Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 8 30 MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 805 Newman Springs Road Lincroft, (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com Please refer to page 17. Over 16,175 acres of preserved open spaces are available for your fitness and relaxing pleasure at more than thirty county parks. From hiking trails and campsites to golf cours- es and historic sites, there are opportunities for all. Visit us on-line or call for brochures and directions. OCEAN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION 1198 Bandon Road, Toms River 1-877-OC PARKS www.oceancountyparks.org Please refer to page 16. On more than 4,000 acres in twenty-seven facilities, The Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation offers programs for adults and children including classes, sports events, trips, festivals, and more! All of the parks have at least a few picnic tables, and some parks are able to accommodate large groups. Three parks offer swimming facil- ities: Ocean County Park in Lakewood, A. Paul King County Park in Stafford Township, and Berkeley Island County Park in Berkeley Township. Ocean County Park and A. Paul King County Park have beautiful, freshwa- ter lakes and sandy beaches, playgrounds, restrooms, picnic facilities, and are staffed with lifeguards from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM daily from mid-June until Labor Day (condi- tions permitting). There is no charge to use any of the county facilities. Call or visit the website above for brochures and directions. FISHING LICENSE INFORMATION Before heading out to fish, make sure you have the proper documentation. SALTWATER registration (free): www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/index.htm FRESHWATER license information and registration (fee applies): www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fishneed.htm PARKS & RECREATION AREAS continued from page 29 crabbing and fishing, picnic areas, a playground, a beautiful Butterfly Garden, and cross-country skiing in the winter. This environmentally sensitive park boasts miles of trails, many offering lovely vistas of the adjacent Silver Bay. Cattus Island is home to the Cooper Environmental Center, where visitors of all ages can enjoy the many displays and collections of snakes and reptiles, as well as numerous programs and presentations. CHEESEQUAKE STATE PARK 300 Gordon Road (GSP Exit 120 off of Morristown Road), Matawan (732) 566-2161 www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/ parks/cheesequake.html Cheesequake State Park's uniqueness lies in its geographical location. Not only is it situated in the middle of urban north and suburban south New Jersey, it lies in a transitional zone between two different ecosystems. Open fields, saltwater and freshwater marshes, a white cedar swamp, Pine Barrens, and a northeastern hardwood forest are the main characteristics of the park. Nature Center, trails, camping, fishing, picknicking, boat- ing, canoeing, swimming, winter sports. DEEP CUT GARDENS 152 Red Hill Road, Middletown (732) 671-6050 or (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com Deep Cut Gardens is dedicated to the home gar- dener. The 54 acres of gardens and greenhouses are planned as a living catalog of cultivated and native plant materials to be observed through the seasons. Whether identifying the specimens in the gardens, questioning the horticultural staff, or perusing the books and magazines in the horticultural reference library, you will discover ways to improve your home garden. While there, visit the Home Compost Demonstration Area. Views of the surrounding countryside, shade, seating, and picnic tables. DORBROOK RECREATION AREA 353 County Road 537 East, Colts Neck (732) 542-1642 or (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com Developed with active recreation in mind, a wide variety of programs, classes, camps, and activities are offered at this 535-acre site. Dorbrook is home to Challenger Place, a universally accessible play- ground for children of all abilities with elevated surfaces and wider entry/play areas for wheelchair access. Other attractions include an Activity/Visitors Center, trails, group picnic shelters, a playground and sprayground, tennis and basketball courts, ath- letic fields (soccer, field hockey, flag football, wom- en's lacrosse, softball), and in-line skating rink. DOUBLE TROUBLE STATE PARK Double Trouble Road West, Berkeley or 581 Pinewald Keswick Road Bayville, (732) 341-6662 www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/ parks/double.html Double Trouble State Park offers an outstanding example of the Pine Barrens ecosystem and a win- dow into Pine Barrens history. The park provides the protection and interpretation of over 8,000 acres of significant natural, cultural, and recre- ational resources representative of the Pinelands National Reserve. Rich with natural and cultural heritage, visitors can enjoy trails, fishing, hiking, biking, canoeing, and kayaking. Double Trouble Village is a well-preserved historic village featuring New Jersey's cranberry agriculture, logging, and milling industries. Experience the cranberry bogs, restored village buildings, and Interpretive Center. The park open 8:00 AM to dusk. The Interpretive Center is open Wed. - Sun. 10:00 AM - 3:45 PM. EDWIN B. FORSYTHE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Headquarters: Brigantine Division Route 9, Oceanville, (609) 652-1665 deCamp Wildlife Trail: intersection of Mantoloking and Adamston Roads Brick Township Barnegat Observation Platform: Bay Shore Drive, Barnegat www.fws.gov/refuge/edwin_b_ forsythe/ Established to protect tidal wetlands and shallow bay habitats for migratory water birds, the ref- uge's location is one of the Atlantic Flyway's most active flight paths. Its value for the protection of water birds and their habitat continues to increase as people develop the Jersey Shore for their own use. Wildlife drive and trails are open seven days- a-week from sunrise to sunset. Headquarters is open weekdays, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. FISHERMEN'S COVE CONSERVATION AREA 391 Third Avenue, Manasquan (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com This 55-acre site, the last undeveloped tract on the Manasquan Inlet, is a great place for fisher- men, kayakers, wildlife enthusiasts, and beach- goers. Locally known as "Dog Beach," dogs are permitted in designated areas only. FRENEAU WOODS PARK 360 Monastery Lane Aberdeen Township (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com Located along the headwaters of Matawan Creek and Lake Lefferts, this 155-acre park is comprised mostly of woodland. It protects critical wildlife habitat and bolsters water quality in the region. Both historically and environmentally significant, the park provides open space in a densely pop- ulated area of the county. The park is open for Dorbrook Recreation Area in Colts Neck. Monmouth County Park System

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