Great Egg Harbor Shared Use Path, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Great Egg Harbor Bridge - Wikipedia

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 39.30640, -74.61977

Parking on New Road just the other side of the GSP South on ramp.

TRAIL MAP: 

HIKE DISTANCES: 

Great Egg Harbor Shared Use Path - 3.4 miles

Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve - 6.5 miles

Cedar Bridge Tavern Historic Site - 3.5 miles

THE HIKE:

Getting in some hiking where the snowcrete from the last storm has finally melted before the blizzard of February 22-23, 2026 hits.

First heading out to the end of New Road on the sandy part.

The shared use path goes over the Great Egg Harbor bridge up ahead along with the Garden State Parkway.

Heading back to the shared use trail which is to the right just beyond my car.

The negatives - noxious exhaust fumes from parkway traffic and not able to see anything to the right without ducking since the top bar was at my eye level.

The positives - nice views and some unexpected wildlife (not the seagull, that was expected).

There is a bump our for fishing where I could catch some views without ducking.

American Black Ducks

Female Common Goldeneye

It really pays to look up because you never know what you might find.

Peregrine Falcon #1

I took many, many pictures of this banded bird but the best I could make out was B on the top left black band and 3 on the bottom left green band.  In another picture I could only make out the number 8 on the right leg band.  Not enough to submit it as a sighting.

I found this on Facebook from 2022 where she had been seen on Long Island, NY.  Same bird maybe?

Peregrine Falcon #2 on another light post.  Never could see any bands at all on that one.

View of Great Egg Harbor Bay from the top of the bridge.

Peregrine Falcon #3 with only the right leg band visible.

Double-breasted Cormorant

Coming off the opposite end of the shared use path ...

... into Beesley's Point Park.

Bufflehead

Hooked Brodie up to the picnic table so I could go up on the observation deck.

Views from the observation deck.

Heading back down ...

... and retracing back.

There were more people on the path at this point so the peregrine falcons were long gone.

St. Jones Reserve, DE

ABOUT THE PARK: 

St. Jones Reserve - Delaware DNREC

DIRECTIONS: 

GSP Coordinates 39.08958, -75.44026

TRAIL MAP:

St. Jones Reserve Trail Map - Delaware DNREC

HIKE DISTANCE:

Delaware Seashore State Park, DE - Fresh Pond - 5.9 miles

James Farm Ecological Preserve, DE - 2 miles

Delaware Seashore State Park, DE - Burton Island Nature Preserve - 1.5 miles

St. Jones Reserve, DE - 2.15 miles

THE HIKE: 

I had just enough daylight time left to drive 1 hour in the direction of home and stop to do this hike.  There was snow and ice here but it had been  melting all day in 55 degree temps so it was mostly a sloppy mess but a nice short hike nonetheless.

There is an extensive span of boardwalk.

Weather Station

After the power cut the trail continues into the Ted Harvey Wildlife Area.

Hearing the cacophony of cackling the snow geese came into view overhead.

They were joined by Canada Geese.

The snow geese are not that much smaller rather farther away.

I have too good of a time trying to capture geese flying overhead.  I must have taken 30 pictures.  I am always amazed at their formations and wonder how they decide who flies in which position.

The trail ends at this abandoned old house.

Heading back.