Doggin'
Jersey: Best of the Best
As the temperatures drop, you may notice
your dog getting friskier. Autumn is the best time of year to
get out and exercise with your dog on New Jersey trails. New
Jersey is a great place to hike with your dog. Within a short
drive your dog can climb mountains that leave him panting,
trot down sand trails, walk on some of the most historic
grounds in America, explore dark ravines or circle lakes
for miles and never lose sight of the water.
BEST PLACE FOR YOUR DOG TO SWIM: Cattus Island County Park (Toms
River). It will take a hike of more than one mile so when you
reach the narrow strip of sand along Barnegat Bay your dog will
be ready to jump into the gentle waves.
BEST ONE-HOUR WORKOUT FOR YOUR DOG: Hacklebarney State Park (Chester).
Most of this hemlock-kissed park can be experienced on the sporty
Main Trail that sweeps down the ravine to the Black River and
works its way up the opposite side.
PRETTIEST HIKE FOR YOUR DOG: Ken Lockwood Gorge WMA (Califon).
A rutted dirt road leads through this 2.5-mile gorge beside the
frisky green-brown waters of the South Branch of the Raritan
River.
BEST HIKE TO VIEWS WITH YOUR DOG: Stokes State Forest (Branchville).
Four different trails or varying lengths lead up Sunrise Mountain
to the Appalachian Trail and long views to the east.
BEST BEACH TO HIKE WITH YOUR DOG: Higbee Beach WMA (Cape May).
At the mouth of the Delaware Bay your dog can hike the sand beach
and dunes anytime. For years, Higbee Beach was known as the area's
"nude beach" but now your dog is the only visitor legally
allowed to hit the beach without a suit.
BEST HALF-HOUR HIKE WITH YOUR DOG: Worthington State Forest (Van
CAmpens Glen). An out-and-back ramble through a shady ravine
leading to a sparkling waterfall and swimming in the plunge pool
will have your dog's tail wagging the entire way.
MOST HISTORIC HIKE WITH YOUR DOG: Morristown National Historic
Park (Morristown). No doubt about it, your dog will have a better
time on these wooded trails in Jockey Hollow than the Colonial
Army did twice during the American Revolution.
BEST PLACE TO CIRCLE A LAKE WITH YOUR DOG: Delaware Water Gap
National Recreation Area (Kittaninny). A long hike on the Appalachian
Trail will bring your dog to one of the wonders of New Jersey,
Sunfish Pond, a glacial lake with water so clear and deep it
was once thought bottomless. A trail, dominated by large boulders
on the west shore, circumnavigates the Sunfish Pond.
BEST PLACE TO LOSE YOURSELF IN THE WOODS WITH YOUR DOG: Wharton
State Forest (Batsto). With more than 500 miles of unpaved sand
roads if you find the trails in this 100,000 acres of wilderness
too confining you can find hours - or days - of solitary hiking
with your dog here.
Find out about these and other destinations for your dog in DOGGIN'
JERSEY: THE 100 BEST PLACES TO HIKE WITH YOUR DOG IN THE GARDEN
STATE, $12.95. So what are you waiting for? Your dog will want
to hike across a 470-foot floating bridge? (page 115), walk through
the remains of a 19th century Utopian community? (page 79), sniff
out Cape May diamonds? (page 47), hike to the scenic lookout
built on the recommendation of Lady Bird Johnson (page 105),
explore rare Dutch barns (page 67)...
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