Barnegat Branch Trail

[TheGerd]

Any thoughts / info on this. Looking at riding this going from its northern most point and traveling south. Is this thing completed and run to Toms River yet?

 

[KenS]

I've ridden from the entrance off of rt 9 down in Barnegat up through the Bayville area to visit family in Lanoka Harbor/Bayville/Beachwood and TR. Not aware of the Toms River connection being completed. Google maps was accurate in following the route for what is there. Expect a lot of stop signs/road crossing in the more populated areas.

To get through the Bayville section to Beachwood, or vice versa, I would suggest the western route using Berkeley Ave/Northern Blvd, etc. instead of Rt9.

I've explored the woods surrounding Empire Blended products which would keep you entirely off of roads, but it isn't very skinny-tire friendly and questionable re: access permission.

 

[EJphotos]

Bayville to Toms River not yet complete, might be a couple years before it is. Northern most point is Bayville on Hickory Road, right across the street from Empire Blended.
Travel south 5 miles on the crushed stone dust trail that will bring you to Hebrew Park in Lanoka Harbor. From there, you can go straight and continue on single track, or cut through the neighborhoods on road. I always went straight through the single track. Wider gravel tires can handle it. After about a mile, the crushed stone dust trail picks up again just north of Lacey Road (Musket Street) - then cross Lacey Road, through the parking lot and you'll see the signs. Continue on the trail for another 7 miles down to the end in Barnegat (Bay Ave).
A few street crossings, but it's a really nice ride.

 

[one piece crank]

In the Summer I'll ride the Forked River to Bay Ave section as a quick out-n-back. Never gone any further North...

 

[TheGerd]

Thanks for the input.

 

[EJphotos]

Thanks for the input.

No problem.
Also, there are some short single track trails off the sides of the rail trail in case you want to have a little fun. Very short, but fun to change it up a bit if you're on your mtb. Some are just north of the wobm pit in Bayville (large sand pit popular for dirtbikes/atvs...then a few around the cedar creek trestle (dudley park). Then down in Barnegat by the ball fields is lochiel creek park...turn west into the woods (you'll see the trail) off the rail trail between ball fields and development, and that'll take you to lochiel creek and connect to some fun short single track rips through there.

I know the BBT like the back of my hand lol

 

[EJphotos]

Here's connecting to Lochiel Creek Park:

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/bn1Hx8MLepb

 

[TheGerd]

I relocated to Toms River, so this looked like a good gravel bike ride, will give it a try in the coming days. I’m also gonna have to relearn Alliare, I rode there in the mid 90’s and haven’t been back since. I was up in North Brunswick so Six Mile an Chimney Rock we’re my go to’s. The gravel bike is new to me, sold the road bike because I was not as comfortable on the road anymore, to many people on there phones driving, so I figured with the gravel bike I could still get some road time but also be able to do the paths and rail trails, makes my wife less nervous when I’m out on the bike too. 🙂. Thanks again.

 

[TheGerd]

Got out there today to do this, it was a good 22 mile ride out and back.

 

[EJphotos]

Got out there today to do this, it was a good 22 mile ride out and back.

What was your favorite section?

 

[TheGerd]

What was your favorite section?

Don’t know if I can say, need to do a couple more times. 🙂