a bird ID group on Facebook.  Not only did I get the ID right away but was also told this is a very rare find in NJ.  On top of that, I did not even know the bird was in the picture until I uploaded it on my laptop.

Robins hanging out with cedar waxwings.

A tree of cedar waxwings.

The trail ends at the paved multi-use trail.

A little bit ahead, crossing back over Hartshorne Drive to ...

Horseshoe Cove

This mallard pair stalked us begging for handouts.  No doubt it is what they have become conditioned to :(

This guy found his own breakfast.

Red-breasted Merganser

Back on the multi-use trail.

Coming into Fort Hancock.

Running short on time, we left the multi-use path and cut through town to ...

... the Sandy Hook Lighthouse

Into the mortar battery across the street.

Staying behind the wall, this comes right back out on the multi-use trail.

Again, due to time restraints, turned right as much as I would have liked to have explored more.

Battery Gunnison

And back to the beach.  I had intended to take the multi-use path back but walking on pavement is so boring.  Walking on sand is not easy.  Sand it is.

Not in March with a snow storm a comin in a few hours.

Looking back at the lighthouse from Gunnison Beach.

I saw this little semipalmated sandpiper heading to the right all by himself.

He met up with a zillion of them heading straight for him.

Then they all just kind of stood around.  Maybe they were having problems finding the trail too.

Northern Mockingbird

Now that the tide is low, we can stay right on the beach without getting wet.  But what is that up ahead?

A balloon full of gold foil things.

I did not want to pop it and send gold foil things all over the place so I tied the balloon to Brodie's pack.

Look how full his pack is, as were the pockets of my backpack.  It's all stuff we picked up.

Back on Fishing Beach Road from earlier.

Now a left on the South Beach Dune Trail.

It did not last very long before ...

... ending up back on the beach again.

Back on that trail to Nike Pond...

... then staying left at the pond and following the trail I could not find at the beginning of the hike.

It comes out at the narrow paved path at the visitor center where right leads to the boardwalk, left to the beach but there is no sign and it is very easy to miss.

A short distance on the multi-use trail back to our car.  And that balloon with gold foil things in it?  Brodie rubbed up against a thorny branch, it popped, and gold things went everywhere.  Well, we tried.

But we did bring out, are you ready for this?  TWENTY THREE Mylar balloons, 3 vinyl balloons and other assorted litter.  And we did not even make a dent in the litter that was there.  I had to stop taking balloons because we could carry no more.

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