Cherry Valley Trails – Cherry Hill, NJ

Cherry Valley Trail – Cherry Hill, Camden County, NJ
Distance: Between 0.75 miles and 0.9 miles
Type: Lollipop with two loops
Difficulty: 1 of 10.
Total score: 6 of 10.

Awesome group of people who post maps and maintain trails: Cherry Hill Trail Crew

Terrain – Stream, forest.

Map –  available here

Trailheads – Briar Lane in Cherry Hill, NJ

Dog friendly? Yes
Stroller friendly? Probably not, but might work with a stroller with large wheels
Benches? None
Facilities?: None

Markings – Typical, well place Cherry Hill Trail Crew metal sign posts

Description: So The Pres and I were here a few years ago, when we sadly discovered that these trails were only trails on paper, and had not yet been created.  We did what humans have done for centuries when faced with adversity – played on the slide.

A recent e-mail from one of the fine people who helps manage the Cherry Hill Trail system updated me on tons of work they’ve been doing the last few years on the trails… including that the Cherry Valley Trails were done.  So the family and I (now featuring TWO babies, as opposed to only one baby the last time I went here) went to check it out the next weekend.

We pulled up to the parking spaces between the playground and the baseball field, and set off down the connector that runs along the fence line of people’s houses.   I was expecting the usual from the Cherry Hill Trail Crew – a well marked, well cut path through one of the scattered patches of woods that is left in town.  I got that, but so much more.  And perhaps my new favorite Cherry Hill trail (sorry Kresson Trails).

When we reached the end of the concrete where the trails pass into the woods, we immediately hit the major intersection of the Green and Red Trails.

We decided to do the Red Trail (the slightly longer one) first. It snaked within sight of the houses for a while, going directly under (pretty much through) a couple of trees, which was great.

The trail turns right here onto a concrete path for a few feet, then reenters the woods. It’s well marked.

Bamboo.

It then made its way to the back end of the park area, which is a branch of Pennsauken Creek.  The trail runs high along a bank, so you are  good distance above the water.

The trail then wraps around to the intersection of the Red and Green Trails that we started at.

We now headed down the Green Trail, which also loops back around.  This is a also a nice area of woods, and eventually follows a small creek that flows into Pennsauken Creek.

When the Green Trail reemerges from the woods, turn left and you’ll immediately be back on the concrete pathway that brought you into the trails.  Back to the parking lot, and away you go.  Or maybe go for the playground.  The Pres recommends it.

NOTE: We are proud to announce that the Cherry Valley Trail was the first trail completed by Tree Rider under his own steam.  0.9 miles of walking by my GPS.  Congrats little dude!

What victory looks like.