Photo: Public domain · Public domain8% of Lakewood Township’s land is conserved: 1,232 acres
The biggest trail networks: Carasaljo Park (4.4 mi). 78% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 8.8 miles of mapped trail cross Lakewood Township, 0.4 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns · #370 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
How much outdoors does Lakewood Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lakewood Township is ahead of 65% of U.S. towns, #370 of 468 in New Jersey. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Lakewood Township ranks #297 on Outdoors.
New Jersey towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 11%; the U.S., 4%), so Lakewood Township’s 8% is ahead of 37% of New Jersey towns, while its trails per square mile lead 32% of them.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Carasaljo Park, with 4.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lake Shenandoah County Park
Ocean County Park No. 1
All 5 parks & preserves
1,232 conserved acres
8% of Lakewood Township’s land. Who manages Lakewood Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 61 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean County Park Local Other or Unknown | County | 339 | Open |
| Lake Carasaljo Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 177 | Open |
| Metedeconk River Recreation Area Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 163 | Open |
| Pine Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 161 | Open |
| Hampton Pines Preserve State Conservation Area | Other state land | 158 | Open |
| John Patrick Sports Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Georgian Court University Trail Private Recreation or Education | Land trusts & nonprofits | 40 | Open |
| Municipal Open Space Local Resource Management Area | Town or city | 21 | Open |
| Lakewood Little League Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| Lake Manetta Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 16 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
34 places to go in Lakewood Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
30 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Plus 1 picnic area without a name on the map.
1 named trail and 9 lakes & rivers
3.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
2 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
The best walking months in Lakewood Township: April to June and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 42 | 44 | 51 | 62 | 72 | 81 | 86 | 84 | 78 | 67 | 56 | 47 |
| Rain (in) | 3.8 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 86 °F). 4.7 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Lakewood Township →
Lakewood Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Township | 8% | 0.4 | 12 | 78% | B+ |
| Howell Township | 14% | 0.7 | 112 | 92% | A |
| Brick Township | 14% | 0.4 | 26 | 96% | A |
| Ramtown | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Jackson Township | 17% | 1.1 | 322 | 69% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lakewood Township
Where can I hike in Lakewood Township?
The longest trail networks: Carasaljo Park, 4.4 miles; Lake Shenandoah County Park, 0.4 miles; Ocean County Park No. 1, 0.3 miles; Lakewood Pines Park, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lakewood Township is conserved land?
8% of its land, against a typical 11% for a New Jersey town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Lakewood Township’s trails?
Carasaljo Park and Lake Shenandoah County Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lakewood Township?
3.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.0 of off-road paths and 2.0 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Lakewood Township?
61,642 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lakewood Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,700 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Lakewood Township have?
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #370 of 468 in New Jersey. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lakewood Township neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →