Webb’s Mill Bog – Lacey Township, NJ

Webb’s Mill Bog – Greenwood Wildlife Management Area – Lacey Township, Ocean County, NJ
Distance – 0.25 miles total
Type – Lollipop
Difficulty:  1 of 10

Website – Division of Fish & Wildlife
Open – Sunrise to Sunset.

Terrain – Woods and swamp
Surface – Dirt and boardwalk

Trailheads – 39°53’14.25″N, 74°22’45.10″W

Directions – Take Route 72, turning onto Route 539 North. The trailhead is located on the right side, past the painted rock, 6.4 miles from Route 72. The trailhead is small and very easy to miss, but is located almost directly across from the Greenwood Forest WMA sign.

Parking – Roadside parking

Dog friendly? Unsure
Stroller friendly? With big wheels, should be doable
Benches: None
Facilities? None

Markings – None, but just stay on the boardwalk. If your feet get wet, you messed up.
Map –

Description – 

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.  That’s all we seem to get on weekends since about mid-summer (GREAT for the aquifer, not so good for adventuring).  But my birthday was on a Saturday this December, so the family humored me by putting on the rain suits and hitting some new trails in the rain.

Our first stop for the day was one of the shortest trails that we’ve ever done, the Webb’s Bog Trail, which is less than 1/4 mile in length.  

The hardest part of this trail is finding the trailhead.  Check the directions above, which are MUCH more detailed than we usually do (Google Maps has also helpfully placed a marker labeled “Nature Trail/Boardwalk” off Route 539 that is this trail).  Even with that help, you’ll need to look really, really carefully.  The best spotter is to drive up Route 549 past the Painted Rock (if you’ve never seen it, you’ll know it when you do).  Just past the rock, you’ll see a sign on the left for Greenwood Wildlife Management Area.  Park on the right just before the sign.

Here is the view from the Greenwood WMA sign. The boys are standing on the trail.

Once you find the trailhead, the rest is easy!  The trail starts down the stick of the lollipop, working its way through a short forested area until you reach the boardwalk.

Once you hit the boardwalk, you can go either direction, as it will loop back to where you start.  We opted to go right.  

Now long time readers will know that we are suckers for trails that go right over swamps and bogs, but this one is even more special.  You get some really nice views across some wide open areas.  Along the way, you’ll see dozens and dozens of pitchers plants (we are also suckers for plants that eat bugs), plus sundew (more plants that eat bugs) and lots of cedars.  

Kite Flyer loves being outside, he gets so happy in that backpack.

I mean, look at that swamp.

VERY well constructed boardwalk.

Tons of pitcher plants, which were easy to spot due to wearing their winter reds.

This being a nature trail, there were many well-placed informative signs along the way.

We spent a good 20 minutes walking the loop in the rain.  If it wasn’t a cold rain and I had my actual camera (just too wet to have it out this day), we could have probably spent hours here.  In the warmer weather, this spot is supposed to swarming with turtles, frogs, lizards, and birds, so we need to come back.

Cedars!

The loop done, we headed the short stretch back to the car.

Then it was in the car and on to check out the Painted Rock nearby!

Nearby:

Plenty of dirt roads to hike down in Greenwood Wildlife Management Area to explore, but no other constructed trails.  Just be careful during hunting season.

Double Trouble State Park is very close, with its lovely trail system.

Jakes Branch County Park and  Wells Mills County Park (with the Penns Hill Trail) are also in the area.

Or if you’re looking for something different, Popcorn Park Zoo is only a few minutes away.