State Park Closures AND Reopenings!

I got to Jungle around 1pm today. The lot was busy, but not super crazy. I passed a few people on Animal Shute and then saw some people on Warthog, but I had all of the other trails to myself. Quite a few people out walking around on the old roads, and an older couple pulled into the lot while I was putting my bike away and asked me if this is where Jungle Habitat used to be. I filled them in on it being a state park now and told them that the state bought the land from Warner Brothers and that a volunteer mountain bike group was allowed to build some awesome biking/hiking trails back there. They said they would come back when they had more time to go for a hike and check it out.
 
ChrisG said:
I’m curious to hear any first-hand reports of what the scene was like at Allaire and/or Hartshorne/Huber yesterday and today.

I stuck to the road both days.
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Drove to Rocky Point lot, no luck, ranger standing in front not letting anyone in and the HPD made sure you couldn't park even on Grand Tour road, the one that goes downhill by the high school. Drove by Buttermilk lot and no spaces and cars were in it waiting for someone to leave and parked along side Navesink Ave, surprised they were allowing that, so kept going and headed to Claypit Creek lot and ranger truck in front with a closed sign. Now I was getting ansty and drove across the Locust Ave bridge and made that left and the small Huber Woods lot was full but no rangers, so I pulled in and sat about 10 mins until two bikers left and took their spot and went riding.

I stayed in Huber for the whole ride, while it was closed they were worked on the trails and got rid of fallen trees that were too much to get over and even created some new trails. Nice ride.
 
ChrisG said:
I’m curious to hear any first-hand reports of what the scene was like at Allaire and/or Hartshorne/Huber yesterday and today.

I stuck to the road both days.
Click to expand...
@ChrisG I posted about my experience at Huber yesterday in the Hartshorne thread. I was the only one of any trail user (MTB, runner, family hiking) that had a mask to pull up when passing on ST (I had a buff that I would pull up). Not that it's required, of course...but still. And that was at 7:30 am...can't comment on lots as I rode there from home
 
rottin' said:
@ChrisG I posted about my experience at Huber yesterday in the Hartshorne thread. I was the only one of any trail user (MTB, runner, family hiking) that had a mask to pull up when passing on ST (I had a buff that I would pull up). Not that it's required, of course...but still. And that was at 7:30 am...can't comment on lots as I rode there from home
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A lot of hikers. a couple horses, but yeah, now you mention it very few riders. And no one wore any kind of masks, minus one or two.
 
ChrisG said:
I’m curious to hear any first-hand reports of what the scene was like at Allaire and/or Hartshorne/Huber yesterday and today.

I stuck to the road both days.
Click to expand...
Passed main Allaire lot on way to Church lot. Looked like a normal weekend. Met @SmooveP at church and rode WMA and Brisbane to avoid crowds. Rode thru lot on way back and heard it was in good shape but lots of hikers and kids and dogs. Wtf. Hope they start kids sports up soon to get the park numbers down.
 
Ronnie B said:
Drove to Rocky Point lot, no luck, ranger standing in front not letting anyone in and the HPD made sure you couldn't park even on Grand Tour road, the one that goes downhill by the high school. Drove by Buttermilk lot and no spaces and cars were in it waiting for someone to leave and parked along side Navesink Ave, surprised they were allowing that, so kept going and headed to Claypit Creek lot and ranger truck in front with a closed sign. Now I was getting ansty and drove across the Locust Ave bridge and made that left and the small Huber Woods lot was full but no rangers, so I pulled in and sat about 10 mins until two bikers left and took their spot and went riding.

I stayed in Huber for the whole ride, while it was closed they were worked on the trails and got rid of fallen trees that were too much to get over and even created some new trails. Nice ride.
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So are you guys all ok with this? We live in America, not a police state.

SMH
 
Tim said:
So are you guys all ok with this? We live in America, not a police state.

SMH
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It's a bit ridiculous, the parking lots should be the least of their concern, everyone keeps their distance. My fear is virus numbers are going to go up after this weekend and everyone is going to point at the parks, which would be laughable.
 
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Ronnie B said:
It's a bit ridiculous, the parking lots should be the least of their concern, everyone keeps their distance. My fear is virus numbers are going to go up after this weekend and everyone is going to point at the parks, which would be laughable.
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Someone in a previous post mentioned a heavy police presence and that they were "doing their job." Last I checked going to park isn't a crime. Exercising free will isn't a crime. We aren't all criminals.

I'm all for being smart and reducing risk but I'm not for government overreach under the guise of "keeping us safe."
 
Considering that there are a lot of dumb POS that will take any spot including those in front of a ‘do not block gate’ sign, yes, lot babysitting is required. Of course it isn’t too fun for the driver of that car since when there is an environmental rescue, it will be pushed out of the way and then they are ticketed on top of that.
 
mtnbiker49 said:
Considering that there are a lot of dumb POS that will take any spot including those in front of a ‘do not block gate’ sign, yes, lot babysitting is required.
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Seriously?
mtnbiker49 said:
Of course it isn’t too fun for the driver of that car since when there is an environmental rescue, it will be pushed out of the way and then they are ticketed on top of that.
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This is exactly why babysitting is not required.
 
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My 2c is that it sucks that the lots are limited. Some lots may need it, but others don’t. There’s no one size fits all here. Some places were probably shit shows so the park police had to block and restrict.
I’m sure they’d rather not have to play that role, but it’s what they elected officials have decided.
Hopefully it’s temporary and once the people who never liked the woods before realize they still don’t, it won’t be an issue.
 
Ronnie B said:
Drove to Rocky Point lot, no luck, ranger standing in front not letting anyone in and the HPD made sure you couldn't park even on Grand Tour road, the one that goes downhill by the high school. Drove by Buttermilk lot and no spaces and cars were in it waiting for someone to leave and parked along side Navesink Ave, surprised they were allowing that, so kept going and headed to Claypit Creek lot and ranger truck in front with a closed sign. Now I was getting ansty and drove across the Locust Ave bridge and made that left and the small Huber Woods lot was full but no rangers, so I pulled in and sat about 10 mins until two bikers left and took their spot and went riding.

I stayed in Huber for the whole ride, while it was closed they were worked on the trails and got rid of fallen trees that were too much to get over and even created some new trails. Nice ride.
Click to expand...
I wonder if the main huber lot was filled too? Not nearly as many people know huber exists.
 
Tim said:
Seriously?

This is exactly why babysitting is not required.
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Honestly, the idea of limiting the traffic is stupid. I do think they should be there to ticket or stop people from parking illegally and also manage the a-holed that might get into fights. To be honest, the municipalities could use the ticketing money. Lol.
 
TimBay said:
I wonder if the main huber lot was filled too? Not nearly as many people know huber exists.
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I rode up to it to actually see, there were open spaces that were not roped off and it looked like a couple cars were pulling in, but it was also around 5pm.
 
The thing with limiting capacity at the lots is people are still going to try find places to park away from the park, you're now extending the problem to the parks neighbors.
 
Rusty said:
in two weeks the families with kids and the people who are too fat and lazy to go to the parks normally will all be back on their couches...then the woods return to us.
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I do think this is the initial flood burst, but it's still gonna be busy as long as social distancing is around. What I'm wondering is, with states going bankrupt,will they find a way to start charging entry or parking fees?
 
Mahlon and Mooch had full lots this weekend (still plenty of legal parking room on the road), but the woods were fairly empty as usual. Saw some hikers where I normally see nobody, but not hordes of people. Didn't see anyone doing anything stupid like having large group picnics or something like that. Pretty much everyone was keeping their distance.
 
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