Hartshorne Woods Park, Buttermilk Valley Entrance — Attraction in Middletown Township

This entrance to Hartshorne Park provides access to several great trails, perfect for walking your dog. It's much less crowded than the main parking lot at Rocky Point. You can find trash cans, a bike pump, and two job johnnies at the trailhead. Below are descriptions of some of the trails we've used:

Laurel Ridge: The aptly named Laurel Ridge winds through a beautiful hardwood forest. Mountain laurels often border the path as do holly trees. I look forward to visiting the trail again in the spring when the laurels are in full bloom. The trail begins as a wide, sandy path, which narrows as you climb up the ridge. The trail is a well-marked loop, making it easy to follow. Candlestick: An enjoyable hike through the same hardwood forest as Laurel Ridge. Like Laurel Ridge, laurels and hollies border the path. This path is designated as “easy,” but it struck me as the same difficulty as Laurel Ridge (marked “moderate”) and Rocky Point (designated as “easy”). Roots abound on this trail; it has a rather steep incline at the beginning; and there are even some logs that you have to walk over on the path. I can only think that the park system determines difficulty based more on length than on the trail’s terrain. The path offers plenty of delights. In addition to the holly and laurels, you’ll see ferns carpeting the ground in clearings, and we happened upon several deer in the deep quiet of the forest. Kings Hollow: The shortest of the Buttermilk Valley trails, the Kings Hollow path is easier to navigate than the others, but it’s important to realize it’s still a hike rather than a walk. This path covers lower terrain than its counterparts but still offers the serene experience of exploring an...

This is definitely my favorite of all the Monmouth County parks. Multiple entrances to the park with a variety of great trails going through the heavily wooded area. Good for walks, mountain bikes and dog friendly. If you want a nice long hike I recommend starting at the Buttermilk Valley entrance and navigating your way through the park to the Rocky Point Trail overlook to get a nice view of the...

Very nice combination of highly available forest paths and some of a war history site! Paths are suitable for both walking and bikes, very easy from the technical perspective, thus perfect for a senior citizens as well as little kids as well as just a 'take a time to think...