FREEHOLD, NJ – When you are ready to take a break from digging yourself out from this latest round of snow, you may want to head out to a county park to enjoy the beauty of winter. 

 

“The parks are open for you to enjoy this winter season and all year long,” Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry said. “You can walk the trails and even cross-country ski and snowshoe. The trails at many parks are perfect for an up close look at the beauty of winter and the snow-filled wonderland that is not far from your home.”

 

Hone your cross-country skiing skills on the nearby trails of Clayton, Hartshorne Woods, Holmdel, Huber Woods, Shark River, Tatum, Thompson, Turkey Swamp,  and the Manasquan Reservoir. Be sure to stay on the designated, marked trails. Cross-country skiing is available during regular park hours of 8 a.m. to dusk.

 

The fields and trails of Clayton , Holmdel, Tatum , Turkey Swamp,  Shark River, Thompson Park  make for excellent snowshoeing during regular park hours of 8am to dusk.

 

“Just like our county Highway and Buildings and Grounds crews, our county park ranger staff has been doing their share of work to make county facilities available to residents,” Burry said. “The park staff works to prepare and keep the sledding hill at Holmdel Park safe and ready for a throng of visitors. And when it has been cold long enough, the park rangers will make sure the ice will be a safe thickness for ice skating.”

 

When more than two inches of snow falls, the supervised sledding hill at Holmdel Park, Longstreet Road in Holmdel will open. The sledding hill hours are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For the most current sledding conditions, call Holmdel Park at 732-946-9562.

 

When the conditions are right and the ice is at least five inches thick, start looking for the “Skating Today” signs at Holmdel, Shark River and Turkey Swamp Park, as well as the Manasquan Reservoir. It normally takes at a week to 10 days of subfreezing temperatures to produce safe skating conditions. When the ice is considered safe, skating hours at most parks are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Manasquan Reservoir is open only until 5 p.m.

 

Stretching over 14,500 acres, the Park System has 38 sites of parks, forests, gardens, wetland/marine habitats, golf courses, historic sites, recreation areas and conservation properties.

 

To learn more about the Park System, please visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com or call the Park System at (732) 842-4000. For persons with hearing impairment, the TTY/TDD number is 711. The Monmouth County Park System, created by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, is Monmouth County’s open space, parks and recreation agency.

 

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