Timber Creek Park – Deptford, NJ

Timber Creek Park – Deptford, Gloucester County, NJ

Distance: 0.6 of a mile total
Type: Connecting loops
Difficulty: 2  of 10 – small amount of elevation change

Open – Sunrise to Sunset.

Terrain – Forest and marsh along Timber Creek

Trailheads – Two, one in the middle of the parking lot and one on the South end.
Trailhead 1 –  39°48’53.76″N,  75° 5’28.98″W
Trailhead 2 –  39°48’52.01″N,  75° 5’28.25″W

Straight in from the parking lot for trailhead #1.

Directions: Entrance located on Hurffville Road (Route 41) , directly across from the intersection with Bellemore Ave in Deptford, NJ

Parking: – large lot on site

Large lot.

Dog friendly? Unsure
Stroller friendly? Doable with offroad wheels, but won’t be easy
Benches? None
Facilities?: None

Markings – No trail markings, but trail is very obvious in most places.

Map – 

Description – Drove past this park a few months ago, and tried to stop to use the playground.  This was really confusing, because I know that I had been to Timber Creek Park before, but I couldn’t find the massive parking lot, despite driving all around the block twice.  Well, it turns out that there are TWO Timber Creek Parks- this one in Deptford and the one in Camden County with the really nice dog run and awesome little playgrounds.  To add the confusion, these two parks are only three miles apart from each other!

While this Timber Creek Park is much less developed (trash cans and benches are about it as far as amenities go), it has its own charm and provides and quick dip into nature.

There are two trail heads, only about 100 feet apart, each from the parking lot.  Once in, the trails look like a barbell, two loops connected by a straightaway.  If coming in on the trailhead in the middle of the parking lot (you’ll see picnic benches), walk down until the trail “T”s.

Heading into the woods!

Nice lead in trail.

Split, head left!

At the T, head left.  You’ll walk up to the picnic table, and the trail continues behind the table.  This part of the trail heads down close to the road, then works it’s way back to the entrance trail.  This part of the trail isn’t as clear as other parts, but it’ll come back around.

Up to the table.

Trail goes behind the table and past this post.

You’ll hit the lead in trail, turn left, and almost immediately hit the same T intersection as before.  This time, take a right.

Look familiar?

This is the bar of the barbell part of the trail.  Follow it down until you hit a four way intersection.  Right will take you back out to the parking lot (the second trailhead), either straight or left will take you into the second loop.  I went left, just because it led downhill, which looked more adventurous.  The trail heads down to the marshy areas on the side of Big Timber Creek.  This is another trail that you’ll need to lather on the bug spray or wait until Fall/Winter/Spring for, gnats swarmed me and made pests of themselves, although I wasn’t bitten by anything.  The trail will loop around until it hits the same four way intersection that started this loop at.

The bar.

Four way intersection. Head straight or left. We chose left, but either one will put you on the same loop.

Downhill.

Glimpses of marsh.

Don’t go that way, just keep following the loop.

Over the tree.

You’ll find yourself back at the same four way intersection as before.  This time, you’ll take a left if you went the way we did (go straight if you went the opposite way around the loop).  The short trail will take you back out to the field next to the parking lot.  Back to your car and you’re all done!

In the area – You are right around the corner from Old Pine Farm Natural Land Trust, which combined make for a good sized hike.  As previously stated, you are also only three miles from the other Timber Creek Park in Camden County.