HIGHLANDS: there is SO MUCH dog friendly stuff to do in this town and we really love it! At the northernmost tip of the northern extension of the Henry Hudson Trail / Popamora Point (a paved path that runs through towns that is great for walking and biking through the bayshore), is Popamora Point Beach, a bayfront beach that is dog friendly! A small, unprotected beach on the bay, the waters are calm and there's plenty of room to run around on-leash, or just sit and enjoy the sun and peaceful views. There are doggie bags at the entrance path and bathrooms for pet owners. This place was recommended to us by Highlands locals including Bob the bartender from the The Chubby Pickle and mollytherescuegp on Instagram! 369 Shore Drive, Highlands 07732 https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2525 read more

Henry Hudson Trail - Parks Near Me - Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey

This is a good trail for local bikers, hiking, etc. as it is shaded, goes through many towns and is close to the road so you have the option to get off in multiple towns. There is a lot of stop and go as it passes through many streets in Keyport and Union Beach. We start in Matawan and we go through a small playground that we love with workout machines which are great. I will also say to avoid the trail when its dark as some areas are sketchy. read more

My FAVORITE hidden spot! The sand isn't the greatest and the water is rough but if you want a peaceful spot to reflect and listen to the waves, this is it. The trail is long and paved and quite scenic. It gets busy with other joggers/walkers and bike riders but it's an easy trail with a good stretch. It's got lots of places to sit in between if you get tired. There's enough parking but it can get full. read more

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I don't know what possessed us to go biking when it was roughly 95 degrees in the shade (I came home afterwards to chug Evian bottles next to the air conditioning in a catatonic state for several hours), but given the conditions involved it was pretty remarkable that this was overall a positive experience. The Millennial Chum suggested a Juneteenth bike ride from Keyport to Atlantic Highlands for lunch, and then back. I'm basing a lot of the estimated mileage on her Apple Watch, which claimed we did a little under 20 miles roundtrip. If there are readers more familiar with the area that think that's an exaggeration, they could be correct. I'm more Team Fitbit. Anyway. The overall trail is pretty long - it's actually featured in my rail trail book and boasts well over 20 miles, including a big chunk in the interior of Monmouth County on the other side of the GSP. We accessed it in Keyport at Atlantic Street, then followed it east and mostly parallel with Route 36 through Union Beach, Keansburg and a section of Middletown Twp, before finally arriving at Atlantic Highlands and biking onto Avenue D/Center Ave into the downtown area. The worst part by far (and I don't see a way to fix or avoid it) is that the portion through Middletown is RIGHT next to 36. You're contending with traffic noises and quite a few times actually biking across busy streets intersecting 36. Definitely can get on the chaotic side, though most of the notorious Shore drivers were well behaved from my perspective. Since this was a former railroad track, the path itself is very flat. I can tell you though that the bike I borrowed had a pretty uncomfortable seat (which the Millennial Chum nobly tried to improve by purchasing an edgy gel seat cover thing in Atlantic Highlands, but the damage had been done) so any little bumps in the path were noticeable to me especially on the return trip. And full disclosure - I am sitting on a soft pillow as I type this. There were some very slight inclines/declines at various points but they were honestly so negligible that it seems barely worth mentioning - the most significant was probably right after we got off the official bike trail in Atlantic Highlands on Avenue D; we were hot and tired and yowled for most of our time on there because our legs were feeling those few blocks. Grain of salt depending on weather and your hindpaw conditioning (it's been literally years since I've been on a bike; I'm much more of a hiker). Because you're never far from civilization you have easy access to businesses should the need present itself. The Keansburg area literally featured a bar/restaurant within probably 50 feet of the trail (it had a bear statue I insisted on taking a picture with; we all have our kinks), and I saw a 7-11 as well. On a hot day, those both could have been pretty clutch if we hadn't responsibly packed some cold liquids with us. There were also a few port-a-potties scattered along our route, but thankfully that wasn't needed - I don't think anyone loves using a port-a-potty but boy do I not want to go in one when it's above 90 degrees. The optics are also pretty pleasant with the obvious exception of Route 36. There are long stretches where you're in a woodsy/shady situation, as well as some marshy/boardwalk sections that require riding across small wooden bridges. The wildlife situation was plentiful; I saw a deer literally running through a creek, which I honestly haven't seen outside of a Bambi viewing. There were also tons of obligatory squirrels/chipmunks, as well as some solid, colorful waterfowl. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this on a similarly sweltering day, but this is overall a very decent trail and I'd certainly opt for this over Route 36 any day. read more

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The rail trail is a beautiful trail, well maintained and scenic passing beaches, playgrounds, and through the forest. However it has become inundated with speeding e-bikes this summer making it dangerous for pedestrians and cyclist. People have gotten knocked down and frightened from the close calls of near accidents. read more

What a treat! Walk, bike, jog-take your pick! Every person you come upon has a smile on their face and a hello on their lips.

The Henry Hudson trail is a mostly paved, 24 mile long trail on what was once a former railroad right of way. The trail begins in Atlantic Highlands and ends in Matawan, with some breaks in the trail in between. There is an activity center at the beginning of the trail in Atlantic Highlands. The trail is great especially for biking but if you're close to one of the local entrances you'll also see walkers. I find the trail a little too deserted to walk, at least on the Marlboro end. On the Marlboro end of the trail the paths are not continuous and you'll find yourself on busy roads to get back to the trail (which is why I'm knocking off a star). Overall, really great trail and mostly shaded. There is a porta potty on the Marlboro side near the old Marlboro Airport. This is also a cool stop to ride your bike on the old air strip. read more

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Beautifully msintee as ones, great scenery and an excellent way to spend the afternoon walking or biking! read more

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Popomara Point is beautiful- although cold in winter because there's a lot of shade and very breezy right off the water. I asked an employee Michael Sulvage (spelling??) questions about trails and where they end etc and he was super helpful and friendly. Give him a raise. read more

This is a bike trail that goes from Highlands to Freehold. I've done the section from Atlantic Highlands to the parkway. There's a road section after that before you can get back onto the trail. If you look at Google Maps and activate biking in your left panel you can see the route. At a moderate speed, it takes about 3 hours to go from Atlantic Highlands to the Parkway and back. The trail is paved, but it's bumpy, so a mountain bike or hybrid is better than a road bike. The scenery is mostly green; there's a couple of marshlands. Although it's down the shore, you don't see the shore-- or actually, there's a section of the trail that is along the shore, the Bayshore Trail-- but it's closed til Sept. However, this wooded trail is good for the summer because there's a lot of shade. read more

we love this trail and use it a few times per week. so beautiful along the jersey shore.

This is a really pleasant trail. Some damaged trails sections (roots pushing up pavement) near Middletown. Overall pretty flat ride, makes a nice place for families to ride including new riders. read more