Wells Mills County Park, NJ - with Wells Mills Wilderness Area

ABOUT THE PARK:
Wells Mills County Park - Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.795622, -74.276569

TRAIL MAP:

Wells Mills Trail Map - Ocean County Parks

HIKE DISTANCE:  11.3 miles

THE HIKE: 

The early morning temperature north of me was -2 degrees, south was 10 degrees.  I didn't even look to see what the wind chill temp was - I might have never gotten out of bed. South Jersey here we come!  I had hiked the 8.5 mile white-blazed loop a couple of times before but now noticed that a newer 6.2 mile yellow-blazed trail was available so I hiked that along with other trails I had not hiked before.

Heading across the grass between the playground on the left and the visitor center on the right.

At the sand road, left...

... then left on pink.

It starts out kind of icky ...

... but it does turn into a nice trail.

Back at the sand road, left on yellow/green/white.

White leaves to the left, staying with yellow/green.

Green leaves to the right, staying left on yellow.

Yellow actually goes right also but that would be the return of the loop.

Now in Wells Mills Wilderness Area.

You can tell when you have entered the scout reservation because there are private property signs EVERYWHERE!  Just be sure to stay on the marked trail.

Green and white join in briefly before white leaves to the left.  We would be coming back that way in a bit.

We stayed on green/yellow all the way out until what crossed over, then turned left on white,

I had encountered a man who was looking for his hat that he dropped.  I told him I would pick it up if I saw it and put it in the map box at the kiosk.  I found it!  

White doubled back and came out at that spot where yellow/green/white all came together.

Yellow leaves to the left (where we had come in from before).

White leaves to the left; we stayed with green.

At a fork there is a choice.  Orange is to the left and it is a sand road.  Green is to the right and it is a scenic path.  They will both come back together at the other end. Right on green it is.

It's hilly back in here but very pretty.

A yellow/black dot trail goes downhill on the right ...

... to an old wildlife blind.

One wildlife to be seen.

Back on green/yellow-black-dot until ...

... white crosses over, then right on white.

There were a ton of Atlantic White Cedars down.

Blue is on the left but we went a few steps ahead first ...

... for a better view of Wells Mills Lake.

Blue crosses over the canoe access road ...

... back over to the visitor center and parking lot.

For all the cars that were now in the parking lot, I only ran into a couple of people on the trails.

Stopped to empty out and sort Brodie's backpack contents that we had picked up along the way - hat to leave at the kiosk/trash/recycle bin.

For Jim and anyone else who is interested, the old Wells Mills trail map before the newer yellow trail: