Sandy Hook Trail Map (click to enlarge)

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Sandy Hook Unit Home Page | Hiking at Sandy Hook

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Length: 1.9 mile, one-way, plus 1.6 mile return trip on the Multi-Use Path, unless you have a ride waiting at the end (add .6 mile for the South Beach detour)
Time: 2 hours with South Beach detour
Difficulty: Easy

The two main hiking trails in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area are the South Beach Dune Trail and the Old Dune Trail. The South Beach Dune Trail runs between Parking Lot L and the beach just north of the Nike Missile Launch Site. The Old Dune Trail runs between Parking Lot E and the beach just south of the missile site. You can connect the two together by walking along the beach. Neither offer anything particularly scenic or historically interesting, so hiking them is mainly for exercise purposes. If that’s your goal, might as well hike them both as one continuous trail.

There is one problem. Both the section of the Old Dune Trail that leads to the beach and the South Beach Dune Trail between the missile site and Fishing Beach Road (the road just north of the missile site) were partially washed out when Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, and the National Park Service never really cleaned them up. The problem is trying to figure out where to dart back into the dunes after entering the beach and passing the missile site, no matter which direction you are heading. Thus, the simplest solution is to start at Parking Lot E and follow the trail until you hit the beach, then forget about the section north of the missile site and just walk along the beach until you come to Fishing Beach Road, which you can’t miss. From there, continue north to Parking Lot L on the South Beach Dune Trail, for this is easy to follow and well maintained. If you start at Lot L and head south, you may eventually find the trailhead for the Old Dune Trail after passing the missile site, but it won’t be easy because there is no recognizable landmark like Fishing Beach Road.

Unless you have a ride waiting at the end, the hike is one way, so you have a choice of walking back the same way you came or making a loop out of the venture and returning along the Multi-Use Path (MUP), a paved hiker-biker trail that runs from the park entrance to the Post Chapel at Fort Hancock. I highly recommend the MUP for two reasons. One, you won’t see the same thing twice, and two, you don’t have to worry about finding the trailhead south of the missile site on the way back. I had a bike, so I drove to Lot L and chained it to a tree, then drove back to Lot E to begin the hike. That way I could ride my bike back.

To start the hike, park at the north end of Lot E (end with the bathhouse and concession area) as close to the MUP as possible (keep in mind that parking fees apply from Memorial Day to Labor Day). Walk out to the path and take a right. A short ways down is a post with a white dot on it. This is not the way to go—if you take this trail you will end up on the park road—but it does serve as an easily recognizable landmark.

Post marks a trail that leads to Hartshorne Drive at Fort Hancock, Gateway National Recreation Area

To head north, directly across the MUP from the post—on the same side as the parking lot—is a sandy area, and if you follow the sand for a little bit it eventually narrows into a hiking trail.

Sandy area across from the post on the Multi-Use Trail near Parking Lot E in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

I picked up a tick within twenty feet of the paved path. I never knew ticks lived in sand dunes, but I do now. There is vegetation and you do brush up against it as you walk, which is where the tick came from. Be sure to check the fronts of your legs whenever you touch something green. Since I wasn’t too far from my car, I returned to get some tick repellent to apply to my legs. I made the mistake of wearing shorts; your best bet is to wear long pants regardless of the weather.

The trail begins by heading towards the beach, then curves to the north. In a tenth of a mile you will come to a four-way intersection with a wayside exhibit about the maritime forest, which is the type of forest the trail passes through. I also saw a blooming cactus near the intersection.

Four-way intersection near the Parking Lot E end of the Old Dune Trail in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

Cactus blooming along the Old Dune Trail in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

If you take a right at the intersection, you will end up on the beach. To continue on the official trail, stay straight. This continues a little farther north then curves towards the beach. Just after the curve is a wide, sandy area on your left, and if you follow this it will take you to a boardwalk that leads to an observation deck overlooking Nike Pond. I didn’t know this at the time and just continued straight.

Just as the trail reaches the beach area, there are a couple of posts with white dots on them. One is next to a metal frame that once held a wayside exhibit. Another is barely sticking out of the sand, a reminder of how fast things can get buried.

Posts with white dots mark the Old Dune Trail in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

Post along the Old Dune Trail nearly buried in the sand, Gateway National Recreation Area

The trail sort of fades into oblivion at this point, but all that matters is that you walk out to the beach and take a left to head north. You will pass the remnants of the Nike Missile Launch Site, but you really can’t see much, plus it is closed to the public.

Satellite view of the Nike Missile Launch Site

Once you pass the missile site, unless the South Beach Dune Trail is identified with a sign (no sign when I did the hike), forget about trying to find it and just continue down the beach until you come to what is known as the Fishing Beach. You can’t miss it because 1) there will be a bunch of people fishing, and 2) there is a dirt road that dead ends into the beach. Total distance from the start of the Old Dune Trail to Fishing Beach Road is .8 mile.

To find the trailhead for the South Beach Dune Trail, walk down the road until you come to a structure that looks like a World War II bunker. Less than 50 yards past the bunker is a trailhead on either side of the road. You’ll want the one on your right (if coming from the beach). The one on the left is where you would have come out had you gotten back on the trail after passing the missile site.

Military bunker on Fishing Beach Road at Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation Area

Trailhead on Fishing Beach Road for the South Beach Dune Trail at Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation Area

The South Beach Dune Trail continues through the maritime forest. In fact, the entire trail is in the forest, which is populated with short trees and a lot of brush. It provides partial shade, for the trees are not tall enough to keep you completely out of the sun. The trail surface is a sandy soil combined with dirt and some gravel, but there are a few patches of beach-like sand on the way to the first point of interest, an intersection with a side trail that leads to South Beach.

Typical terrain at the southern end of the South Beach Dune Trail in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

When you hit some really deep beach sand you’ll know that you’re at the intersection with the side trail to South Beach. This comes .3 mile from Fishing Beach Road. There is no parking lot for this beach, which means people can’t get to it easily, so if you want seclusion, this is the place to come. I took the detour just to see how long it was, but unless you want to go to the beach, there’s no reason to hike it.

The start of the hike to South Beach heads up a sand dune, so it is a little slow going at first. However, once at the top it becomes a traditional hiking trail that passes through a fairly thick forest. I picked up another tick on this section.

First sand dune to climb on the way to South Beach from the South Beach Dune Trail at Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation Area

Trail to South Beach once past the first sand dune, Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

The total distance to South Beach is .3 mile, so the side trip adds a little over a half mile to the overall hike. The only person on the beach besides me was a guy fishing. If you take a walk on South Beach, keep in mind that there is no sign that identifies the trailhead, so you better remember some sort of landmark so you can find your way back.

South Beach in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

Once back at the intersection with the South Beach Dune Trail, take a right to continue the hike. The trail surface is now much firmer—a combination of sand, dirt, and gravel—and while narrow, it appears to be well maintained so that you aren’t brushing up against vegetation.

Typical terrain on the South Beach Dune Trail north of the South Beach trail intersection, Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

If you pay attention, you’ll see the foundation of some sort of structure. I have no idea what it was, other than it most likely had to do with the military.

Building foundation along the South Beach Dune Trail in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

The trail eventually comes out on Atlantic Drive about a half mile from the South Beach intersection. To continue the hike, take a left and walk down the road for 30 yards. The South Beach Dune Trail continue into the woods on your right. A post marks the trailhead.

Intersection of the South Beach Dune Trail and Atlantic Drive in the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

South Beach Dune Trail now curves west and parallels Atlantic Drive, though far enough away so you don’t hear any traffic noise. The trail surface is now sandy, and at times it is deep beach sand. Things also get very narrow, so be sure check yourself for ticks every few minutes.

Sandy terrain on the South Beach Dune Trail north of Atlantic Drive, Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

In .4 mile the trail dead ends into the MUP. This is the end of the South Beach Dune Trail, but you aren’t quite at Parking Lot L yet. To get there, take a right and walk a tenth of a mile down the path. The overall distance of the South Beach Dune Trail from Fishing Beach Road to the parking lot is 1.1 miles.

Intersection of the MUP and South Beach Dune Trail, Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

As mentioned, at this point you can turn around and hike back the way you came or take the MUP. Bike or no bike, I suggest the paved path. It is a pleasure to bike or hike. When taking the MUP, the distance from Parking Lot L to E is approximately 1.6 miles.

Multi-use path at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

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