Huber Woods County Park
Managed by Monmouth County Park System
388 acres8.9 mi of trail
Valley ViewMany Log RunFarm PathCountry Gait+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Zeete · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Middletown Township
23% of Middletown Township’s land is conserved: 5,921 acres
55 miles of mapped trail cross Middletown Township, 1.4 per square mile of land. 5,462 acres are parks and preserves, 82 per 1,000 residents. 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #46 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Conserved land
23%
5,921 acres · of 41.0 sq mi of land
Trails
55 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,462 ac
82 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
16 mi
16 mi paths
Highest peak
233 ft
Highlands of Navesink
Lakes & rivers
11
20 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Middletown Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Middletown Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Middletown Township is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #46 of 468 in New Jersey. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Middletown Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land23% of the land · typical NJ town 11% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (55 mi) · NJ 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land82 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,462 acres) · NJ 25 · U.S. 13AParks close to home98% of residents within a half mile of a park · NJ 98% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 98%
LessMore
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 90%
New Jersey towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 11%; the U.S., 4%), so Middletown Township’s 23% is ahead of 74% of New Jersey towns, while its trails per square mile lead 78% of them.
Water is 30% of Middletown Township’s area (18 of 59 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 16%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Huber Woods County Park, with 8.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Tatum Park
Managed by Monmouth County Park System
371 acres7 mi of trail
Meadow RunTatum RambleIndian SpringsDogwood Hollow+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Tatum Park Holland Road Activity Center Parking
Thompson Park
Park
316 acres5.9 mi of trail
Thompson/Inner LoopReservoir TrailReservoir LoopThompson Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Thompson Park Parking
Deep Cut Gardens
Park
54 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Claypit Creek Park
Park
14 acres0.6 mi of trail
Claypit Run
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bayshore Waterfront Park
Managed by Monmouth County Park System
47 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 27 parks & preserves
Huber Woods County Park388 acres · 8.9 mi of trail · Monmouth County Park System
DirectionsTatum Park371 acres · 7 mi of trail · Monmouth County Park System
DirectionsThompson Park316 acres · 5.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPoricy Park37 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsDeep Cut Gardens54 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsTindall Park57 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsClaypit Creek Park14 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBayshore Waterfront Park47 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Monmouth County Park System
DirectionsCroydon Hall Park36 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNormandy Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsChanceville Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBayshore Waterfront County Park59 acres
DirectionsBodman Park18 acres
Applebrook Park17 acres
Bicentennial Park16 acres
DirectionsBodman Park Tennis Courts9 acres
West Front Street Park7 acres
Nutswamp Park6 acres
Wilmort Park5 acres
DirectionsGordon Court Park4 acres
DirectionsBelford Park4 acres · Middletown Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCorporal William A. Shulz Park4 acres
DirectionsEvergreen Park3 acres
Lincroft Village Green3 acres
DirectionsTonya Keller Community Park3 acres
Greeley Park1 acres
DirectionsRosevelt Park1 acres · Middletown Public Works
Who protects it
5,921 conserved acres
23% of Middletown Township’s land. Water is left out: Middletown Township has 41.0 square miles of land and 17.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Middletown Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County2,286 ac
National Park Service1,738 ac
Town or city1,614 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits416 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)34 ac
State natural resources19 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government11 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 2,667 acNational Recreation Area · 1,738 acLocal Park · 1,103 acLocal Conservation Area · 693 acConservation Easement · 295 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 273 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 9 of 130 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway National Recreation Area National Recreation Area | National Park Service | 1,738 | Open |
| Hartshorne Woods Local Other or Unknown | County | 839 | Open |
| Thompson Park Local Other or Unknown | County | 619 | Open |
| unknown Private Conservation | Not recorded | 561 | Open |
| Middletown Township Unknown Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 481 | Open |
| Huber Woods Local Other or Unknown | County | 367 | Open |
| Tatum Park Local Park | County | 361 | Open |
| Sunnyside Recreation Area Local Recreation Area | County | 257 | Open |
| Bayshore Waterfront Park Local Conservation Area | County | 200 | Open |
| Poricy Brook Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 188 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
80 places to go in Middletown Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Middletown Township
Beach B
DirectionsBeach C
DirectionsBeach D
DirectionsBeach E
DirectionsFIshing Beach
DirectionsIdeal Beach
DirectionsNorth Beach
DirectionsPlus 13 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Middletown Township
Children's Learning Center
DirectionsFairview Elementary School Playground
DirectionsThompson Park PlaygroundIn Thompson Park
DirectionsPlus 27 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Middletown Township
Tindall Dog ParkIn Tindall Park
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Middletown Township
U.S. Coast Guard - Station Sandy Hook
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Middletown Township
7 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Middletown Township
Highlands of Navesink233 ft elevation
DirectionsGarrett Hill207 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Middletown Township
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Middletown Township
Camp Gateway - Sandy HookNational Park Service
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Middletown Township
11 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 15.6 miHorses · 25.0 miUnpaved · 25.9 mi
Grand Tour Trail2.7 mi
Laurel Ridge2.3 mi
Rocky Point Trail2.2 mi
Meadow Run2.1 mi
Reservoir Trail1.7 mi
Valley View1.6 mi
Candlestick Trail1.3 mi
Many Log Run1.2 mi
Farm Path1.2 mi
Cuesta Ridge Trail1.2 mi
15 more trails
Thompson/Inner Loop
1.1 miTatum Ramble
1.1 miCountry Gait
1.1 miClaypit Run
1.1 miFox Hollow
1.1 miIndian Springs
1.0 miDogwood Hollow
0.8 miMeadow Ramble
0.8 miGrand Tour
0.7 miKings Hollow Trail
0.7 miReservoir Loop
0.5 miThompson Loop
0.5 miNature Loop
0.4 miWanderer Trail
0.4 miHolly Grove
0.4 miBiking & sports
16 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
16 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
61Tennis
37Baseball
29Basketball
28Soccer
8Football
7Tracks
5Pickleball
3Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →16 places on the National Register, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 28 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark · District · listed 1980
About itChrist ChurchBuilding · listed 1971
About itMiddletown Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1974
About itSeabrook-Wilson HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itNavesink Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1975
About itUnion SchoolhouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itFort Hancock, U.S. Life Saving StationBuilding · listed 1981
About itWater Witch Club CasinoBuilding · listed 1990
About itGrover HouseBuilding · listed 2002
About itWater Witch Club Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2004
About it4 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Middletown Township: April to 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 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 41 | 43 | 50 | 61 | 70 | 80 | 85 | 84 | 77 | 66 | 55 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.5 inches fall in August, the wettest month. The climate in Middletown Township →
Next door
Middletown Township and its neighbors
Middletown Township has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Middletown Township55 miHolmdel Township34 miColts Neck Township23 miLincroft7.3 miTinton Falls3.4 miKeansburg1.1 miAtlantic Highlands0.5 miRed Bank0.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown Township | 23% | 1.4 | 82 | 98% | A+ |
| Lincroft | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Atlantic Highlands | 7% | 0.4 | 14 | 99%+ | A− |
| Tinton Falls | 4% | 0.2 | 38 | 95% | B+ |
| Colts Neck Township | 14% | 0.7 | 196 | 94% | A |
| Red Bank | 4% | 0.3 | 4 | 99%+ | B |
| Holmdel Township | 18% | 1.9 | 100 | 97% | A+ |
| Keansburg | 6% | 1.0 | 3 | 99%+ | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Middletown Township
Where can I hike in Middletown Township?
The longest trail networks: Huber Woods County Park, 8.9 miles; Tatum Park, 7 miles; Thompson Park, 5.9 miles; Poricy Park, 1.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Middletown Township is conserved land?
23% 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 Middletown Township’s trails?
Huber Woods County Park and Tatum Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Middletown Township?
16 miles of bike routes are on the map: 16 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Middletown Township?
39,024 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Middletown Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,478 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Middletown Township have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #46 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 Middletown Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
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 →