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Bear Swamp Natural Area
4.4 ★★★★☆ 136 Google reviews · Running trail in Howell Township, New Jersey · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Bear Swamp Natural Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Laid-back park featuring a pond, plus swamps and woods with hiking trails.
What runners say about Bear Swamp Natural Area
“It is weird that there are no maps of the area neither online nor at the entrance from parking area, however trails are well-marked.”
“Peaceful, small park adjoining Allaire.”
Found a red bat that was weak and needed help. We took her to a rehab place for a shot of fluids and then drive back to re-release. She did great!!! With so much energy, she flew happily into the woods. The Public Works crew was so helpful giving us a bucket and some paper towels to transport. Big Thank You!
Very nice place for an easy hike with a small pond. Fishing isn't the best, some small pan fish and small bass. Great for bird watching (abundant gold finch) and photography. Biggest downfall is the extreme amount of deer ticks. A half hour trek and my husband and I were covered with hundreds of tiny deer ticks.
Curious place to explore in winter (to avoid ticks). It is weird that there are no maps of the area neither online nor at the entrance from parking area, however trails are well-marked.
Nice for trail riding or a nature walk. Beware though, there are an incredible amount of ticks here. Not so bad if you're on horseback. Peaceful atmosphere, quiet.
Trail conditions & character
“It is weird that there are no maps of the area neither online nor at the entrance from parking area, however trails are well-marked.”
Plan your run at Bear Swamp Natural Area
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–8 PM |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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