Kirkwood Lake Hike – Kirkwood Lake County Park, Lindenwold, Camden County, NJ
Distance – We did a little under 2 miles
Type – out-and-back
Difficulty: 2 of 10
Total score: 5 of 10
Website – Camden County Park System
Open – Sunrise to Sunset.
Terrain – Lakeside woods and wetlands
Trailheads – 39°50’9.97″N, 75° 0’4.71″W (from parking lot off Gibbsboro Road) – go around to the right.
39°49’58.72″N, 74°59’26.12″W (from side of street on Lakeview Ave)
You can also canoe or kayak here
Directions – The parking lot is on Gibbsboro Road, just off of White Horse Road (NOT White Horse Pike), behind the Lindenwold Speedline stop.
You can also go in from Lakeview Ave in Lindenwold (take Berlin Road that runs right in front of the Speedline, make a left onto Pinelawn Ave, then follow it around to Lakeview Ave)
Parking – Small lot as described above.
Markings – None. Some trails very well worn, others peter out.
Map – 
Description – A few weeks ago, my buddy Dave asked me if I’d ever done the trails at Kirkwood Lake. I told him that I had not, because I could never find the trailhead! On one side of the lake, it’s private property. On the other side, you are blocked by the dam. Luckily, he told me the secret… you walk around the dam to the right, and there is a concrete ledge you can cross the water on! He also told me you can see the old ice house, remains of when Kirkwood Lake was a tourist destination on those hot days of summer.
Of course, I set out the next day to check it out.
I parked in the lot, as I have several times before (most recently when canoeing this fine lake). I walked around the dam and, hey presto, I was on the other side.
Lake from the parking lot.
At the dam at the end of the parking lot.
The trail is immediately apparent once you cross. It goes up to the PATCO fence, then follows along it.
The other side of the dam is so different.
Up to the fence…
… then follow the trail along it.
This is where it gets interesting. Like most (all?) trails in the Camden County Park System, these are unmarked. In the beginning here, there is pretty much just one trail that goes between the fence and the lake. Stay on it and get some nice views.
Lakeside.
The old icehouse?
Another view of the ruins.
Eventually, the trail will have little side loops. I took a bunch of these, most of them offer new angles on the lake. A few peter out into thorn infested bushwacking. That’s what makes it fun!
Why do people leave trash?
Eventually, your wanderings will bring you to Lakeview Ave, the other trailhead for this park. Straight line, it’s about 2/3 of a mile from the dam.
I wandered back taking a few different routes to make it interesting.
Then it was time to shimmy along the road and back to the car!
Nearby – The trails at John T. Hale Memorial Park and the Stafford Trail in Voorhees, Lake Worth County Park in Lindenwold, or the Gibbsboro Greenway System including Blueberry Hill are within a few miles.
Ruins of an old icehouse, nice lake views.
Little tricky getting around the dam.
Reblogged this on Positive_With_Purpose-Blog and commented:
It’s the holiday weekend and hiking trails are a great way to add variety into your workout. It’s also a great way to get in some new scenery.
Hey, instead of driving all the way to another state I decided to check out what’s in our area to take advantage of.
See this blog that breaks down the goodies on the trails in South Jersey.
Back in 1943/1946 my brother Don and I spent most of the summer at Kirkwood Lake. It is where I first learned to swim (doggy paddle). The photo of the dam brought back memories of doggy paddling ‘alongside’ the dam in the deep water… we survived and were the stronger for it! LOL The kids of those days had common sense! We used to fish for sun fish in the stream just below the dam.. Our Mom was the short order cook at ‘The Log Cabin’ at Kirkwood Beach. My future sister-in-law’s father, Mr. Neal, played the piano at the Log Cabin, My older brother and sisters and their friends jitterbugged in the sand of the beach to the music coming from the Log Cabin. Oh, what a wonderful time we all had at Kirkwood Lake!!!
I will be sure to hike this trail when I visit Kirkwood again!!!
Back in 1940s, to get to the beach we would start across the street from Phillips Luncheonette in Kirkwood (at beginning of bridge over the tracks) on Whitehorse Road. The sandy road began at a small log house where relatives of the Luncheonette owner lived. We would follow the road until it took a left turn ‘around’ the dam…. and on toward the Log Cabin Bar at the sandy beach. Sometimes (instead of going to the beach) we would walk across the RR tracks to the railroad station to watch the big steam locomotives as they passed. Oh, what FUN!
Beautiful memories, thank you so much for sharing.
Awesome trail, thanks for the details in how to find it from the parking area at the speedline overpass. Great views were enjoyed along the way. The trail was in really nice condition when we visited (April, 2017). We also kayaked on the lake which is a really nice size. Happy to have this little gem so close by. Your blog connects so many to the beauty of NJ that would be unknown to the majority. Thank you!
You’re welcome! Hopefully your kayaks made it further back than when we stuck a canoe on there! Lots of history too.