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Ocean County sits at the edge of the Pine Barrens and Barnegat Bay, so its parks range from bayfront marsh to cedar swamp and cranberry bogs. Here are the best parks and nature trails in Ocean County, NJ, for a walk any time of year, with addresses and current hours.
County park hours: Ocean County parks open at 7 a.m. From November 3 through late January they close at 5 p.m., with later closing times as the days get longer.
Cattus Island County Park
- Town: Toms River
- Where: 1170 Cattus Island Boulevard
- Size: 530 acres with 7 miles of trails
Cattus Island is the county’s signature bayfront park, with scenic boardwalks, a butterfly garden and views of Barnegat Bay. The renovated Cooper Environmental Center has live reptiles and fish and an osprey cam, and it is open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Heads up: the eastern half of the Main Trail closed on October 12 for the Cattus Island Living Shoreline Restoration Project, so check the park page for the latest trail status. A 1,000-foot accessible boardwalk is available.
Wells Mills County Park
- Town: Waretown (Ocean Township)
- Where: 905 Wells Mills Road (Route 532)
- Size: 910 acres
Wells Mills is the largest park in the Ocean County system, with miles of hiking trails of varying difficulty through Pine Barrens pine and oak forest.
The three-story Nature Center reopened after extensive upgrades, with displays on nature, history and forest fires, plus the Elizabeth Meirs Morgan Observation Deck on the top floor.
Jakes Branch County Park
- Town: Beachwood
- Where: 1100 Double Trouble Road
- Size: 400 acres with more than 8 miles of trails
Known as the “Gateway to the Pines,” Jakes Branch has a nature center with live animals and an observation deck five stories up with views over the Pine Barrens forest. The nature center is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The park also hosts the free Lighting Up Nature drive-through display December 11 to 14, 2026.
Cloverdale Farm County Park
- Town: Barnegat
- Where: 34 Cloverdale Road
- Size: 90 acres
This former cranberry farm has been worked as a cranberry operation since the late 1800s. A 1.4-mile self-guided nature trail leads through the bogs and into quiet woodland, and the bogs draw wildflowers and birds in every season.
The Visitors Center is open Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturday, December 5, 2026, the park hosts a Nature Walk with Santa from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Ocean County Park
- Town: Lakewood
- Where: 659 Ocean Avenue (Route 88)
- Size: 323 acres
Ocean County Park was once part of John D. Rockefeller’s vacation estate, and the mature white pines, Norway spruces and hemlocks he imported still shade the grounds.
After a snowfall it turns into a quiet winter wonderland that is popular for cross-country skiing. There are also off-leash dog facilities, which open at 8 a.m.
Double Trouble State Park
- Town: Bayville (Berkeley Township)
- Where: Double Trouble Road at Pinewald-Keswick Road
Double Trouble preserves a historic Pinelands company village where cranberries were grown and cedar was milled, including a restored sawmill and cranberry sorting and packing house. Trails follow Cedar Creek and the old bogs.
It is one of the best places in the county to see what the Pine Barrens looked like a century ago, and it pairs well with a stop at nearby Jakes Branch.
More in Ocean County: winter beach walks, history day trips and holiday events are all worth adding to your list.
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