Huber Woods Park Loop
Directions to trailhead
Take the Garden State Parkway south to Exit 109. Turn left at the traffic light beyond the toll booths onto Newman Springs Road (County Route 520). Immediately beyond the Parkway overpass, turn right onto a jughandle ramp (the signs at this turn are confusing). Continue ahead for 0.5 mile on Half Mile Road. At the end of this road, turn right at the traffic light onto West Front Street. Continue on West Front Street for 0.8 mile, then turn left onto Hubbard Avenue. Follow Hubbard Avenue for 0.6 mile to Navesink River Road. Turn right onto Navesink River Road and follow it for 3.2 miles to Brown's Dock Road (a gravel road). Turn left and follow Brown's Dock Road for 0.3 mile to the park environmental center, on the right.
Hike Description
Most trails in this park (including those that make up this hike) are open to joggers, bicyclists and equestrians. Although park regulations provide that bicyclists must yield to all other trail users, hikers should be alert for approaching bicycles on narrow trails. Hikers must yield to equestrians. From the trailhead kiosk at the eastern end of the parking area, bear left and follow a footpath through a meadow. At the end of the meadow, you'll reach a trail junction. Turn right and follow a footpath through wild rose thickets and tangled vines, then continue through second-growth woodlands, descending gradually on a winding footpath. At the next trail junction, marked by a signpost, bear right and continue on a footpath through dense mountain laurel thickets.
In another quarter of a mile, you'll reach a junction where the Claypit Run Trail goes off to the right. Turn left here, following the Valley View Trail, which briefly descends on an eroded path through evergreens and then continues through thick mountain laurel. In another third of a mile, continue ahead where a side trail leaves to the right at an unmarked signpost (this side trail is not shown on the park map). Just beyond, you'll reach a T-intersection. Turn right and proceed for 100 feet to a Y-intersection, then bear right and continue through second-growth woodlands. After a moderate climb, you'll reach a T-intersection marked by a signpost. Turn right and continue on a relatively level trail.
About a mile and a half from the start, you'll cross dirt Brown's Dock Road diagonally to the left. Just beyond, bear right and loop around a meadow overgrown with cedar and dogwood trees. Continue about halfway around the meadow, then proceed ahead on a wide path as an unmarked trail joins from the left (this wide path, which heads south, is not shown on the park map).
In another 125 feet, you'll reach a trail junction. A signpost indicates that the trailhead is to the left, but you should turn right. In 100 feet, you'll reach another junction, where you should again turn right. You're now on the Many Log Run, marked with a black diamond on the park map. In about 500 feet, the trail begins to descend through thick laurels on an eroded footpath. At the base of the descent, the trail curves to the left and soon starts a gentle climb.
After proceeding through thick laurels, the trail reaches a fork, where you should bear right. In 75 feet, continue ahead as a trail joins from the left at a signpost. The trail makes a short, steep climb, then levels off. Continue ahead where an unmarked trail crosses at a blacked-out signpost. Soon, you'll notice McClees Road ahead through the trees. The trail bears left and continues on an undulating, winding footpath.
About three miles from the start of the hike, you'll pass a wide, unmarked path that leads to the right. In another 100 feet, you'll reach a junction marked by a signpost and a map. Turn left here, now following the Meadow Ramble Trail, marked with a blue square on the park map and on the signpost. In 400 feet, you'll emerge onto a meadow overgrown with cedar trees. Follow along the left side of the meadow. At the northern end of the meadow, you'll reach a junction marked by a signpost. Bear right, following the blue square trail (the connecting trail that heads straight ahead, marked by a black diamond, is not shown on the park map), and continue along the northern edge of the meadow.
At the northeast corner of the meadow, you'll come to another trail junction, with a house visible ahead. Turn left at the signpost, following the blue square trail, and proceed 400 feet to a T-intersection. Turn right at this intersection, still following the blue square trail. At the next intersection, which you'll reach in 150 feet, the Many Log Run leaves to the left, but you should continue ahead. You'll be retracing your steps for the next 100 feet - this short trail stretch is the center of the "figure-eight." Then, at the following signpost, bear right at the fork, following the sign to the "trailhead."
After crossing Brown's Dock Road once again, you'll cross an unmarked trail and continue ahead, parallel to the road, as another trail joins from the left at a signpost. When you reach the next trail junction, with a meadow and the parking area visible to the right, turn right and follow the trail through the meadow to the trailhead where you began the hike.
To view a photo collection for this hike, click here.