Henry Hudson Trail / Popamora Point — Attraction in Atlantic Highlands

This is what our family refers to as “secret beach”! See the included photo, and you’ll understand why! Take a short walk down a sandy, tree lined path, which miraculously opens to an enormous beach overlooking Sandy Hook! On a clear day, one can even see the NYC skyline! Also, this beach is spectacular when it comes to beach-combing—there are shells, sea glass, unusual rocks! There are no waves at this beach, so you will likely see kayakers, paddle boarders, swimmers, etc. The Henry Hudson Trail is a lot of fun to walk and bike on! The trail goes very far, but it is gorgeous! In the park itself, there is a footpath and shower to rinse off and a building with restrooms. Don’t forgot to bring your binoculars and a camera! With all the wildlife and beautiful views, you never know what you’ll see! There have also been amazing sunsets and colorful clouds in this area! The Twin Lighthouses are nearby, as well as many cute, little restaurants and coffeehouses. If you are into waves, Sandy Hook is just across the way! Continue down the road, and you will find several charming little towns, full of places to shop, eat, and watch the boats go by! This is definitely one of our very favorite spots in all...

So Popamora Point has a good or bad reputation based on who you ask. We like it because we aren't bothered by the things other people don't like about it. If you're fine with a beach covered in shells, pretty smooth stones an bits of driftwood, a muddy bottom in the water, and seaweed then this place is great. The detractions keep a lot of people away so when you do go it's pretty empty. Social distancing is easy, the beach is long enough for lots of people to visit without getting in each other's way. There's a little shower available for rinsing off before getting back in your car and a restroom nearby that's well kept. There are picnic tables and some nice little shady areas to rest and have a snack. I like it for the somewhat rustic charm. We'll keep visiting...

My family and I decided to stop by after dropping our friend off at the ferry a few miles down. It was cool to take a quick walk and be near the shore a bit. Beach is filled with seashells, beached jellyfish, and a bit of garbage/debris that I feel should be cleaned up to make it more appealing. Not necessarily the place I'd want to swim either as the water looked a bit murky compared to other beaches on the shore.

The trail seems interesting and heard it goes 33 miles up to my area in Englishtown. One day, I'll bike the trail end to end and update...