Cheesequake State Park: Yellow, Blue, and Green Trails (Blog Hike #1075)

Trails: Yellow, Blue, and Green Trails
Hike Location: Cheesequake State Park
Geographic Location: Matawan, NJ (40.43661, -74.26502)
Length: 4 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: September 2025
Overview: A loop hike across ridges and saltwater marshes.
Park Information: https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/cheesequakestatepark.html
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming July 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: In northeast New Jersey, take the Garden State Parkway to Matawan Road (exit 120).  Exit and go south on Matawan Rd.  Drive Matawan Rd. 0.3 miles to Morristown Road and turn right on Morristown Rd.  Drive Morristown Rd. 0.3 miles to Gordon Road and turn right on Gordon Rd.  Gordon Rd. deadends at the park in 0.7 miles.  Stop at the park office to pick up a trail map, then drive another 0.2 miles to the main trailhead parking area on the left, where this hike begins.  If this parking lot is full, you can also start this hike at the park's swimming area at the end of the park road.

The hike: Consisting of 1610 acres on the southern edge of the New York City metro area, Cheesequake State Park protects an interesting mix of tidal creeks, salt marshes, freshwater ponds, streamside habitats, and low steep ridges.  The park was established with the purchase of a Civil War-era farm owned by the Favier brothers in 1938, and the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped develop the property.  The park opened in 1940.  The park's unusual name comes from a Lenape word that means "upland," "upland village," or "at the land that has been cleared."  A creek passed on this hike has the same name.

            Today Cheesequake State Park remains one of the best state parks in the New York City metro area.  The park features a cozy 53-site campground, several large group camping sites, fishing and swimming on Hooks Creek Lake, several picnic areas, a nature center, and 5 hiking trails totaling over 8 miles.  The hike described here combines several trails to form a loop around the main part of the park, and it passes through all of the park's many habitats.

Main Trailhead

            From the main trailhead, walk through the wooden portal marked "trailhead," then angle right to begin the Yellow Trail.  The trails at this park are well-marked with brown carsonite posts bearing colored stickers that correspond to the trail's name.  The Yellow Trail curves right to hold a level contour around the ridge as it heads generally northwest through nice forest dominated by maple and oak trees.

Hooks Creek Lake

            At 0.25 miles, the trail curves left to descend the ridge via some wooden stairs.  Some unmarked and unofficial trails exist in this area, so watch for the yellow trail markers.  At the bottom of the stairs, turn right to come alongside Hooks Creek Lake.  Hooks Creek Lake is this park's main body of water, and the swimming beach is visible across the lake ahead and to the right.

Cheesequake Creek boardwalk

            0.6 miles into the hike, you reach the west end of the Yellow Trail where it intersects the Blue Trail.  Turn left to begin the Blue Trail.  If you had to park at the swimming area because the main trailhead parking lot was full, you would start this hike here.  Less than 500 feet later, you reach this hike's first major point of interest: the boardwalk over Cheesequake Creek and salt marsh.

Saltwater marsh

            Cheesequake Creek is a tidal creek, meaning it can flow either direction depending on the tide.  This boardwalk is a major destination for saltwater crabbing, and I passed several people working their crab nets when I hiked here on a pleasant morning in early September.  Views extending across the grassy marsh in either direction include some open water, and I saw some Canada geese and an osprey here.  Take some time to sit on the benches and see what you see.

Cheesequake Creek

            Across the tidal creek, the Blue Trail picks up an old dirt road labeled on some maps as Perrine Road as it climbs very gradually through forest that features many pine trees.  At 1.1 miles, you reach a major trail intersection with blue trail markers going several ways.  Turn right to leave the old road and begin single-track dirt trail.  A few hundred feet later, you reach a bird blind along Perrine Pond.  The pond was very calm on my visit, but I saw a red fox and 2 deer in the woods near here.

Perrine Pond

            The Blue Trail traces the east side of the pond before curving left and climbing back toward the ridge.  Upon re-intersecting the old road, turn right to continue southeast on the old dirt road.  At 1.6 miles, you reach another major trail intersection with several colors of markers.  The Red Trail going left is the shortest route back to the main trailhead, while the Blue Trail continues straight to follow the old road.  Our hike turns sharply right to begin the Green Trail, which is this park's longest trail.

Starting the Green Trail

            The Green Trail alternates between dry sandy-soiled ridgetops and marshy creekside areas for its entire distance.  Short but steep climbs and drops get you from the wetland to the ridgetop and vice-versa.  You start on the ridgetop, and the first drop takes you to the first of several long boardwalks over wooded wetlands.  Be thankful for these boardwalks: this would be a very wet and muddy hike without them.

Long boardwalk on Green Trail

            At 2.1 miles, the trail drops to cross Museum Road, a gravel park maintenance road that passes through the southern part of the park.  Next comes the steepest climb to the park's highest elevation; some wooden stairs aid the ascent.  The undulations continue as the trail heads northeast roughly parallel to the park's southeastern boundary.  The going is somewhat challenging but heavily wooded and scenic.

Hiking the Green Trail

            At 3.4 miles, you pass through the final ravine and come out at the park's group campground.  Turn left and then right, following the green trail markers, to trace the perimeter of the campground.  At 3.8 miles, you intersect a gravel park road near the park's Nature Center.  Turning right and hiking 0.2 miles along the gravel road returns you to the main trailhead and completes the hike.