Pine Barrens Region,
Ocean Co.,
New Jersey
Hiking Trails:
Mill Pond Trail: Red blaze
Nature Trail: Green blaze
Total Time: 1:00 minutes
Estimated Distance: 2.7 miles
Pros: Historical area, pretty ponds and streams
Cons: Flat area
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Very easy
Google Maps of Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/snYqoxuStheEetym6
I was visiting the Jersey shore area for the weekend with my family, and took the opportunity to get out at a nearby hike. While the Jersey shore and south Jersey particularly are entirely flat, there are several natural areas in the pine barrens area with extensive trails. Double Trouble State Park is one of those areas, and was nearby where I was staying, so I went here for a hike.
The weather was very unstable, and it rained over an inch overnight, and the forecast called for more rain. I saw a break in the rain on the radar, so went in between the lull. I figured this was a good hike in such conditions as there are bail out options. In the end the rain came back prior to me finishing the hike, with a very steady rain combined with winds, making it very uncomfortable. However, the poor conditions were only for the last 15 minutes of the hike.
I parked at the main parking area by Double Trouble village. This area preserves many of the original historical structures that were used when this area was a village centered around cranberry production. It essentially is a ghost town today, with nobody living here anymore but many of the originals structures still remaining.
After viewing Double Trouble village, I took the Mill Pond Trail to the Mill Pond Reservoir at the Dam. This is a scenic lake, and the water was flowing over the dam very strongly because of the all the rains. In then took the return path on the Mill Pond Trail, closely parallel to the other side of the trail, and took this back to Double Trouble Village. I then took the Nature Trail, where I crossed over Cedar Creek, and passed alongside the Platt Reservoir and then went into the Cedar Forest. In then continued passed all the cranberry bogs and then returned back to my car.
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| Map of the Route |
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| Information Kiosk at the Beginning of the Hike |
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| Mill Pond Trail |
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| Mill Pond Reservoir |
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| Mill Pond Reservoir Dam Spillway |
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| Cedar Creek |
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| Atlantic White Cedar Forest |
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| Crossing Cedar Creek |
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| Pond on the Nature Trail |
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| Nature Trail through the Cedar Forest |
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| Cranberry Bog |
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| Cranberry Historical Sorting & Packing House |
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| Plaque Explaining Each Historical Building in Double Trouble Village |
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| Double Trouble Village |
