ABOUT THE PARK: This actually refers to the smaller section of the park off of Main Street. The part referred to as "Back Lot" is the larger section off of Pitman Road. The two sections are separated by Chestnut Branch. From what I read on mountain bike forums, there used to be a connecting bridge around 2007 but it seems that is gone now. Others who have crossed over from one side to the other apparently use the Route 55 overpass. I hiked this as two separate sections, driving from one to the other.
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.74518, -75.16056
 |
| Back Lot Parking off of Pitman Road |
TRAIL MAP:  |
| Trail map from the kiosk is of very little use. The trails are not well-blazed, if at all, and there are many intersecting trails. |
This hike is the red track.
HIKE DISTANCE:
Hiked together, all a 5 - 10 minute drive apart:
Ceres Park, NJ - Back Lot - 4.0 miles
THE HIKE:
 |
| Starting at this sign from the parking lot intending to do a perimeter loop. |
 |
| Sometimes it is blazed yellow, sometimes not. |
 |
| A creek crossing. |
 |
| Going around the perimeter you can see many winding mountain bike trails down below. |
 |
| A quick peek at Pitman Golf Course before heading back into the woods. |
 |
| At Route 55 where some cross over Chestnut Branch to the other side but not us, we turned back. |
 |
| The trail follows along Chestnut Branch and it is quite scenic. |
 |
| I have seen tracks crossing here to the trail on the other side but again, not us, so we continued on. |
 |
| We ran back into yellow briefly. |
 |
| Yellow just ends in the middle of a stretch of trail. |
