New York Area Hiking Trails for the Hiking-Challenged 🥾

📍 Cheesequake State Park is a state park located in New Jersey. It takes about an hour and a half to drive there from Midtown Manhattan, New York City. This is probably the easiest trail I’ve ever hiked. 👍🏻 There are almost no mountain paths, just well-paved boardwalks and stairs. It’s very friendly for those who struggle with hiking and for those bringing pets. 🐶 Most of the time, it feels like walking on flat ground. There are four trails to choose from, marked in red, yellow, blue, and green. None of them are very long. The longest, the green trail, is only 3 miles. 🏞️ At each intersection, there are markers in different colors, and occasionally wooden framed gates, making it easy to identify and difficult to get lost. Inside the park, there is a large reed marsh and a small lake, with a sandy beach on the shore. 🏖️ The boardwalk built over the reed marsh is a great place to take photos. Here is the park’s Trail Map. Currently, most of the trees are still green, with only a few turning yellow. 🍂 But the scenery is still beautiful. The Cheesequake State Park Trailhead parking lot is not very big, but if there are no spaces, you can park at the parking lot at the main entrance of the park, and it’s only a 3-minute walk to the trailhead. Very close. 🚗 Currently, the park is free and does not charge an entrance fee. However, I don’t know if they will charge an entrance fee during the peak fall foliage season. It’s also close to Edison, a 25-minute drive. You can enjoy some good food before or after your hike. I went to Hua Xiaojiao, a restaurant where you can bring your dog inside. I highly recommend it! 👍🏻 #NewYork #NewYorkLife #NewJersey #NewJerseyDayTrips #Hiking #Outdoor #Pets #HikingWithDogs #StudyAbroadLife #NewYorkWeekends