ABOUT THE PARKS:
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.92880, -74.21172
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| Parking at Jakes Branch County Park |
TRAIL MAPS:
BIKE DISTANCE: 38.6 miles
THE BIKE:
Although the Barnegat Branch Trail is deemed to be incomplete and in separate sections, the entire 15.6 miles can be ridden all the way through. The "incomplete" section is dirt single track instead of the wider crushed stone trail but it's definitely rideable. The website says construction of that part has begun but I saw no evidence of that. I actually think it is fine the way it is.
I had parked at Jakes Branch County Park because it is an easy on/off to the Garden State Parkway and avoids driving through heavy Toms River traffic. It's just a couple of miles of residential roads to meet up with the Barnegat Branch Trail.
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| Starting off on the yellow multi-use trail in Jakes Branch County Park. |
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| It's fine to ride on pine needles but those patches of white sand are loose and deep at times sending the bike into a fishtail. |
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| Beyond this gate ... |
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| ... is Double Trouble Road with crosswalks to cross left then right on Birch Street and up and over... |
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| ... the Garden State Parkway. |
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| The first left on Forecastle Avenue to the end ... |
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| Then right on Bowline Street to the end. |
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| At the end of Bowline Street it's a quick left around that white fence on the left ... |
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| ... then a quick left on to the Barnegat Branch Trail where it crosses over at the crosswalk. |
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| Heading north to Toms River. |
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| In Beachwood I could not tell where the trail continued so consulting the app I saw that it crossed right over Route 9 at the light towards the Beachwood sign then continued along the sidewalk over to the smaller blue sign ... |
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| ... then left behind that blue sign crossing the road where there is no crosswalk ... |
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| ... back on the trail. |
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| The trail ends very unceremoniously in Toms River with no sign, no nothing. |
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| Heading back to continue south. |
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| Having just crossed on the crosswalk where I had come in from Jakes Branch on the residential streets, the trail veers left. This section is still shown as incomplete on some maps. |
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| There are benches along the way and there is crushed stone but it seems to be more of a service road than a trail. |
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| At least that is what I though early on based on on the wide tire tracks. I found out on my way back in the afternoon that those are ATV tracks. Ugh. |
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| When happens is the ATVs kick the crushed stone and gravel around so it piles up and if you hit it on your bike it sends you skidding. |
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| At the end of the ATV section the trail jogs right then left on minor road crossings... |
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| ... and becomes a legit ATV-free trail again. |
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| The yellow faded sign says it is the end of the trail. But crossing the road up ahead to the guardrail ... |
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| ... this is what it looks like on the other side. |
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| You have to go left around the guardrail ... |
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| ... then it is single track to the next guardrail to again bypass to the left at a road crossing. |
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| It's a dirt/sand road to the next road crossing. |
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| Then there are no more guardrails to maneuver around. |
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| After the second road crossing it's single track again. There were lots of bike tire tracks throughout so this is heavily used. |
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| At the end it's a road crossing ... |
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| ... and back on the trail. |
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| There is a hideous patch of thick chunky gravel to navigate through the other side of those concrete barriers before accessing the trail again. |
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| This is where mile markers start. I had seen none up to this point. |
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| From this bridge I saw a cormorant having just caught something. |
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| Some sort of crab? There were seagulls hovering over him trying to grab his catch. |
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| After this picture I lowered the camera and looked up to see his lunch was gone. I think one of the seagulls managed to nab it. Poor cormorant was looking everywhere for it. |
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| There are many, many, many "road" crossings along this stretch but it's entrances and exits to little shopping centers on the right so they low traffic and easy to cross. |
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| That is a really old map that shows most of the trail as incomplete. |
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| Shortly after the 1.25 mile marker and just before the next road crossing... |
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| ... an access trail to the right to ballfields and beyond that Lochiel County Park. |
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| I wasn't sure if bikes were allowed the white trail. I was going to lock my bike and hike it but there were many bike tire tracks so I decided to ride it. |
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| Well, that might have not been so wise because there was lots of deep, loose sand and sometimes large roots that could not be ridden over. |
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| So I rode some and walked what I couldn't ride. |
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| The Lochiel County Park lot was empty so I had been the only one there. |
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| Back on the Barnegat Branch Trail to finish the last mile. |
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| The end, or rather the beginning of the trail. |
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| Heading back. |
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| Back on the single track portion. |
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| Instead of dealing with those guardrails, I just veered to the right ... |
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| ... and rode the residential street instead. |
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| A jog to the left then cross to the right put me back on the rail trail. |
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| Back at that ATV section, two ATVs had just come in from the right swerving down this stretch leaving a giant thick cloud of dust in their wake. I had to stop and wait for that to settle along with the stench from the pollution that they leave behind. So disgusting. |
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| The end of that section brought me back to the residential road portion back to Jakes Branch County Park. |
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| A right on Birch Street ... |
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| ... over the parkway ... |
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| ... back to Double Trouble Road. |
I rode this trail for the first time spring of this year and observed many of the same things as you. I started from the south and rode toward Beachwood. As for the "closed" section, I chose to ride on the adjacent stretch of Rte 9. Although it wasn't particularly pleasant, I didn't want to risk trailblazing on my narrow-tire bike as it doesn't handle the sandy spots. Nice ride, except I never really felt like I was that far from civilization, if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know what you mean! I had only hiked a portion of it north of William Hebrew Park previously so I thought that most of it would be like and it was not.
DeleteHi Daniela -- excellent having you out my way (somewhat) again! Great blend of parks and the BBT! I have hiked at both Jakes Branch and Lochiel Park separately, but never thought to combine them with the BBT. I actually know how to link to the trail from Lochiel, but wasn't aware of the little road "series" to get from Jakes Branch to the trail; although, it makes perfect sense as it's really not far off the parkway and Route 9.
ReplyDeleteI've always seen Birch Street from the Parkway, and wondered what the road looked like when one is actually riding on it...now I know! I've been on a good chunk of the BBT trail northbound, starting at the southern end (including the "unfinished/natural" portion well into Lacey Township, but I have never ventured up towards South Toms River (though I had seen what must have been the trail as I was riding around up there while going someplace else; cannot remember where.) Perhaps one day I'll try to get my bike up there and conquer the whole trail (and back, of course!)
Looking forward to your next adventure!
Jim
Hi Jim. Yes, I decided to head down your way since it was after Labor Day with less shore traffic. I am in Missouri right now and have an epic adventure coming up next week so stay tuned! Might be a while until I get all of that posted though. Unfortunately I have to work while I am out here in the Midwest and am only taking next week as vacation. I really need to consider retiring so I can spend more time just having fun. But I do have to work to support my biking and hiking habits. Sigh.
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