Reviews of Cheesequake State Park. (Sports Complex) in Newark (New Jersey).

Cheesequake State Park

0 Reviews

375 Comments

Sports Complex

State park

300 Gordon Rd, Matawan, NJ 07747, United States

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Information of Cheesequake State Park, Sports Complex in Newark (New Jersey)

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Reviews of Cheesequake State Park

Marina Lam

Came in July with family. I wish they had a binocular station to see the Osprey nest! The Yellow trail was very scenic. I definitely recommend trying to end your path there if possible! Also saw a Towhee, catbird, and Red-winged Blackbird, so this place is great for birding too. The blue trail can be a tad steep. Haven't tried the other trails yet, but I'm excited to go back for them! :)

Erick Carpio

The park is good for hiking, the trails was really nice and the views that I like was in the middle of the forest but there are a part of the park near of the Parkway and the noise could be annoying. To do biking isn't good because the roads designed for bikers are shorts. To escape of the routine is a nice place.

Julia C

Blue trail here is perfect for kids, not too hard but some up and down hiking which make it interesting enough for little ones. Also has crabbing bridge and playground with bbq area inside the park. Many shades, but also many mosquitoes…better bring insect repellent here.

Mike R

Even on a hot, sunny day the trails at this park are an absolute pleasure to walk. Bring sunscreen and bug repellant, but get ready for a really nice walk down any of the trails. I’m not usually someone who goes for a hike, but I really enjoyed the well manicured and maintained trails—even if I had quite a sweat going near the end.

Alexis Rodriguez

Great park for family trips or a stroll. There's quite a bit of mosquitoes in the summer so it's important to take this into account. The swimming area is very nice with individual showers and changing areas included. The camping area also has showers and sites are pretty big as well. Some are more separate than others so if you're coming with family and friends it's convenient to get multiple sites next to one another. The crabbing bridge was pretty cool and there are plenty of trails to use. I like the day use area and how it in includes plenty of parking along with the grills and basketball court. There's plenty of stores and restaurants five minutes from the park (CVS, QuickCheck, Walgreens, CVS, 7 Eleven, etc.) that make it super convenient for grabbing a bite, supplies, or food if you don't want to grill while at the park. Strongly recommend visiting at least once. I camped there just now and will definitely be around in late summer when it's cooler and there's less bugs as well as in the spring. Another thi g is not having to worry about bears like some of the parks further up north. Overall, really recommend it!

Alexandra Dantzlerward

This park is great in late winter, when you really want to see some fresh bright green but don't want to experience the mosquitoes of a wetland in warm weather. There are many evergreen trees and lush carpets of moss here, even before the deciduous forests leaf out. As a moss lover, I had a great time hiking!

Ian V

Entrance and parking was free when I went to the park. Not sure until when that is though. Park was fairly clean but there was A LOT of mosquitos! I would have enjoyed the park more if there were less or none of those.. If you plan on going for a walk at the trails here, I suggest you wear pants and long sleeves. Get some good quality insect repellent as well. Enjoy your day at the park!

Jim S

Fabulous State Park, hidden gem. I promise your visit will provide a respite from the hectic everyday stress. It's easy to fully embrace nature and all the wonderful things or provides. Definitely try the lake trail. It's well maintained and easy, it will give you joy. Have fun!

Liz Wallace

Beautiful local trail. The Green Trail is my favorite. It is a 3.1 mile easy to lightly moderate hike. Very well blazed.

RedLady85

This place is amazing! We went camping for the labor day weekend and I couldn’t be more happier than the last time we were there. I like how they have the restrooms and parking space mark for each. Amo site. Clean restrooms, friendly staff. Oh and most of all, the trails are well maintained. Even tho she went there 2 days after the flood, the trails weren’t muddy. Also I got to enjoy the view of a beautiful sunrise and sunset 😍I recommend this place.

Yoliem

Really great park for an easy hike. There are multiple trails and a lot different things to see. Make sure to bring bug spray since there are a lot of mosquitos. The entrance to the park is $10 per car. There is a small beach that people can go in. Make sure to check the park website to see if they beach is allowing people to go in.

Ron M

This is a lovely park with picnic areas, playgrounds, and trails. We hiked a trail around a small lake. Great scenery on a well marked trail.

Margarita Garcia

I live pretty close to this park,but just now star enjoying it...I really have good time walking every morning for almost 2 hrs,is safety 😀 …

Deborah L R (Debbie)

Absolutely love this place. Well mark trails. Pet friendly. Easy hike, good for beginners

Bikram Das

Definitely a beautiful picnic spot with large walking trails and beautiful scenery just next to the busy Garden State parkway.

B E Hall

We have hiked here a number of times but hadn't camped until this week. What a lovely campground (we stayed in the family campground), with lots of privacy and well-spaced sites. We could hear the parkway, but it's a background noise. We used our own facilities, so I can't comment on their restrooms. Very nice people at the park office. My only suggestion is to offer more recycling containers. Great campground and park. My sense is that New Jersey does a particularly nice job with their parks.

Oksana Sorochan

Nice campground: campsites equipped with a table and a fireplace, you may find the firewood around; showers are free, but could use some upgrade. A lot of mosquitoes though - bring something to survive :)

Mau Mau

A huge state park, sadly, not in the best shape. There are multiple parking lots, but the markings are barely visible, large puddles cover the asphalt. The playground is worn, like it was installed in the begin of 2000, the trails are nice, but a bridge was down, and there was no warning at the fork, the BBQs are almost completely rusted, one was actually broken down the bathroom was closed and instead two Johnnies were set-up. I enjoyed the time here, but seeing such lack of maintenance made me feel sad. :(

Konstantin Rudoy

Love nature there are four intersecting trails giving you a variety of hiking options. The longest combination of yellow, blue, and green trolls will give you over five miles of walking distance up and down in total. The landscape is constantly changing, so you can enjoy the views. There is a public beach on a lake open in summertime. Unfortunately, you have to pay an entrance fee during the summer season.

Katelyn Meyer

Amazing!!!! Great place. They have camping, a lake to swim in multiple play grounds and at least 4 trails! One downside was out of state has to pay 20$ for parking 10 for residents but free for seniors. Parking was easy and the entire park was spotless! Was a great day trip from the city! The town around the park is also great for a quick bite to eat and some rest

Lisa Sansone

Love going camping here! Bathrooms are cleaned every morning at 6:00am, if they're dirty it's because of the people using them not because they aren't cleaned. The showers are GREAT! Great water pressure and plenty of hot water at that. It's so peaceful and beautiful. Went to the lake unfortunately each time we went there was no swimming allowed. The lake was absolutely beautiful. The mosquitoes were ruthless so don't forget your bug spray!! You can BBQ there unfortunately the grill there wasn't the best, they need to replace them. Other than that it's always a great experience. Can't wait to go back!!

Theo

Great hiking spot! There are a number of trails, all well maintained of various difficulty. Beautiful spots to swim, crab and spend time outside.

Gin A

great place for hiking! Not too crowded and close enough to home. There are no facilities, but for those wondering, the park is close enough to stores and restaurants if you need to use the restrooms on the way there or out. There is a Wawa on the way there as well. The trails aren't that long, I believe the longest is 3 miles, but that's plenty for me and if you need to walk more, then you can do more than one trail. There are a total of 3.

Michael R.

Great spot to go camping. Just be sure to reserve camp sites away from the busy street. $20 per night for NJ residents with a $5 transaction fee. They have bundles of fire wood for sale at the front desk at $6 per bag.

Sushil Kumar

Park is good. Be careful with mosquito.... You will get lots of bites.. Arrowsmith viewing area is awesome.... 2022-10-10- spent two nights camping and it was awesome. The toilet is good and the trails are fantastic. No mosquitoes in October

Shrikant Patil

Nice park with good facilities but too many mosquitoes at the group campsite when we visited in August.

Angela Z-Frace

Pictures taken on 09/25/2020: Love this beautiful park with all the trails very well-marked by colors. From all the parks I have hiked, I must say this is the park with best-marked trails! I hiked thru all the trails: green, yellow, white and blue. I covered totally 8.2 miles. There are a lot of parking spaces with lots of recreational areas, a beach by the lake and some campsites, picnic areas. The hiking trails have lots of board stairs or board walkways. But people with climbing problems may have to walk on the roads, which are much easier.

Arun Sabale

Great place for hike, camping, lake swimming.. there is entry fees $5 during weekdays n $10 during weekend for NJ residents <+5 for non nj>, camping place is good with flush toilets and they have both individual n group options.

Raymond Ellis

I really enjoyed Cheesequake State Park. This was my second visit to the Park. I took my bike on the White Trail. It was rated moderate difficulty. I flipped over on my bike but just once so "moderate difficulty" is a good rating for it.😀 I also enjoyed the view of the Ospreys from the Arrowsmith Viewing Area. Museum and Perrine Roads were "bike friendly" and I enjoyed them. The other trails are for hiking only.

Valerie Forin

Great hiking trail! The Green trail was 3 miles long but my kids were able to complete it. Beautiful spot by the pond, lots of fields to run around in. Super accessible from Staten Island and feels like an escape.

Ber-nieee

I like this place!! It's a complete place with play ground for kids including slides and swings. Then bbq grills and picnic tables. Big free parking lot during our visit. Regular days I believe parking is about $10 roughly. It's very worth it! The other side of the park is the lake and trails. Very relaxing and calming place. Full of trees and open space. Bring your own food or meat to grill. During our visit there is a "NO swimming" sign they are hiring lifeguards $13/hr the sign said. The area is very clean. The only thing the bathrooms are closed. It's a picture perfect by the lake. It was a nice day.

Bhushan Sonaje

Very nice park for BBQ with family and friends, play area for kids, small artificial beach is also available where you can do swim. Please keep in mind beach closes around 5.30pm and they close canteen along with washrooms. Don't forget to bring mosquito repellent. Enough space for car parking. Note - BBQ area washrooms are closed, portable washrooms are installed which are not very clean.

Frank Mottola

My wife and I are avid hikers and we have been to dozens of parks all over new Jersey and they all have something to offer, but cheesequake state park is the best. It has 5 trails of moderate difficulty and they are beautiful. We've been to more challenging hikes but more enjoyable. Worth a visit.

R B

Cheesequake Park is beautiful for hiking! Stop at the first parking lot for a good set of trail heads. You walk through lovely forests or across wooden bridges through swamps or the estuary. Trails are very well maintained and accessible to most people. There are several picnic areas and a lake for swimming. Well worth a visit for several hours or the entire day!!

Inna Zubets

If you like nature, fresh air, have a baby or dog, or have a date, or need to air your thoughts... that’s the place for you! Gosh, I love this place! Perfect place for hiking, or strolling, or picking (they have special bbq places) with local grills. It has 4 different trails : red, green , yellow and blue. Different length, different levels of difficulty. All are fun and beautiful. Several lakes, bird watching, you name it! Awesome place

Michaella Bowler

This is cool, I like this place a lot. We like to go hiking here, and when it's cold that's okay too, just make sure to wear warm clothes. We came during the biggest snow season ever, and it was very beautiful! Wonderful state park, it's great for people who like nature!

Felicia

I love all of the trails they have here, ranging from easy to more advanced. The wildlife is beautiful and so is the scenery. I recommend this place to anyone of any age. They even have a playground for the kids.

Nini Chowdhury

Loved this park. Has so many options to see. Every area is different.

Amanda Darwiche

Giving this a 4 star only because there were TONs of dead fishes in the water, it couldn’t believe it. The dead fishes are everywhere all around the sides of the water along with them floating around, it was really sad to see. Other than that, this park was nice! Went on a hike with my dog and it’s very dog friendly. Not to packed which took me by surprise. Barely anyone wearing a mask. The park seems really strict with the dog rules. There is also a nice lake area where you can just sit back and relax.

Joe Mancuso

Great state park to visit. I love the nature trails just started going back their about 2 years ago. I remember camping their when I was a kid back in the 80's. And it's only about 30 minutes from home.

Jeff Izzo

Nice trails! Clean park .Small lake, lots of area for whatever. Trails are probably the best in the area from my experience.

joyce yang

We went on a Sunday afternoon: the trail head parking was all full, so we got a spot at the 2nd one. If you don't get a spot, there's is a big parking lot ahead by the lake with plenty of space. Picnic tables, a playground, and a lake with a sandy beach nearby. The restroom was closed. A portable Johnny was there, one of us had to go, I heard it was pretty gross. It's better you prepare yourself so you don't have to use it. A lot of people, almost thought I was at a tourist attraction. Most practiced social distancing and wore a mask. Lots of recreational areas, everyone can find a space to enjoy themselves. We took the blue trail: through the marsh, lake and woods. Observed some birds, should be a great place for birding but we didn't see any except for a great blue heron by the lake. The trails are well-marked with board walkways, so even there are a lot of people, you can still social distancing quite comfortably. No incline, the blue trail is pretty easy, we walked about 2.6 miles. I won't call it a hike, it was more like a stroll for me. It was very nice and relaxing, some good views along the way, think I would try different trails some other time. Overall, great park to visit with your family, friends and your dogs! :)

Olga Galina

Nice place for short and easy hikes. The restroom doesn't work despite the number of people visiting. There are a lot of mosquitos during the summer time. We usually visit during fall, winter or spring time

Maya Wall

Great for camping or just a day trip. The trails are nice and not very difficult, there is a lake great for bringing the family, and the views are breathtaking. As far as camping goes, the facilities are decent and the campsites are clean which is great. It is hard to be completely isolated though if that is an experience you are trying to achieve as many of the campsites are close enough together that you can social distance but there isn't 100% privacy. The park is pet friendly, clean, safe, and beautiful, what more could you want?

Ifti Adib

It's a big park with lots of trailing areas. It's a dog friendly park. It's not a well maintained park. Definitely bring a bug spray if you go there. Usually there's a parking fee but we went after labor day so there was no fee. We parked by the lake. The main restroom area was closed and there was a foul rusty smell around the whole building. There's only one restroom was open by the grilling and family picnic area but they closed it at 6pm even though the park closes at 7pm. There are plenty of tables and grills in picnic area. There's a beach area by the lake. There's also a campsite but we didn't go there. It's good spot for a family picnic or a day hangout but you have to carry out your trash. So, keep it in mind.

Nikki Vail

Great for a half day away from Jersey City with young kids. Our 2 year old loved the lake beach and the hike to and from the main parking lot was totally manageable for her. Love the variety of trails, ample bathrooms and snack shack. Lifeguards were on duty for lake swimming.

Susan Williams

I went with my adult daughter and we loved it. So many families we’re celebrating special events in groves and it was nice to see. We are practicing social distancing and wear masks and felt 80% of others were the same way. The parking was easy and I used google maps to find the crab bridge and our way back to the car.

Tommy Walls

Great trails, well maintained park

Henry Seton

So beautiful and great variety of trails but the bugs!!! It was sunny and midday and pretty windy and we kept moving but still got bit to pieces. Even when we put on bug spray we got bit through our clothes. Beware!!

Laura Dent

Met a friends here and had a very peaceful walk. I love the different types of terrain here and the smell of pine needles. I brought my pup on a leash and she had a great time too. A little muddy depending on weather

Fredrick Sherman

Lots of great trails with very varied terrain including pine barrens, estuaries, and hills. Nature lodge was spectacular with fascinating exhibits and expert guidance from naturalist.

Veronica Angelina

Such a pretty park with a nice lake and trails. Very clean. Lots of trees and hills. The lake has a swimming beach with a lifeguard. There's campgrounds and picnic areas. A nice spot with a $5 fee only for the summer

Tony P

Nice park and hiking trail. Mostly flat but there are sections with steps if that is a concern. Brought my nieces both under 5 a couple times.

Greg

What a surprise this park is, a park that surrounds the Garden State Parkway, but, you wouldn't know it's there driving. Lake swimming, thinking trails galore, including portions of the costal heritage trail. Group and family campgrounds, with fresh water and septic drainage for RV's, with full bathrooms (the showers are not super clean, use flipflops or sandals to shower. Unless I stayed there the day before then there golden) At $20 for the camping spots, and $60 for RV's you cannot lose out

ASA

It a great park to visit with family and friends. The trails are great to go hiking and explore. There are many scenic areas with great views. The lake is nice for swimming and fishing. But I have some recommendations: 1- All the stands with trail and park information needs to be updated, they are outdated. Need to see color coded trails. 2- There are areas on the trails that have broken steps or missing wood planks on little cross bridges. These need to be fixed immediately. Extremely dangerous for those who do not frequent the park, especially for children 3- The park system should let you know what type of animals, reptiles, snakes to expect while exploring 4- Trails should be pruned, trimmed and cleaned up when needed, this is do to the growth as the weather is getting warmer during spring and summer times 5- Falling trees and stumps should be removed because its dangerous. I have tripped over several stumps from running out on the trails. Mark them with red spray paint to warn people. 6-Pets are welcomed but need to provide more pet stations for clean up on the trails because people are sloppy, forgetful, and just lazy 7- It would be nice to have a dog area to play and run around 8- Park needs to provide more trash and recycling areas. They are far and few! Need I say more!....

Jes Jon

I have driven by this state park numerous times and never hiked it until this past weekend 10/31/20. We got there to early (park opens at 0800) so we went to the nearby Henry Hudson Trail for a warmup walk. After, our warmup walk we returned back to Cheesequake State Park. Ample parking options at the trailhead or by the lake. The trailhead divides to different trails such as the yellow, red, and green. The yellow trail was easiest to navigate. Although the green and red had was moderately challenging. Boardwalks and wooden planks provide a walkway through the forest. There are slippery slopes so be mindful when going up inclines or down declines. Hooks Creek Lake is at the center along with a large parking lot. Playgrounds, restrooms, and massive open fields. The marshland continues outwards with the noise of the parkway in the background. Following the trial leads to a boardwalk and crabbing bridge over the marshes. Along the walk were birds of all kinds of species that nest and feed in the area. During the fall the leaves were changing and created a beautiful scene. It’s easy to be immersed in all of the scenery. As always bring appropriate hiking apparel, footwear, etc. A local park that I finally visited. I would return back to this park. 10/10.

Rick Phelps

A great state park. Surrounded by the suburbs. Lots of well marked trails that take you though all sort of environments. They have a beach area and a camping area. The office are closed right now, but the restrooms are open at the main office. There are a lot of geocaches in the park. There is a nature center.

Lan-Hsin Cheng

Beautiful park, family and pet friendly!

Cady Y

One of my favorite hiking place. The trail is beautiful and love the boardwalk. Easy trail good for kids and pets, didn't make it to the crabbing bridge, will definitely go again.

Deborah Zitomer

Such a wonderful park so close to home. Well marked trails, some a little more challenging than I had expected. Amazing views of salt marshes. Also a public lakefront beach and picnic area. Beautiful!

Shining Star

It has a nice camping area (of-course requiring pre-registration for particular lot). It has beautiful trails, a lack area, ample of parking space, picnic area and vast areas. Really nice spot to spend the weekends with friends and family

Pragati Gupta

If you are looking for a place you can do snow sledding without any tickets. You can come here. The park has many trails. In snow time I prefer yellow trail ; it is small distance and at the mid point near the playground you can see many people and kids having fun snow tubing and snow sledding. This is the best place for kids in snow. In summer I come here for trails and to watch nature. The timings is pretty good. For blue and green trail you should consider almost 3 hours based on your speed. I like to walk slow and stop at the place I like to take pictures. Let me know if you have any specific question.

N10 Fit

First time & loved it! The ease of trail markers lining four different colored trails with wooden entrances, scenic outlooks to marshes & lakes within a peaceful, quiet landscape was fantastic. Various information reads along the trails provide species-related knowledge & since I love challenge, I tackled the Green Trail (advertised as 3mi loop); which is a 3.5 mi trail of moderate difficulty. I look forward to a group hike next time since this was a solo, unplanned trip.

Thomas Kusch

Smaller State Park with a swimming lake, nice Nature Center (great for kids with terrariums etc). Great and moderately difficult hiking trails through the NJ Coastal marshlands and Pine Barrens - beautiful landscapes with lots of wildlife to see. The soil is mostly sandy, but firm, and some areas are hilly. Difficult areas are usually supported with stairs or steps, and there are lots of wooden walkways through gorgeous marshy areas. The trails are very well maintained. There is even a 'crabbing bridge', which is usually frequented by 'crabbers'. One can see a lot of blue crags zipping by with the tides.

N. B.

This review is only for the lake at the Cheesequake State Park. Parking is little far from the beach. The water was dirty as the surface is muddy. No shade at the beach so you will need an umbrella or a tent. There are lifeguards on duty. No floating are allowed. The beach area is pretty big. Not a fan of a dirty water, that’s why I’m giving this place only 3 stars.

Frank F Rosario

Fantastic place to bring your family. Nice to walk around, trails, parks, lake, hiking. I really recommend it.

Patt Ferrari

Different terrains: swampy, mix of steep and easy trails, pleasant walking paths. Go to the last parking area (the one with the gazebo) The 1st 3 are small and fill up quickly. There is also a bathroom close to this one.

Said Ertekin

EDIT: Definitely bring bug repellant with you. I realized the following day that I had well over 100 mosquito bites... And maybe the park officials should also do something about the insane number of mosquitos. Original Review: Covid19 edition: the park itself is gorgeous (though I'd strongly recommend bringing bug repellant if you are bothered by mosquitos and similar bugs) and the trails are short but beautiful (with well-made and generally well-maintained paths). My only concern is for whatever reason they don't ask for a fee (at least not on May 30, which was a Saturday) and there were a lot of people who were sick of being closed in their home. It was generally possible to maintain the recommended social distance but it's very difficult to do it on some narrow parts of the trail. In addition, if you have concerns, please beware that a lot of people are sick of Covid19 and they refuse to wear masks. The park is big enough for you to stay away from them, but still... Finally, while bathrooms are functional and open, most other facilities are closed at the moment. You can see the pictures for more details.

Alex Almada

I took a 3 mile hike here not really knowing what to expect. The trail (I believe it was the green trail) was a moderate hike with some steep inclines. It provides nice views and has well-placed benches for a quick rest if needed.

Diane Diaz

Sunday early afternoon, beautiful walk in the park..While seeing ,family also enjoying this lovely day .By[ BBQ.]in the mid of January 11 2021..Awesome to see people enjoying life.....

Nyx Ebana

Awesome hike! Great views too. You find fish bones in the trails! Super cool. Its a mix of woods, ocean and swamp.

benjamin albano

Gorgeous park and georgeous day=Fun for the whole family! Only downside was porto potty's were pretty gross, but there were a lot of people there.

Mel

Variety of trails. Though there is no biking on the actual trails, you can bike around the park either on the path or in the street. Also other off trail spots for bikes. Playgrounds for kids, great for dog walks and just relaxing on all the benches they have. Picnic tables by the beach and seasonal snack stand are great. Osprey and other bird watching, great for photography. Be sure to stop in the nature center close to the beginning of the trailhead. Def recommended.

Adam Wan

Beautiful park. Lots to see and lots of trails of varying difficulty. Would definitely recommend.

Marina Kim

We went with kids to the lake and the kids loved it. Especially the younger child who would not go into the water at the shore, here was walking in and out independently and that gave him a lot of confidence with the water. I felt that the swimming area was quite small and with covid still on, there were too many adults and children in the water as the day went on. I am hesitant to come back due to this.

Keerthy V

This is a big park with vast stretches of grass that allows kids to play. The lake is good for skinny-dipping. There are a lot of picnic areas around. Not sure if there are any playgrounds though. We couldn't do the trail this time. But we will definitely visit this place again.

Heidi Farley

I love hiking the trails. Though I'm now restricted to the Yellow Trail as it's the shortest due to a bad hip. All the trails are well marked except for the Blue Trail. Hopefully that'll be fixed soon.

Davon Hudson

Loved the trails. Walking the boardwalks with wetlands on both sides was something new for me. Made sure to hit every trail, even old ones not listed on the maps. Overall great park and I didn't even get to see nature center. The locals have a jewel here and they should know it! Here's a few photos (Not professional 📷😂) …

Christina C

My Fiancé and I took our little fur baby here on 3/16/22. The water has never looked so beautiful and clear!!

Kaushal Nanavati

Great trail. We did the green trail. Lots of poison ivy. Must wear full sleeves. Part of it was swamps which really was very interesting. Good mix of flat lands and hills.

Chris Hazen

Go visit state parks for free this summer! This one has a nice swimming lake with a good amount of sand and lots of spots for grilling. Bathrooms were decent. And no trash cans even if you buy food from the vendor.

Chandrakant Shukla

Nice place, but toooo many mosquitoes, swimming place is open only on weekends. I enjoyed lush green park & rain in the park.

Rommel Z

Awesome park with a lot of places to explore, there's camping sites, barbecue and everything, it also has a river with sand. Is amazingly beautiful!!!

Angela Shapiro

We just went to this park for the first time about 1.5 wks ago and had a blast. We went during the week on a Tues and literally had the place to ourselves. It was $5 to get in and totally worth going up to the Nature Center.. Watch Out For The Bears...

Sarah Werner

I came to see trees and by George, I saw trees. The park is absolutely beautiful and I had a great time immersing myself in nature. The flora and fauna did not disappoint, and it gave me ample opportunity to relay the facts I remembered from high school biology classes like I was a botanist. We saw three whole chipmunks, an angry frog, and a turtle, which I count as an absolute accomplishment. There was also a couple in a hammock living their best life and I respect that. There are several paths to pick from that range in length and difficulty all helpfully color coded so no one has an excuse if they go off the trail. I highly recommend the green path. It's three miles of gorgeous swamp, hills, trees, and marshes; it's also the one I went on so I'd say I have a better idea of it than the others. My only word of advice is that some of the trails are moderate in difficulty, especially if you're not an avid hiker, so don't bring the good shoes. There were areas that got less trail and more mud, but if that's the adventure you're looking for (like I was), you're going to have a great time.

Darlene O'Keefe

Great trails! This park has a little of something for everyone. Definitely will be going back to check out the different sections.

Raj Joshi

We like to go and chill at the lake beach of this park on our summer weekends. There are grills you can book on the website. It's a combination of sand and lawn ground also a trail around the lake. It's really beautiful.

Vanessa Concepcion

I really had a good time. I’m not a lake lover, but this park is very nice. It provided some much needed shade when desired, it wasn’t over crowded and it does have different activities to do.

Shoukat Ali

Beautiful place to spend a day with family. Good trails, ample parking, play area for kids, clean lake beach and more. There is entry fee per car during summer.

Kyle Dettman

Very nice park with well maintained trails. All the trails are clearly marked making a forest stroll very pleasant. There is also a campsite on premise that I did not stay at but seemed nice enough from a distance.

Meg Hamp

Ok...I'm reviewing but we didn't actually get to stay here. We booked two nights. We pulled in at 5pm and the office closed at 430 so we made our way to our site. There is a low clearance bridge in order to get into the camping area. It's 11ft. Our trailer is exactly 11 ft so we didn't chance it. There is another way in but the gate was locked ( and no staff around) so we got back in our truck for the 5 hour drive home. Our fault we didn't notice this warning when we booked so leaving a review here so no one else misses it!

Donald Charlot

I had a great time with my son. The facilities are accommodating . The recreation area was very clean,the staff friendly,the parking very close to the beach. I love it. We had a great time.

Julie Esposito

Absolutely, positively the most beautiful park to hike. One of my favorite places on earth ❤

Christopher Baroni

A wonderful view from the observation deck. A bald eagle and heron were both spotted from here. Bring your binoculars and enjoy the scenery.

terrance O'Donnell

Beautiful park with scenic trails and good amenities. Plenty to do on a nice day.

Thomas Seitz

Clean, not too crowded, well maintained trails. Excellent park. Been going there since I was a kid.

Heather Staeger

Great place. Beautiful views, nice hiking trails, spots for BBQ and a lake for swimming. Nice little spot for you and your family.

Jennifer Ray

We chose this nature reserve because it was affordable and close to a few beaches. Each camp site was fairly large. The ground was also very soft. Be warned: there were a lot of bugs that would bite. It wasn't just mosquitoes, but horse flies and no-see-ums which were the worst. We used plenty of bug spray, but it was worse in the evening. Bring citronella candles, bug spray, anything. The bugs won't keep from going back, now that I know what to do to prevent the bites.

Stacey Lewis

My family have been coming here for years. There are several problems. The sand insects and the grass area needs to be sprayed for mosquitoes. It is horrible when the insects start bitting. They have a lot of bird feces on the grass thats germs and bacteria.

Jason Martin

great little park. walked the trails which during a dryer day would haven been much nicer. the puddles were a nuisance but i could tell how nice it would have been had i been there on a nicer day. only drawback was you could hear the parkway the whole time.

Ann S

Very nice park. 4 levels of hiking trails. A nice place to relax and have a picnic. A good place to take your dog for a walk.

Emily Erickson

It is super crowded on nice days, so sometimes you have to park farther away, but the walks are beautiful and the camping area has everything you need.

Angel Avelar

A place your whole family will enjoy Park has barbecue grill and a swimming 🏊 lake available no reservations required First come first serve so enjoy tell them I sent you 😃

Adriana Tejada

On the entrance they have $10 entrence for out state plates,but they charged us $20. And so many mosquitos the we did not finish the trail

Nicolás Kim

Tons of mosquitos in the summer and slippery trails in the winter, but overall a good place for a peaceful hike.

Udita Markovich

I love the hiking trails. There is one that's just 3/4ths a mile. Really nice!

Suresh Kumar M

Excellent place for trekking and good spot for family picnic. Those who want barbecue and mini beach experience

Daniela Pesce

Beautiful trails. There are 4 of them (different lengths) and each one is beautiful.

Shruti Joshi

Very big park with lots of things to do...Camping,Trekking ,Swimming in the lake...everything... We went to the lake side.Water was not very clear,but not very bad too..there were lifeguards available all the time.. There is also a cute snack bar with lots of food options..The restrooms were ok,equipped with shower stands and changing stations too... Worth trying once...

k9 crazee

My favorite park. Cheesequake State Park is beautiful. There is so much to see and enjoy. You can sit on a bench and relax, walk one of the trails or ride your bike.

Dina Wilmot

Good trail options depending on your needs. Love that they have a nature center. Always see some type of wildlife when we go. Just stop and look around! Saw 2 snakes and a few frogs on the green trail today. There is a crabbing bridge near the lake. Lots of crabs caught.

Mary O'Malley

A very pretty park with five diverse, (salt marsh, woodlands) pleasant hiking paths (mostly pretty easy) this park is easy to travel to (a few minutes off the Parkway) and not overrun with bicyclists. There are camping grounds, comfort stations and an interesting Nature Center. Due to recent rains spots are covered in sucking mud or standing water. Wear waterproof shoes and bring bug spray!

IRENA SINCHUKOVSKA

Lots of beautiful places for hiking. Love this park. Always come walk my pups in here.

R. Beaton

A wonderful hiking experience in a wonderfully maintained park. Kudos.

William Xu

Good place for hiking and biking. Trails are up and down with curves, so very interesting to ride on. And there's also some water-front and wetland scene to enjoy.

iqhlas hossain

Highly recommended for anyone who like camping 🏕 make sure you bring Bugs spray. …

Lauren Ugorji

My mother took me to Cheesequake as a kid and I brought the now grown children when they were young and just visited with my youngest, so it has been a family affair. We love the calm lake that is nice and warm in the summer. Yes, you will want to shower well after but nothing like a lake with sand. It gives us the beach feel without rough waves or jellyfish or shark worries. We use the bug off sunscreen because there are small biting flies and mosquitos, probably due to nearby forest, which also has trails.

Milica Valent

Great trekking paths! Can be a bit tricky, so make sure to wear good shoes. The dog loved it too 😊 …

Bob Kersting

Lake swimming was closed today due to a shortage of lifeguards. Hiking trails were a welcome alternative. Trails were well kept, had few people hiking, and there were very few bugs. There were weird people setting up a tableau for Instagram photos.

Ivelisse Vazquez

This is going to be our new summer lake spot. We loved it. The lake, the amenities, the trails. All great. Dogs allowed on trails but not on beach. Must be kept on a leash and cleaned up after.

Yevheniia Sukhorukova

Great Park. Nice trails. There is also a picnic area where you can grill. Playground for kids. But don't forget to spray yourself with mosquito spray!!!!

Nagesh R

Beautiful place for sunset at lake, they have an observation deck too. Seems great for overnight camping as well.

Praveena Padi

We had the best experience in cheesequake. Will go back again. Lake, restrooms with showers, picnic benches with barbeque,trails,playground,best scenic views..If you are a lover of nature, you need to be here.

Nancy Casanovas

I like this lake , small but cute lots of land to walk and explore the picnic areas are beautiful

Sharon Lasher

Rugged trails unexpected vistas, easy to get to

Paul Cannon

Been coming here since I was a kid. Always a great place to go with the family on a nice day. Whether if its spring, summer, winter or fall, Cheesqauke State Park has something for everyone year round.

Sherkhan

Beautiful state park with some amazing trails. I visited during the peak snow time.

Mark Pags

Go hiking all the time. Beautiful views. You can camp or swim in the lake! Great place

Miguel

it's a nice place to go hiking but i cae to a dead end where at one point it seemed there was a bridge over a river but it seemed to have been taken away with the currents. they should built a stronger one

Shubh Patel

Absolutely beautiful park with quiet and peaceful picnic areas, loved the lake and trails.

Vivian Vazquez

This is my favorite state park. I camp here at least 10 times during their camping season. There are several hiking trails that are easy to get around, a lake which is not that great (kind of murky, smells weird, and gets too overcrowded during the summer) so we don't utilize it often, and a biking trail! Beautiful views, bird watching, and you may see a deer or two. There's a small museum in the hiking trail which is informative and plenty of things to see. Outside of the park, there are plenty of stores, supermarkets, restaurants, and even a movie theater about 20 minutes down route 35. I will continue to visit! ETA: Since my last review a few years ago some things have changed at Cheesequake. I dropped my rating from 5 stars to 3 because the place needs to be cleaned. I recently went camping with my family for what was supposed to be 3 nights but we decided to leave a day early. The bathrooms are soo disgusting. There's mold on the shower curtains, bugs by the sink, and much more. Now I'm not expecting a super clean place BUT there's a sign that says the bathrooms are supposed to be cleaned from 6-7 AM and they are not. The same bugs that were on the sink the first day I got there were still there 2 days later. They only swept the floors but not well. The showers are terrible also and the water is scorching hot with the pressure so high it hurts and that was after adjusting the pressure. The fire pits are filled with trash and half burnt wood. Btw, we camped at 2 sites this season so far (site 2 and 53) and both pits were the same. We couldn't even make a fire. Get it together Cheesequake. I'll be going to another campground for the rest of this summer and hopefully by next season it will improve.

Mehmet SİVAS

Pretty nice place 0.75 miles , 1-2-3 miles hiking trails available clean and natural and no parking problems

Ebrahim “WalhanNYC” Alghurazy

It's a beautiful lake near by , the park is so green good for picnic the swimming lake so clear and clean , I enjoyed with family. Bad ( big bites) , be careful with that.

Michael Szubrowski

Very pretty place to walk and go for a hike, and nice quiet beach to go swimming with a concession stand

Hafeez Mohammed

A cool weather hike was refreshing after the many months of lockdown. This was my first visit to the park and definitely won’t be the last.

Joe

There's a very nice trail that will take you around a lake, through some nice-smelling pine trees, and over some plank bridges. It can be hilly, so bring spiked shoes in winter. And don't forget your bug spray in summer--lots of biters. The lake is a great place to look at all the dragonflies, and the woods are great for bird watchers.

Allen Hillery

Had a great morning hike on the 3.5 green trail. Muddy and slippery at times as it's winter season. Overall scenic and good exercise.

Aster Pheonyx

It's a perfect place for a hike!! If you're a nerd like me, you can get some good geocaches as well! Bring bug spray!!

Thanh Wisler

What a wonderful park so much to do. And plenty of trails to explore.. beautiful

Natasha Ray

This park is huge and so nice. The staff is always willing to help and answer questions.

Tamara Brown

Awesome lake with a small beach. The trails are easy for beginners. There is a basketball court and a playground for little kids. Great option for a couple of hours of freetime.

Yizhi Zheng

Beautiful park! Easy trails and high camp ground!

Sergio Cardoso

Great place close by to go for a walk. Beutiful fall colors and wildlife.

Marybeth Boeckle

Went with my Brother,niece and grandaughter we really enjoyed it very beautiful!!!!!

Judy Nyirongo

Our family went in fall for a hike. It was absolutely beautiful. The hike is easy, the kids did not have any trouble at all. We will definitely be going back there. The only down side was that the bathrooms were closed. Good to know: it's a trash carry in carry out.

C F

I camped here for six nights in a motorhome. It was hard to find information specific to RVs so I hope this review is helpful. There is a dump station that is poorly designed so that it is muddy, and I'm sure the mud is full of bacteria because well, it's a dump station. Might want to plan on wearing plastic bags over your shoes if you need to use the dump station. The map shows that there is a fresh water fill next to the dump station, but there is not. There is a spigot by the bathroom that a hose can be attached to to fill your tanks, but you'll need a longer hose if the parking spots in front of the spigot are full. There are a few sites that are outside of the main loop. Don't go outside of the main loop in an RV because there is no room to turn around. The area near sites 23-27 has some room but would be tricky for a trailer or if you're towing a car. The area by sites 37-40 has no room to turn around, you'll need to back out. The showers are terrible, but functional. Not clean but not super gross, the water comes out in like a sheet and it feels like razor blades. You can't adjust the water temperature but it was okay. It's a decent campground, my reason for booking was proximity to NYC and the Statue of Liberty without having to drive my RV anywhere near the city, and for that purpose it did not disappoint. The Aberdeen-Matawan train station is nearby, has plenty of parking and a train that takes you to Penn Station NY with no transfers. It's about a 40 minute drive to Liberty State Park and there is tons to do there, including tours of the Statue of Liberty and a ferry that takes you to NYC. Plenty of parking at Liberty State Park. If you've read my long review, thanks and I hope it was helpful!

Estrella Garbanzo

Great place to camp! Nice trails, lake, bathrooms on the campsite, lake has showers and nice and attentive staff.

Chloe 8484

Beautiful Trail and nature but not so good camping too close with neighbors

Eileen Pabon

Great place to chill and relax, take a hike or chill at the lake. You can even camp overnight and give your kids a great experience right close to home.

Sandy Halbing

Cheesequake is a true gem just off the GSP! The park holds an extensive trail system with a beautiful variety of terrain. The Green trail is my personal favorite. But if it's just rained red or blue are the way to go. Great for walking, hiking, light biking or trail running!

The FPV Life

Such a great close to NYC and local State park with great hiking trails. I visit this park quite often and I never get board especially during the different change of seasons. I highly recommend this park to all including campers. Cheers for 2022.

Angie From New Jersey

One of our favorite state parks!! Great place to camp

Nathan Noblett

This is a great place to take inexperienced hikers for a light walk in the woods. Well groomed and marked trails. Beautiful views. We've been back several times and brought friends who loved it.

Lilly J Huertas

Beaitful Park with several trails, depending on what you're up to. We had a nice time and looking forward to our next trail.

Roncho Jenkins

Nice place for sigh seeing they also have a lake that u can swim in but the water is brown i wouldn't swim in it but people always do lol overall its a great place to bring the family if u like thee outdoors

Maciek Sakowicz

Very nice place to visit nice trails nie people

James Ankers

Decent trails traversing various landscapes. A little busy, especially close to the lake beach area. Remember bug spray.

David Egan

Great place for a hike. Multiple trail options

ongod

Great location for different levels and lengths of walks, the scenery and vegetation is astounding

Sergio C

Great for a walk, birding swimming and other outdoor activities.

Marco Santos

Different hiking and bicycle trails for you to try. Lake to cool down and lots of bbq and tables available.

A C

Nice, clean place....lifeguards on duty.

Dave Finnerty (TheMadAdmin)

Just a great place where you can get back to nature and find some interesting birds.

Nandakishore Babu Raut

This park is big and beautiful. View from the park is also good. Nice swimming area.

sujay kumar

Lovely place with wonderful hiking trails and a small water body with beach sand for kids to play. You are allowed to enter into water and kids can have good fun. Lots of space for parking and there are rest rooms as well (do not expect them to be clean but you have something to relieve incase of emergency, I would avoid using the rest rooms if possible)

Safwan Coaker

A nice little hike great spot to take beginners and kids not to much elevation but enough to call it a leg day if you do it right lol and beautiful views definitely recommend

Timothy reganelectric

Nice little flat water lake but has the Covid curse. Please open these lake we want to SUP

Chelsea

Beautiful park for scenery and to check out Fall foliage.

Farah Lubin

My first time there and I had amazing experience n Time. Thank you for the memory weekend before I move to NC. Definitely will b back when I come visit NJ 😊😊 …

M Swaminarayan

Great natural surroundings with easy delightful trails!!

Rakesh Pandey (Rakku)

Wonderful experience visiting there, nice trails and lake is nearby. Good place to visit with friends and family.

kenya Rodriguez

magnificent place, but it has many mosquitoes and flies

Chi

Beautiful park for hiking! Especially during the fall!

Matthew PT Casserly

Pine barrens terrain and tranquil hikes. Great for a trail race to!

Kerry Haney

Beautiful day yesterday, took the 2 mile hike ( blue trail), we got confused, many markers were missing. Thank goodness we passed several people who helped along the way. Wish the nature center was open. But free to enter park after Labor day! Enjoy it!

KC

I had a great time hiking at Cheesequake State Park. Many trail for different levels.

Jordi Serrato

It would have been a 5 star experience if not for the botflies relentlessly attacking us lol. Water was perfect and lifeguards were friendly and attentive.

Richard Kassay

I've been going to this park for over 45 years now , I still enjoy it every time I go. Great place for a family BBQ and they have a lot of paths to walk all over the park.

Lady Carmen

I love walking through the trails, just bring bug spray on the walk, spray often

Mayank Trivedi

Nice experience to be with Nature and enjoy Wilderness. Caution - Carry Mosquito repellent as this state park lacks anti-mosquito treatment

Santo Scavuzzo

We love this place. Seems to be well maintained, Trails go on forever. Great workout with awesome views. Not for the week or injured, Many steps with uphill and downhill climbing. Most people should be fine. Water and bug spray.

megan lomicky

Did green trail today. Very muddy, but great walk

Melissa A. Robinson

Little disappointed. Two of the three trails were not marked out well and I ended up getting lost and needing to back track. Otherwise, beautiful park with average difficulty of hiking.

One Peaceful Mind

amazing - we absolutely loved this place ❤️

Leena Wani

Its a lovely place for a long walk. Trails are also interesting. Although i wish that lake and water damp dint have that smell. Its too stinky to walk around it.

Shyam Jayakumar

One of the well marked, truly shaded, well maintained trails I have been. We did all the loops and it was not difficult. Enjoyed the yellow with the lake view and were able to view few songbirds followed by the other trails meeting a baby turtle and many many squirrels. Definitely a must visit.

Mia Savarese

Perfect for an hour hike or a weekend trip, Cheesequake Park is always a step into an oasis from my past, and it's just as lovely today.

Birma Rosario

Easy trail to follow, there’s plenty of parking.

michael ruiz

Great for camping, hiking,bike rides,fishing,basketball court, volleyball, food stand, BBQ picnic area, and great lake especially for little ones in your life.

Brian Higashide

Bring your bug spray! Grew up learning how to swim here. Hooks lake has an incredible beach that's usually just crowded enough for the kids to make a new playmate and just empty enough that you don't need to wait in line for ice cream or cheese fries. And no seagulls! Just be warned THE FLIES ARE VICIOUS! if you're hiking wear long socks and get ready for monster mosquitos. If you're swimming then any exposed part of your body to become a feast for the horse flies. Still, it's a great lake for the kids and (as long as you remember the bug spray!) The hiking trails are good for a casual trek. Hooks lake is a great place in Jersey to learn how to swim. No waves, not terribly crowded and they even have a few boardwalk concessions. Just remember to bring your own litter bags to take home trash. There are no garbage cans anywhere in the park. And, bring extra bug spray!

Maureen Lunetta

New Jersey has so many hidden gems and this park is one... Wear some good hikers can get muddy here and there.

Kerrin D

I have been going to cheesequake for as long as I can remember.Over the past 35 years it has not changed much and I am happy to be able to bring my son to enjoy the same beautiful park and trails that I have grown up hiking on.

Sitanshu Patel

Great Place for Hiking, Biking, Camping and picnic. Hiking Trails are great with elevation. Group Camp sites are great.

PATEL VRUSHIT

It's great experience, just $10 parking fee on weekends and $5 on weekdays. If you want to go on beach picnic place and tracking for 1 day, than it's place. We are went in afternoon and leave when they announced it's closing time. We really don't want to leave that place, i hope we have a tent ⛺⛺ to stay overnight. Definitely go with your family and friends. But I have only 1 complain is that they locked 🔒 all restrooms at 5:30 pm and Park open till 8:00pm . Moreover, just from there 2 mile away has also Sea view front at Old bridge.

A.H.L Storyline Series Entertainment

Great park for trail walking! Kept very clean

Becky Fitzpatrick

I visit Cheesequake weekly and besides it's early closing time in the off-season (6pm) I love it! There are 4 main trail options - one that brings you to the lake with access to the beach if you continue off trail. The others wrap around the park through the woods, pines, and small ponds. You get some nice views of the scenic marsh, no vistas. Pretty easy hiking for beginners, also great for trail runners. The park has other walking trails and campaign spots as well.

megapper

Beautiful trails. Peaceful lake that is fun and clean. Great place for a family gathering. Went on a weekday and it's as tranquil as it can be. One star off? The mosquitoes are everywhere and they are HUGE! I kid you not! They all look like mutant mosquitoes! And none of the bug spray work - they just circle around you, taunting you, and buzzing your ears off. And they will bite when they feel like it, and not when you have your guard down. And their bites are brutal - big swellings and take days to subside. Tldr: bring the heavy artillery for these mosquitoes if you want to enjoy this place!

Bill Rodgers

Nice local hike trails well marked

YW

Great park for hiking. Lots of families. Nice trails. Look out for limbs of trees hanging.

Florczyk

Great amazing place to get emersed in nature. However more effort could be put into the trails. Bridges and steps need some fixings especially green trail.

John Tracey

A big “Thank You” shoutout to the very caring young couple who took time out of their hike on “Trail A” to walk me back to my car after I clumsily tripped and fell on a tree root along the trail. Their parents would be so very proud of them for assisting this 77 yr. old in need. So sorry I wasn’t able to properly thank them. As for the park goes……a five star rating. Easy to get to right off the GSP, beautifully maintained, bathrooms open and clean, many, many places off the beaten path to be quiet and alone, and the trees, fauna and foliage are beautiful. So many walking venues….trails, walks, fields, flat, hilly and more. It should be beautiful after a snowfall……I will return👍😊 Nov 10, ‘21

Brian Harrington

Just completed the Green Trail, 3.1 miles, beautiful trek through quiet woods, decent amount of mud so wear hiking boots, lots of steps to climb, good walk, highly recommended.

Taylor and Daddy

We had a nice hike

Chun Kit Leung

Beautiful place for late fall.

Bill Roda

Beautiful in the fall, my patio backs up to the park

Theresa Wouda

Nice for an easier hike. You can choose trails at different levels of ease. Very pretty but too many rules. In addition there is a fee to enter from memorial day to labor day.

Sumit Kurani

A really good experience. Perfect companion for your Sunday afternoon.

Ken Duong

Beautiful park to be outdoors and camping. campsites and bathroom were clean and sites well spaced out for privacy and best of all it was close to home. Good weekend getaway with the family to unwind and be one with nature.

Marina Sok

Great park with trails and camping.

F Ahsan

This is nice place for hiking trails.... Good time to spent specially in this Covid time

Jonathan Aguilar

Awesome hiking paths and a lake. alot of mosquitoes by the grass and trees and no swimming monday or Tuesday

Mellissa Bland

I do love the place but unfortunately we were unable to get in the lake because there was no lifeguard this time around 5/23/21, not sure if it's from the pandemic or what... Not sure when they will have a lifeguard I will try again this weekend... The grass is soft, the atmosphere is way relaxing, it feels really safe to have a family they're, the kids can play and for the most part stay in eyes View ...they have many trails that tell you how long it will take to travel that trail.... Lots of shady areas. You must bring a bag with you for disposal and bring your trash away with you from the state park. Nice picnic setting and they also have places to cookout. Lake/beach is nice... I'm not sure if they still have them but I'm sure the flies have not moved away LOL, when you get out and your body is wet from the lake they have biting flies so hurry up and dry off LOL (did not experience the flies the little time we did get wet last weekend). Very clean environment. Enjoy!!!

Naveen Jami

Good for a single day out here. Nice trails, can do with family. All trails are good in this park, it has a lake also but we didn’t feel so good about that. Has children play area too, and it’s nice. Bike around, camp sites , trails .... nice park 👍 …

Durai Raj

Very nice place within city limits. If you are camping, please be aware that you will hear road noise as this place is very close to Garden State parkway.

Diana Mejia

I don't know about the other parts of the park, I just visited the lake. I thought it was very underwhelming. I found that it closed too early, and was not very big. The water was very murky and the whole time I was wondering what kind of testing gets done to make sure it's ok to bathe in it. The bathrooms were also pretty uncomfortable, but that's usually the case at beach/lake baths, so you know what to expect. Overall I say it's ok because I did see families and kids enjoying themselves. The ample parking and park nearby were nice. There was also a grassy area where you can have a picnic. It was ok, Just ok.

Joe Wall

We went for a hike there about a week ago. Generally the park was nice and the people were all mindful of each other with social distancing, but on the Blue Trail you come to a pond that was horrible. For some reason, there were so many dead fish that it was disturbing and the smell was terrible. Other than that we had a great day. The rest of the hike was beautiful and the trail was perfect for a family. There were 8 of us with the youngest being 3 and she had no problem taking on the terrain.

Eric Weinmiller

Great day at the park. Hung out on the nice little beach then took a hike around the park. Beautiful trails very nice, novice trail walking. Hope they open the bathrooms and snack bar soon. Then we could spend all day.

coolguytim

Wonderful park, particularly with fall foliage.

Christine Mawha

Ive been coming here since my kids were little. They are all in their mid 30s now. It is a beautiful place. Clean lake, playground, food and bathrooms, and the most gorgeous and environmentally varied hiking trails. Salt marshes, crabbing bridge, woodlands, nature center. You will possibly see lots of wildlife as you hike I cant say enough about this place. I love it.

Yashira Ayala

Me n my daughter had a mom n daughter day,we haven't camped together since she was about 12 yrs old,we glad we had a great time,I truly recommend any age to walk through all trails they offer,it's a great stress buster n relaxing scenery,and for dogs also,take your pets,they are pet friendly n the cost is less than loaf of bread n eggs n bacon,I will definitely be back again,

Amanda T

This is a very lovely park. We have been going here for years. Hiking can be done all year round. My favorite time to go is spring and summer when there are more activities available. We usually do biking and have a picnic here with friends and family. There’s also a lovely lake where people can swim in. There’s an entrance fee but it’s worth it.

Sabika Rizvi

One of the best parks I’ve been too, a lot of activities too do and the scenery is very beautiful

Aviel Simon

Only reason I come here is because it close to home, and has a nice little loop to jog with my dog. Otherwise the park is pretty dirty, no one picks up after their dogs there. The trails are very short and far from challenging at all. But it could be okay for a family with young kids who wants to introduce them to hiking. The green path is a little over 3 miles and does a lap around most of the park.

Andy Pober

Great, well maintained hiking trails. Could be more blazes, though.

William Sharlow

Perhaps our favorite park for hiking. While you may encounter an occasional hill, most of the terrain is relatively flat. A good deal of the trails are covered in sand and / or evergreen needles making the hike seem effortless. Plenty of parking near the lake if the trail-head parking lot is full. Much of the trails are shaded by trees if hiking in the sun is a worry.

french cream

Each trail is marked with different colors so it's good for beginner hikers to keep on track!

Ozzie Lourenco

So many different trails. The variety of the landscape is immense. The nature center has been closed, but that is ok. There are port-a- potty (a.k.a penalty box) by the lake and the ranger station is open.

S P (SANNA GREY DESIGN)

Love this park. Trails are fairly easy so the whole family can enjoy (great for kids). Nature center has everything from your educational material to live turtles, blue jays...and chipmunks greeting you at the door. Friendly rangers. I visit at least twice a year and it’s so pleasant and peaceful. Try to arrive early before the crowd.

M K

Great place for a short hike with family. Dogs are allowed, no "poop bags" though, so don't forget to bring your own. Longest "Green" trail is 3 miles, shortest is "Yellow" 0.75 mile. All trails crisscross in a couple places, so you can switch midway. A lot of trail markers so you won't get lost. Also there's a small entrance fee during the summer.

David KL

Another very nice state park for hiking and seeing falls foliage. Parking is scarce, each lot space only had a out 20 or so spots, but the trails are quite nice. The hiking trail leads to a large pond and small beach area.

Tiffany Held

Well mapped and generally well kept trails. Free (not in summer months) to visit. Friendly park rangers. Did not agree with their "no trash cans even in bathroom" stance, but understand their reasoning for it. Spacious enough that we passed others and saw people in the parking lot but didn't feel crowded at all. Would recommend for nice walk.

James Sharp

This park is beautiful. The walk through the wetlands and into the forest is so well preserved, and you will see osprey flying above throughout the park! Once the trees have bloomed, this is a nature lover's paradise. There are quite a few trails to pick from so you can definitely spend the entire day here and not be bored.

Sam

This was my third time in this park. It’s a nice park but I wish it was maintained better or rules are enforced better for example litter, the rule is to collect your own litter and depose of it outside the park, there are no garbage cans. Unfortunately people litter. The lake is nice with a beach area and has life guards on duty however, at times their is a foul stench coming from the water.

Tanya Zapata

I love the park.

Tony Gallego

Awesome place for many activities. We use it for our family reunion picnics. A very clean place. We were using the Ferry Point site, a beautiful area has grills and a bathroom. My only complaint is the steps from the parking area to the grounds. A very steep and neglected set of stairs. Not ideal for lugging things up and down. I also feel it's dangerous for the elderly and handicapped. I feel a ramp should be build and remove the steps. Besides that, it's an really great place.

Kuhananth Karuna

Great !! 😉 …

Khanh L.

Nice hikes. Green trail is the longest and I like it more than the Blue one. Quite enjoyable. Chipmunks and squirrels scurrying here and there. A few visitors leaving trash/recyclables here and there. A few worn out wood planks. Fresh air in the woods, except for the pond/lake area. Restrooms have been closed for a while now.

Ron Ruzal

This state park is the best I've seen around. It is meticulously kept, clean all throughout. There are tons or good trails, picnic tables everywhere, grills, lots of parking and more. There is also a nice snack court by the lake and there are restrooms in many locations across the park. Oh, and the lake. Simply beautiful. During summer you can swim and hang on the sandy beach and enjoy nature like nowhere else around. The trail that surrounds the lake is also beautiful and has good views.

Jennifer DeRisi

Beautiful and clean, we did the red trail today with our girls and had a blast

Jamie M

Great well marked trails. During the summer, there may be a charge.

Jerry Pinaha

I'm 64 my wife is 60 but we still enjoy hiking the parks trails. Last week it was the 3 mile trail but today we settled on a 1 mile hike. We drove around the park and discovered the beachfront lake and picnic/camping areas. Really nice areas. We already plan on taking my Son and his family there for a day when they visit next month. My 3 young grandsons will definitely enjoy the lake and playgrounds. Hopefully, we can all take a short hike. Beautiful park.

ranzi john

Another nice park for relaxed walking

Doren Thangjam

Lot of hiking options from 30 mins to 90 mins...prefect for family

Jeremy Brito

Do you miss being out in nature amongst the great wilds of NJ but also want to know what it's like to be a hobo sleeping under a over pass in a busy metropolitan area ?? Then your in Luck! The park is beautiful but your camp site is right up against the garden state parkway all night long during the summer months and most of the year you will be laweld off to sleep by the sounds of trucks cars honking an motor cycles like if they were in the tent with you

Zulima Martinez

I absolutely love this lake. It’s one of my favorite lakes in NJ. It’s clean, staff is great, food is good, and so are the snacks. Family friendly, and it’s perfect for nice hot summer day to just go and cool off.

Ken White

Cheesequake Park is oasis of solitude in an overly congested Central New Jersey. Hiking trails, wildlife and a lake are some of the wonders of the park. Great place for a picnic lunch. Fall is my favorite time to visit.

Stephen Bogan

Nice park. Some beautiful scenery. Still some storm damage from Sandy.

Shereen Moustafa

I love to take my kids on a last minute hike on days we have no plans. The trails are kid friendly and it is a beautiful park!

Mildred Meier

I always enjoy going to Cheesequake Park with my family for a hike or a swim at the lake. The bathrooms are the only issue I have experienced. They need to be cleaned more often due to some visitors, with no polite way to put it, being gross. The life guards are always keeping the rules and child safe at the lake. The park staff has always been very polite and helpful.

Patricia Misyak-peters

What a gem. A little crowded on the weekend.

Peter Thompson

Great state park for a day. Free access until Memorial day, then I believe it's $10 per car. The park is mostly wooded, but it is set next to a tidal marsh and some trails go along the edge. There are several walking trails from about ¾ mile to 2½ miles. The terrain is mostly through the woods over some very small hills and alongside the marsh. There is also a large pond with lifeguards and a sanded "beach". Plenty of paved parking spots, a snack bar, and real bathroom facilities (not port-a-potties). There are more picnic tables, grills and bathrooms in a shaded area a hundred yards from the beach section. The park does offer overnight camping sites for tents (I don't believe any RV's are permitted). I haven't camped here so I can't tell you much more about the camp sites. However, the park is situated between the Garden State Parkway and a highway, so there is definitely road noise you'll hear.

Rachel Rosenstreich

This is a beautiful park with easy to moderate hiking trails. Beginner level hikers should take caution as some of the trails are not very clearly marked. There is occasional confusion due to recent routing of trails, but if you take the way that's less overgrown, you should be fine. The nature center is a great educational stop along the trails. The park is carry-in/carry-out.

B C

We went camping for 3 days in last May. Camping ground has space for two big tents. Overall camping is good. The trails are nice but lots of mosquitoes all the ways... So dress well and have bugs repellant ready. As for food, it is 2 miles drive to local town to have a good meal if you do not want to cook in camp sites. The swimming area is ok. No boating in that tiny lake.

Stephen Gonzalez

Nice trails through woods and open areas. Large park. Summer months (memorial day to labor day) there is a fee to enter. There is a lake with a beach for swimming and a snack bar with changing/restrooms. Not sure if swim in the small lake as it doesn't look very clean. Has a nature building with reptiles and it's generally open to the public. Lots of parking lots scattered throughout.

Kris Peterson

Trails are well marked and maintained, drain well after storms. Multiple great options for a scenic hike or run. Campground is nice and also well maintained, but you're right next to the parkway and Matawan road...it's close to home for me so the convenience factor offsets the proximity to civilization but if you're looking to get away from the world, you'll be listening to traffic all night here.

Pankaj Kulkarni

NJ residents $10 entry fees others $20 for the car, no other charges. Three parking lots available. On weekend, Trail Head small parking lot usually get full you can park lake side and take 15 min walk to reach the Trail Head. Trails are maintained so kind of easy level. A good place to spend time with family, we enjoyed the visit.

Stan Fernandes

This is a very nice park with well-maintained trails. It is very scenic. They have a lake where you can go fishing, they have a picnic area, and a nature center. There is a variety of trails of different lengths. Highly recommended if you are looking for a nice clean Park to spend the day.

Joe F

Great park for group camping. Flushable toilets. And clean.

Julie Sandiford

This is an excellent park. Family oriented place to take the family. I love the fact that parents are accountable for their children. Children 16 and under , have to be accompanied into the water by the parent. Lifeguards are not babysitters. Nice for walking and biking. On entrance each car is given a trash bag and you most collect you trash and leave the park with it. No trash receptacles are available. There is a 20.00 entrance fee for out of state people and 10.00 for local traffic on the weekends. I would recommend park to family and friends. Parents be prepared to be responsible for your children. Those who are not can be asked to leave the park without a refund.

arimi smith

My first time and the park itself is well maintained, and they have several hiking trails that were very easy to follow. Also near the entrance they have a lakeside swimming area that is well guarded by life guards... The entrance to the park is only $10!

Jeremy Williams

Really had an awesome time there with my two year old son. Went on a holiday weekend when a lot of people were out using the grills and listening to music. Nice playground area for kids and the lake area looked nice but personally didn't spend time there.

Danny Rodriguez

The serene atmosphere is amazing, the trails,the lakes and the woods are the best.

Avijit Dey

It’s huge . Parking fee available after Memorial Day. Group camp available for $50 for 25 ppl with 7 car parking with 2 restroom ( but key not available which may cause use other ppl as well ) Park employees are good to help . Lake is good but close due to Covid . Less crowded due to Covid .

Jenny Tran

I have one question.. WHERE ARE THE TRASH CANS?! I’ve yet to find one.. but I’m surprised at how clean this place is! Besides that, this park is great. It’s SO spacious and gives more than enough room for visitors to social distance while getting fresh air. This place has a hiking trail with multiple entrances and walking paths throughout. Tons of parking!

Kev Roy

I've been going to this park since I was a little boy. I love this park. The trails are well maintained. Could be cleaned up a little better. The campsites could be better maintained, maybe add dirt because of erosion. Also the bathrooms could be cleaned better and more often. Maybe be a little stricter on dirt bags and rule breakers. More fines = more resources.

Filip P

Big park, nice trails for hiking and bicycle.

Brandon Purcelly

Love to hike here! $5 to enter but the trails are well maintained and the park is clean, so it's worth it. The campsites are a little close to the highway so you can hear traffic, but overall they're nice.

Ruth Sheckler

Beautiful trails in woods and wetlands.

Emily Pierce

Very pretty. Ample parking. Sadly so many mosquitoes it was not enjoyable 🦟 …

John Powers

Nice park. Lots of hiking available. We missed the fall colors by a few weeks. Looks like a nice facility to come back to in the summer with a beach and snack bar area.

Jeniffer Vieira

Very nice clean park. The beach was small but perfect. There is a bird viewing area by the parking lot of the beach. We drive through the park and found the camp grounds, which were very clean. We saw the hiking trails as well.

Nicole Rodríguez

Nice park with easy hikes.

Glenn Gutkowski

This park is like my home. There are 5 distinct environments in the park and a few excellent vistas. The biodiversity is truly epic, especially among bird watchers, and there are 5 trails which cover the 1600 acres of this park. The crabbing is good, the spring fishing can be lights out for trout in the fresh water (Hooks Creek Lake) and striped bass in the creek, and the Nature Center is really excellent. Try hand feeding the chipmunks peanuts with the aid of the staff.

sudhi konsagar

It was too good... Loved the trial and fall foliage was beautiful..2018 November .. awesome

avinash yeluri

went for a trail hiking ... Wild Mosquitoes and insects if you don't cover your body and face with nets.... you will notice a mosquito bite sucking your blood on legs or neck after some time. Plan ahead

Ramnish Jaiswal

Nice place to enjoy with family. We did visit yesterday and trailed around lake side. Nice view of fall colors around the lake. Kids playground also there. Lot of picnic tables there. Restroom was closed nearby parking area.

Herbert Donner

Wonderful setting and relaxing, bring lunch! 🥪🥯🥨🍩🍫🧃 …

G K

This is a really nice place to hike trails. Alot of hills and marshes. The only cons are that in the summer you have to pay because people swim which I wouldn't recommend, and the mosquitoes have been out of control the last couple years.

Eric Gomez

Very nice park. Great to take family and friends. There is an entrance fee but it was worth it. Various activities can be done like biking, swimming in the lake, and have picnics. There is security making sure everything is good and safe for everyone. Would recommend.

Ryan Biddulph

This is a peaceful retreat in one of the busiest regions of New Jersey.

Gladys Cardona

I go as often as I can. they have very well marked trails... .75, 1.5 and 3 miles long. every season is different and lovely. if your over 62 you can get a free yearly pass otherwise its a $50 yearly pass. these passes let you in to EVERY NJ park and forest division Park.

maciej kurucz

A hidden gem for bird watching, just as long as it's not a weekend. Also a really underrated hiking spot! There are quite a few miles(5-7ish) of connecting trails offering a variety of loops at different times. The landscape is an interesting ballance between salt marshes, lakes, hills and valleys. The hill and valley aspect offers some nice elevation changes for more demanding hikes. The lake aspect also offers a nice place for a swim at a maintained beach, just be warned, this place gets WILDLY crowded spring/summer on hot days.

First L

A worthwhile park to visit, especially before Memorial Day and after Labor Day when parking is free. (Unfortunately, restrooms and concession stands are also closed outside of summer months.) Parking by the trail heads is not overly abundant, and the visitor center parking lot is tiny, so you might have to park farther out if you're late to the party.

Daniel Ali

Very nice. Used to go a lot when I was a kid. Haven't been for quite a while but I took my eight year old and she loved it! Not many people on the beach at all, social distancing was pretty good and we both enjoyed ourselves. Mosquitos were the only draw back. I'm talking about big pre-historic, pterodactyl mosquitos. Three hours was all I could handle.

Tal Aronson

Lovely place for a family outing! Small beach on a calm lake, playground, and picnic tables with grills. Lots of space so even if the beach is busy you can find a nice, quiet spot to relax.

Manuel Carpio

Had so much fun here. Great and cheap place to hang out for the day. Grilling and a lake for swimming are available. The lake has a sandy beach for relaxing in the sun. Restrooms are immaculate staff is friendly. Prepared food is available. Handicap wheelchair is also available for lake and beach use. Playground area basketball court. Camping area is clean. Huge parking lot next to the lake great for family reunions.

Erton Averion

Huge park! Very busy when we went on a Sunday so I would recommend getting there early. MTB white trail was full of leaves and and hid a lot of the roots. Had to be a bit cautious

Liz Cannizzaro

The park overall was great. We stayed on green and red trail primarily and it was of easy terrain. However, we usually always bring a bag for our own garbage and we picked up more of others throughout both trails. I'm highly disappointed in those that visit this park and left the trails with such trash everywhere. Please, learn to respect nature and pick up after yourselves. Humans are the reason this Earth is dying.

Charles P Stauhs

Very nice state park. Went in the off season and enjoyed the carious trails. Parking was horrible on the upper lot, plenty of parking in the lower lot closer to the river. There is a cool overlook by the river. Seemed to be new. Nice park but wouldn't pay admission to go here during the summer. Beach has lack of maintenance.

Jose Rodriguez

Great space to have a great day with your family. Didn't like the no garbage can policy where we had to take our garbage with us. Second issue was the mosquitoes. Off spray, bracelets, nothing could stop the attack of mosquito bites. Positives are the lake, the scenery, the abundance of picnic areas, and parking wasn't an issue.

Andrew Lois

Overall nice park with nice trails. No Mountain or big outrageous views. It's more like a forest surrounded by swamps. Boardwalks through wetlands are well maintained.

Kerrin D

I love the trails. My favorite is the white trail. It's a little more advanced than the others but my 4yr old is able to do it without a problem.

Andrew Dowling

The campsite was mostly clean, less a couple old bottle caps and small pieces of trash but overall a great place for a quick easy camping trip.

Delaney A

Great trails, just wish they had a little bit more options in terms of length. Also, there doesn't seem to be one single trash can there? When they expect you to clean up after your dog? I always do but what am I supposed to do with my poop bag? Need to get that fixed

Pete Thompson

Small state park. Modest fee to gain entry $10 on holidays and weekends for NJ residents (I think out of state is double). There are a number of wooded trails for hiking. The paths are relatively flat, but rough with lots of roots and the ground a bit sandy because the park is next to a tidal marsh. Not really handicapped friendly. The park has a small pond for swimming that is protected by lifeguards. The swimming area also has a snack bar with bathrooms. And it has several shady picnic spots. There are campsites available here too, but we didn't see those so I'm not sure how they're equipped. One thing to consider for campers is the park is situated next to the Parkway, so there is going to be car noise. There is certainly less traffic late at night, but that noise is going to be noticeable at night when other things quiet down.

Raakesh Blokhra

Some of the nicest trails in the area. Hilly terrain and various level trails (easy, moderate and hard). Each trail has a different set of wildlife you can observe. There's a camp ground, lake area, osprey nest viewing area, and lot of fun stuff to do.

Heather Pink72

gorgeous,peaceful, relaxing getaway to enjoy so nature. camping is quite enjoyable. the park is spotless and everyone is friendly

Tommy Hunter

$35 for a campsite next to a busy loud road. As loud as a truck stop. Not a very peaceful place to camp.

P M

Level one trails are good for families with little kids. Lot of space with benches for picnic. Only missing is a small waterfall. (No open rest rooms in covid season)

Robin Lueddeke

Many trails, well kept and a gem of NJ State Parks! Come check it ouy6

Anil Gaddam

Lovely place to go for a hike! If you have a dog in your family, they will love the 3 mile Green Trail.

Illsoo Kim

It is conveniently located. Our church members gather here to do barbeque and walk. Nice place to hike easy trails. It is surrounded by highways and residential areas. No scenic views but it offers several huge picnic areas around Hooks Creek Lake and viewing areas. Stop by Nature Center to learn about a natural history of this area. I like to hike the easy trails during winter.

Adventures with Dogs Hiking with Dogs

Always loved hiking hear with my dogs. My oldest knows every trail. Beautiful scenery, but still doesn't compare to the forests of NC. Very nice for the area of Jersey that it's located in. Have gone "off the trail" camping here many times on my own, off season & have had many great times hiking here with my pack

lu2man75ll

Very nice park, plenty of parking, easy walking trails, decent amount of parking. Bathrooms can be cleaner but other than that it's a nice place to spend a day relaxing

John M

A bit of woodlands smack down in the middle of New Jersey. Lake, trails camping and more.

Kati P

Loved it !! Went for a walk on their trail , grilled up some steak watched the sun set ... just beautiful. Haven’t gone swimming & don’t think I would the lake was surrounded by duck feces . You’ll realize a lot of pet owners don’t pick up after their dogs too .

John Ferri

Great place in summer for swimming the lake is nice, the beach is fun. They even have a snack bar in season. Off season the trails are still open. Only certain rest stations are open, check with main office to find out. Remember the whole park is carry in carry out GARBAGE.

Tom D'Auria

Great park. It's nicest in summer but it's still a great place to visit in the winter/fall. Plus you don't have to pay to get in during the off-season.

Mrs M

A beautiful park that showcases what's left of New Jerseys stunning native terrain.

Michael Z

Really peaceful trails, always very clean - kudos to the park staff. For first timers though, the trail descriptions are lacking at the trail head entrance. For those with bad knees that need to avoid stairs, stick with the yellow trail and then move up from there.

Jarod Nappi

This is a beautiful park in a great location. I stayed here for two nights in a motorhome. My RV measures 10'10" and there is an underpass that is marked with a clearance of 11'0" on the entrance road to the campgrounds. I drove very cautiously and made it through without a problem, so you can trust the sign. Once in the campground I found out that I booked the wrong dates so I was there a day early and the office was already closed. I spoke to a a very pleasant park ranger who cheerfully helped us check into a different site that was available for the night. I wouldn't recommend just showing up without a reservation, but it was refreshing to find someone who was so helpful. When I checked in the next morning at the office the staff there was very friendly and helpful as well. The campground area is laid out well. The campsites aren't completely isolated, but they're not right on top of one another either. In some of the sites near the Parkway you can hear the traffic continuously in the background, but it didn't bother me enough to deduct a star for it. However,we did sleep inside of an RV, so this might be an issue for someone sleeping in a tent. The bathhouse was clean and appeared to be well maintained. The park states that it is carry-in/carry-out, but there was a dumpster next to the bathhouse. The hiking trails in the park are well maintained and there are a variety of options, depending on how far you want to walk. I would recommend this park and campground to anyone looking for a convenient camping getaway.

Bill Mc

Pleasantly surprised with the Green trail. Avoided it because of the location not seemingly isolated. But 2 hours, 3 miles later, only saw 1 person on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in June. Moderate hide, nothing crazy but a nice walk and the best marked trail I've seen I a long time. Parking at the red trail head then switch to green was a great loop.

Michael Hoffman

Cool little State Park. Lake with swimming area. Campground has great, large sites. Sites in the 30's, a little to close to an exterior road. Great location. An hour to NYC, an hour to Six Flags Great Adventure, 30 minutes to the shore.

Bruce Robak J

Nice and clean park to bring the family or even just yourself. There are grills available if you want to barbeque. Only drawback is the lake lifeguards leave around 5-6 so being in the water is frowned upon which is very unfortunate considering the sun is up and shining bright for a few more hours after lake closing time in the summer.

AJAY Singh

Awesome park. Many good spots, just don’t go GSP highway side.

Krystal Brodus

A few friends and I just went camping here for two days. It was a wonderful experience! The campsites are good sized for two big tents and comes with a table and grill. Because of social distancing there wasn’t a lot of people in the other sites. You also have some good distance between you and another site which gives you privacy. The camp workers & camp police will drive around to make sure things are ok but after some time they’ll leave you alone. No animals that I’ve seen besides squirrels and chipmunks. Bathrooms were decent. As for the mosquitos..I didn’t get bit at all. Not even once. Can’t say the same for one of my friends though. Buy the Cutter insect repellent.Certain blood they like, certain blood they don’t like, Google to see. If your blood type is to their liking, try another park because it is a lot here. We attempted the lake but there were too many ppl for us and not everyone was wearing masks so we didn’t bother. My only complaint is the white trail was a bit confusing. We hiked a bit late in the evening and almost got lost but just turned around n headed how we came. But that’s it! I’ll recommend this park & revist again.

anuradha arun

Been for the first time.. lived close by for many years never got a chance to visit... We booked one of the locations in the park area for a private gathering . They charged pretty decent that we could share and affordable. There were rest rooms close by which was pretty good and well maintained.. Everything was good want to give 5 star but no.. one thing we didn't like it is about the trash. In a way it's pretty good idea that for trash pickup they charge extra ..so we all made sure we had trash bags and we took care of kids and elders and our selves that not leaving trash around. But bothering thing was there were no Dumpsters to dump the trash we had to take it all the way and dump it at home . Which was little tough..with a new born in the van driving close to or little more than an hour to home.. If we were not going home or if we were outside NJ than it would had been more tougher thing.. if they work on this small thing it would be a great place

Chris Watters

Great place to take the kids swimming in the lake and won't cost you a arm and a leg! Plus you can grill food while enjoying some sun rays. Then take a hike and walk off those extra calories. So, perfect for a quick getaway and you can be home before the sun goes down 😎😉 …

grouperr

Such a huge park! Can't wait to go again.

Sunny Kauser

Great hiking trails year around. Easy trails with wood bridges and planks in the swampy areas. Not spectacular views but fun trails for the whole family. Highly recommended to all ages and pets.

kawtartagh show&share

The place is very nice and good for families . The lake's water was a bit it smelly though,it has a nice soft sand. The place has restrooms, showers and a place where to buy food. Beware of the mosquitoes they are very hungry and aggressive 😫😫. …

Laurie Quinn

I have hiked here a dozen times, it has fantastic hiking trails that are 1 mile, 2 miles, and 2.5 or 3 miles long. They also have a small conservatory with some stuffed animals that are indigenous to the park there. Bring mosquito spray, wear pants, and beware of the poison ivy.

Tim Lehman

There's some very nice and easy hiking trails in this park. The views are very nice.

Deborah L R - Debbie -

Easy trails

Christina Ruiz

We had fun sledding with all the kids!

Alok Kumar

Great park , plenty of trails and beautiful lake.

Steph Acevedo

Nice park!! You have the option to walk the trails, bike ride, camp, and even swim. The park was clean and very nice. Trails are not too big great place to come with family and friends.

Megan Grace

This place is very fun for the family and is a very good place for camping. If you are interested in going camping you should get alot of insect repellent. The mosquitos are unbelievable. My daughter got 30 mosquito bites in a 1 1/2 day camping trip. The camping is very fun though because you can go frog hunting, Make s'mores and much more. If you are interested just for the hiking trails I recommend long sleeves and pants because the bugs are very bad. Wear old sneakers that you are ready to throw out after the hiking trips. Animal droppings can get all over your shoes so look out for that. If you are interested just in the lake type beach I would come with a picnic mat and a overhead beach umbrella and to bring your own food and keep it in a cooler. (Bug reasons). The water is very nice and not to cold or hot which is a plus. People under the age of 16 have to be supervised by someone over the age of 16 at ALL TIMES. If not you will be kicked out. Have a nice stay! ♥️

Austin

Really spacious spot here! June the water maybe a little cold for everyone. The beach/lake area is nice and has plenty of room. I'd suggest bringing a tent for shade. (No shade on the sand portion) Snack bar is loaded with goodies if you didn't bring your own. BRING a garbage bag because they don't have trash cans unfortunately. Bring in it bring it out is the policy. We had a blast and will definitely be back

Aditya Vikram

Park which is spread across 1000+ aces, they have different trails, very good place for walk and run. Clean, naturally beautiful (so many trees) place. They have lake as well, which is open for swimming in summers. Definitely recommend it

David Ducane

Love love love this park. Lice around the corner and have been jogging or biking here almost every day for close to 2 years. Perfect jogging park whether you want paved or trails. The green trail is a great challenge since it has a few hills. Love running with my dog here. MTB is not to bad here either but is not for someone looking for a very long ride. The main trail for MTB (white trail) is about 1 mile round trip but you can extend into the park to very easy trails and make your trip to 8miles. A lot of great scenery. Well kept trails.

Shmuel Goodman

Great state park, tucked away mere minutes from the Parkway, featuring a handful of easy-to-moderate trail loops varying in length from half a mile to 3-ish miles. It's amazing how many ecosystems are accessible within the parklands - marshy wetlands, sandy pine barrens, deciduous forests, and more.

Ashley Dopp

We love to hike here. The trails aren't too advanced but it's nice to be out surrounded by trees and nature. Plus it's only 15 minutes away from where I live lol

Evelyn Delgado

Nice place for a hike or to enjoy the day.

James Berg

Great to take a hike or camp

Rajesh Sn

Lots of mosquitoes, even in sunny day at 86F peak temperature! Fixed wooden tables for food. Place is nice, clean and vast👍. Place for kids under 10 ish to play as well. Rest rooms are clean enough as expected in parks. Other visitors also enjoying within their groups to add to already cool place!! …

Sean O'Halloran

First time there with the family. Really liked it! Water was nice. Beach was good. Food stand was good too. Just have to take your trash with you, so come prepared for that. But that at least keeps it clean!

dove roberts

A wide variety of terrain. Lovely trails for all abilities. Cheerful assistance. Nice camp sites. Wish it wasn't take your trash out with you, even though it's better for the park.

Gigi Allen

You have to pay to get in and there are no garbage cans. You take your garbage with you, which is fine for a government run park. The trails are nice and you can swim in the lake. Horseflies bite like crazy. Overall it's a nice park. LOTS of pokestops on the trails!

Lenny Romanski

This is a great place to spend the day. Hiking trails and picnic areas are well maintained. It's a nice spot that's close to any big city in the northern NJ and NYC area to find a nice quite spot close to home. Campground is good for families and inexperienced campers as there is almost anything you might need within five miles of the park (drug stores, Walmart, supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants, liquor stores(there's no alcohol allowed in park) all minutes away.

Kyle Gora

Usually kept very clean by park staff. I primarily go there for green trail but if you know your way around you can loop yellow blue green and get a really nice hike with some great views. Just leave it better than you came!

P Gill

This little gem has some great accesible trails. Nothing to challenging, but has varied elevations.. good place to take your dog for a nice walk.

Deepti Bakshi

Huge park with lots of picnic tables and barbeque stations. Beach with lifeguard. But make sure to carry repellent. Great place for picnic or relaxing or workouts.

Brandon Pemberton

Great place for hikes!! Especially in the fall and spring time! Was there last week, somethings up with the water. Dead fish everywhere and you’ll smell it .

Heidi R. Grosse

I have lived down the street from this park. It is one to go to. You have a lake, Camping site picnic benches alot of trails to see and walk and has streams great trees scenery sea grass. you can ride your bikes and walk your dogs. Its clean and easy to get to from The Parkway or Route 516

נעמה רענן

Good place to enjoy a day with kids, in the water or on the trails. The woods are beautiful, and there is plenty of grassy area to play and a playground. Just beware: in the wrong season the park is covered with thousands of mosquitos!!

Vincent Rubino

It's. Beautiful state park. But please, PLEASE, douse yourself in bug spray. I have 32 bites on me just from a 2.5 mile blue trail hike. I am all vegan and organic but I would gladly take a bath in deet before I ever go here again. Stunning views tho.

Soufiane Aitziane

Great park. Nice little lake. Good hiking paths. A couple of miles long.

sagar patkar

Clean park with some great trails. I walked the Green Trail and it takes you through some beautiful terrain. Do carry water though if you are walking on a hot day. There are not many water fountains to be found.

Vladimir Mirkin

Beautiful trails amazing forest

Bradley Bjorklund

Great park, beautiful area. Nice campsites. Only complaint is that the garden State parkway runs directly through the park, and from our campsite you could clearly hear traffic. Other than that, excellent place.

Bartosz Klemensowski

It's close which is what makes it great. What sucks is that you can hear the constant stream of traffic from the garden state. :-/ not really what I look for when going camping. But hey it is scenic and well kept, minimal mosquitoes which is nice. It's like camping in your backyard on steroids.

Kellyn Williams

Great lake. It was very quiet the day we went. Just us and maybe 3 other families. Bug spray is necessary!! Mosquitos are present especially if you walk through the grass!

Michael Mills

It's hard to imagine such a nice little park is nestled into the hustle and bustle of that part of New Jersey. Lovely hiking trails, clean bathrooms, and when I was there a mostly empty campground. I imagine it picks up quite a bit during the summer months though. Highly recommended if you're looking for some time away.

Will

A great park, worth visiting and spending some time here. We took our dogs and they enjoyed it as well. Plan a day trip here and don't forget a waste bag- no trashcans take-out what you brought-in.

Christina Anthony

Love this park. Usually go here for the trails. All short trails under 5 miles. Also has a lake and lake shore beach area. There is a vehicle entry fee in the summer but free entry after labor day.

Compound HYPE

Great place to take the kids. Great trails for walking and also for bikes. Very big pay actions to you trails tho because you can get lost trust me I have before but use Google maps if you do helps a lot.

G T

Cheesequake state park was really fun. There is a grill in each site and bathrooms with showers. There are about 4 trails to hike and even a small play ground. The only downside was that we had our car stuck in the mud due to the heavy rain. Unfortunately maintenance could not help dig us out of the mud due to "liability" reasons. There were some rangers that did help us with some boards. Other than that. We were left to fend to ourselves.

eric “Mango Junkie”

I've been going to Cheesequake park for years and years. It has always been a go to trail for me. The trails are shorter with the green being the longest at 3 miles however you can criss cross the different trails as well as walk the gravel paths which are incredibly peaceful and relaxing. Best part about cheesequake is you can make it as easy or as hard of a hike as you want it be. The mixed levels of intensity and terrains really make this park happen.

Alex Cruz

Really nice trails and just a great place to relax and take kids there are information signs around and on the trails giving some information on the animals and plants in the park. There are also many events though the months.

Antoniette Richburg

Great hiking at this location. Beautiful views. Family fun gathering place for swimming, biking or picnics.

Ven Ayya

Huge park with 4 trails varying from easy to hard. Park fee, 10$ per car on weekend and 5$ on weekday if you are a NJ resident

Stefanie Geronimo

Amazing Park! Easy To Navigate Around. Lake Is Beautiful. Only Pro Is You Must Bring Your Own Garbage Bags Or They Will Provide You With One Which Is No Problem. But There Are No Garbage Cans

Peter Mazurkiewicz

Love this place. For central NJ it doesnt get much better. If youre expecting a sprawling pristine state park then youre in the wrong place. If you want a nice local with beginner level trails, this is a great spot. The camping isnt so great as the campsites are only a few hundred yards from a major road and large apartment complex. But if you dont mind camping like a hobo then its not so bad!

Rachel Diao

Close by option for foliage viewing. Also fun place for family throughout the year. There is a playground, a lake with swimming beach, wetlands, several trails and barbecue grills and tables. We tried canoeing at the crabbing bridge once, hosted by the park.

Ben T

Not one of the best State Parks in NJ, but it is still very nice both in terms of hiking options available and trail maintenance. I haven’t been swimming in the lake, but from the looks of it there are better options available.

Eddie Santos

Great quick get away, nice environment! It's great for family. A lil noisy because of the parkway but it doesn't really bother because at night it almost sounds like the ocean, just the loud motorcycles that makes it a lil annoying. Overall it's a great place to be.

Jordan Velez

A great place to visit. Hike and see nature.

Nazir Ahmad

Very clean and quiet beautiful trails to walk around the lake , the only problem we had the bathroom was close , in general beautiful park to go with family and friends,

Randolph Brown

Nice place for a hike. Has a little beach on a lake with good bath house and picnic area.

Jackie Gomez

My family and I came camping here for the first time about a week ago we loved it the campsites were nice and they had showers they have different trails and a beach and you can even fish here great site not too far from home but far enough to definitely get the camping experience out of it.

Christian Rathbone

Nice trails, we'll kept. Would like some more trash and recycling bins with marked places to drop dog waste. But otherwise a great family park with 4 easily identifiable trails.

Linda Valentin

Glad this is my neighborhood park. Well maintained and Jim at the acivity Center is the best!

Anthony Angleton

Went to ride the mountain bike trail wow very steep up and down had to walk a bunch of it came out very happy .difficult trail for skilled riders

Kate Devlin

Beautiful park. The only thing I didn't like was that the bathrooms weren't cleaned well enough. Had a great time with some friends!

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