Holmdel Park, NJ - Ramanessin Section and Bayonet Farm

ABOUT THE PARKS:
Holmdel Park - Monmouth County Park System
Bayonet Farm - The Bayonet Farm Advisory Committee

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.365418, -74.183774

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Ramanessin Section Trail Access Parking

TRAIL MAP:
Holmdel Park - Monmouth County Parks
Bayonet Farm - The Bayonet Farm Advisory Committee
Holmdel Park, NJ - Ramanessin Section and Bayonet Farm at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 7.2 miles

THE HIKE:

Just a few steps from the parking lot the Ramanessin Trail starts to the left and the Steeplechase Trail continues straight ahead.

We took the Ramanessin Trail along the edge of the park up to hilltop fields.

Seasonal homes waiting for residents to arrive.

Some areas still had a lot of snow but it was starting to melt quickly on this 67 degree day.

Spring!

Hop Brook or Ramanessin Brook down below.

You can always tell how warm it is when she has to go cool her paws off.

Bridge heading to Bayonet Farm.

There are red, blue and yellow trails on the map but red appears to be the easiest to follow.  You can wander around everywhere as long as fields are not trampled.

Bell Labs Complex just outside Bayonet Farm

The gray barn at Bayonet Farm.

The red barn at Bayonet Farm.

Just behind the red barn is the beginning of the red trail at the kiosk.

The red trail leaves the kiosk as a pretty farm road.

A bench along the way.

Back over the bridge to the Ramanessin Trail in Holmdel Park.

Continuing on the Ramanessin Trail after the bridge coming up behind the old red barn.

The other side old red barn along the Ramanessin Trail after the trail swings sharply to the left.

The bridge into Bayonet Farm from the Ramanessin Trail.

Continuing on the Ramanessin Greenway along Ramanessin Brook.

Some benches and interpretive signs along the way for taking a break.

The end of the greenway at Middletown Road.

Turning around to head back, now the beginning of the greenway.

First fly of the season!  He will be in for a rude awakening when it drops into the teens later this week.

Ramanessin Brook

Canada geese enjoying the rapid snow melt.

Shortly after the old red barn the Steeplechase Trail continues straight ahead.

Most of this area was a muddy mess.

Passing along a tree farm.

Dilapidated farm buildings at the intersection of the Steeplechase Trail and the Homestead Trail.

Continuing across the hilltop fields ...

... back to the parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Continue past the kiosk from the parking lot
[  0.05]  Turn left on the Ramanessin Trail when the Steeplechase Trail continues straight
[  0.80]  Stay on Ramanessin Trail when the Homestead Trail goes right
[  1.35]  Stay on Ramanessin Trail when the Fern Path Trail goes right
[  1.45]  Turn left towards bridge when Ramanessin Trail goes right towards back of old red barn
[  1.55]  Left on red in Bayonet Farm
[  2.05]  After short uphill to field where trail markers can be seen to the right, turn left (should be blue but no markers - continued to K9 training area then around gray and red barn)
[  2.85]  Pick up red at kiosk beyond red barn
[  3.05]  Continue straight on red when yellow goes left
 - from this point trails don't make much sense at all but took the blue trail, passed another intersection with yellow not shown on map, then ended up back at bridge
[  3.50]  Cross bridge back into Holmdel park and continue straight on Ramanessin Trail
[  3.70]  Turn left on Ramanessin when Steeplechase goes right
[  4.25]  Come out on a field and turn right, continue on Ramanessin Greenway (no sign at this end)
[  4.75]  End/beginning of greenway; retrace
[  5.80]  Straight on Steeplechase when Ramanessin goes right
[  6.40]  Continue straight on Steeplechase when Fern Path goes right
[  6.75]  Continue left on Steeplechase when Homestead Trail goes right at ruins (sign makes it look like you should take the center path but it is the far left path)
[  7.15]  Continue straight to parking lot at intersection of Steeplechase and Ramanessin
[  7.20]  Back at parking lot