Double Trouble State Park – Bayville, NJ

Double Trouble State Park – Bayville, Ocean County, NJ
Distance – 8 miles of trails
Type – Various trails that loop around
Difficulty: 1 of 10

Updated – 8/27/23 – Added Mill Pond Trail

Website – Double Trouble State Park
Open – Sunrise to Sunset.

Terrain – woods, swamps, meadows, and bogs
Surface – mostly sand

Trailheads:
Most of the trails in the park start from the village –  39°53’49.41″N,  74°13’21.48″W
Dover Forge Trailhead –  39°54’44.56″N,  74°16’58.20″W

Directions – 581 Pinewald Keswick Rd, Bayville, NJ 08721

Parking – Large lot at the village for most of the trails.

Dog friendly? Yes!  Must be leashed.
Stroller friendly? Stroller with big wheels could hand the nature trail.  Unsure for the other trails.
Benches? Benches scattered around the park, mostly around the bogs
Facilities?: Bathrooms available

Markings – Painted blazes and posts

Map – Map available on Double Trouble State Park website

Rules –

Description –

On Father’s Day, my family went out to explore Double Trouble State Park.  We had a great time!

Nature Trail (1.9 miles – loop)

Markings – Green
Trailhead – the village
Our goal for the day was the Nature Trail, which gives a great overview of the park while also having nice wide trails that reduce tick issues.  We walked down the entrance road, past the old Sawmill and crossed the bridge out of village.

Once across Cedar Creek, it was a short ways until a four way intersection.  The trail turns left here to follow the wetlands down to the resevoir.  The trail is long and straight here, but lots of interesting plants along and way, and some nice views of the water.

Left!

Just before the reservoir ends, the Nature Trail will make a sharp left turn (the orange Sweetwater Trail splits from the green Nature Trail here) and head into the woods.  The trail winds its way down to another bridge across Cedar Creek before journeying on to make a left turn to follow the edge of the old cranberry bogs.

This bug will haunt my nightmares.

After the turn, it’s a straight shot past the old bogs to the edge of Double Trouble Village.  This area is side open, so great spot to keep an eye out for birds.  It was a warm one this day, so it made the shade that much enjoyable when we got to the patches of it along the back end of this trail.

This bug will haunt my nightmares. Afternote – apparently it’s just a harmless bee.  Whew.

Once you get to the end of the trail, you’ll be able to amble back through the village.

Mill Pond Trail – 1.3 miles (about 1.6 miles total hike from parking lot)

In February 2021, The Pres, Tree Rider, and I came back to Double Trouble State Park, this time to hike the red blazed Mill Pond Trail.  We headed toward the village from the parking lot and made a right turn onto the trail.

The trail is typical pine barrens sand most of the way.

Part way down the trail is an old family cemetery.

The kids then made it to the dam that makes up the mill pond.  The water was shallow enough we could have waded across the top of the dam easily.  But we didn’t, BECAUSE IT WAS FEBRUARY!  Instead, we just admired the water.

After enough water, we headed on the second part of the horseshoe that makes up the trail, headed back toward the village.

Even found a bit of leftover snow.

Why isn’t ice made from cedar water the color of ice tea?

The part is a little swampier, but the winter kept the bugs at bay.

We made it back to the village, explored a bit, then back into the warmth of the car!

Always a pleasure to walk these trails.

Double Trouble Village

This old cranberry town is the trailhead for pretty much all of the trails in the park.  It’s worth taking some time to wander around to look at some great old buildings.

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Dover Forge Trail (0.4 miles one way)

This trail is the oddball of the system, as it’s a few miles away by car and is not connected to any other trail in the park.  It’s also tick city, as we found out the hard way, because it doesn’t seem to be walked very often.  Come prepared, check for ticks afterwards.  Seriously check for ticks.

Parking – Located at the bend on Dover Road, just above the canoe launch turn.

Roadside parking.

Trailhead – 39°54’44.56″N,  74°16’58.20″W

That being said, this short trail (0.4 miles one way, 0.8 out-and-back) will take you to the site of the old Dover Forge.  We couldn’t find the forge site itself, but plenty of slag and a lovely view of Cedar Creek.

On the way out…

We have a lot more to come back and explore here! Mill Pond Trail (1.3 mile), Clear Brook Trail (0.65 miles), Sweetwater Trail (2.5 miles), and Swordens Pond Trail (1.3 miles)

Nearby:
Jake’s Branch County Park is just a short drive away.

Wells Mills County Park is also close by