New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route
Directions
On the Trail Conference web site, both the parks and hikes databases include directions to specific sites.
Park Overview
Once an integrated 300-mile auto-route & hiking tour, it is now a cluster of public and private parks along, or near, the New Jersey shore line from Raritan Bay south to Cape May and then into Delaware Bay.
NOTE: THIS PAGE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REVISED (FEB 3, 2015)
Trail Overview
The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route was originally designed for vehicular touring of some 300 miles, including connections to areas of interest to hikers. These hiking areas can still be found as a comprehensive list of parks in the NY NJ Trail Conference’s Jersey Shore Region and Pinelands Region. For detailed park descriptions with an overview of trails in each, link to “Find a Park,” click on the top of the “Region” column, and scroll down to the desired region.
- Each Trail Conference park web page also includes Contact Information for a web site and telephone number.
Similarly, to view detailed descriptions of hikes link to “Find a Hike” and sort on the “Region” column, scroll down to the desired region.
The National Park Service administers the Pinelands Natural Preserve (the first one so designed in the country). Its web site lists numerous parks and other recreational opportunities in this expansive area. It also includes a link to a National Park Service letter offering additional details about why it no longer administers the NJ Coastal Heritage Trail
Park Description
The Jersey Shore is not just playful resorts thriving on sandy beaches. It is also associated with lighthouses, historic villages, and wildlife migrations. It is because of New Jersey’s long connection with the sea that, in 1988, Congress established the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route. The National Park Service, the State of New Jersey, The New Jersey Pinelands Commission and many other organizations worked together to provide for public appreciation, education, understanding, and enjoyment of natural and cultural sites along the coast. Five themes – maritime history, coastal habitats, wildlife migration, historic settlements, and relaxation and inspiration – focused on the various aspects of coastal life.
In 2011 a sunset clause terminated this collaborative effort; the National Park Service is no longer a participant (look for link below). The good news is that the original trail designations are still owned and operated by other agencies and organizations. If it helps, the highway signs (an example displayed in the tab above) still direct visitors to these sites.