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Elks Preserve

4.4 ★★★★☆ 12 Google reviews · Running trail in Hopewell, New Jersey · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Natural surface
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

Confirmed from Elks Preserve'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.

Elks Preserve — running trail in Hopewell, NJ, photo 1
Natural surface

What runners say about Elks Preserve

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (12 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

Easy, short trail. Loop with mandated direction is nice for covid. Lots of signs noting the park will be closer for several days in the fall due to hunting.

★★★★★ — Ben , Sep 2020

Friends of Hopewell Valley have done a great job here. The walking trail is beautiful and such a great variety of wildlife to see.

★★★★★ — Cliff , Oct 2023

Nice little walk. Pretty well marked. Quite a few small water crossings but not anything wide. We went in February when the temperature was 36 degrees and any mud was still frozen. Looks like it could have been somewhat muddy otherwise.

★★★★★ — Thomas , Feb 2023

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 12 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🌲 Natural surface / singletrack 2 mentions

“Looks like it could have been somewhat muddy otherwise.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Elks Preserve

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
  • 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.
  • Websitefohvos.org
  • Phone+1 609-730-1560

Where to find Elks Preserve

151-181 Crusher Rd, Hopewell, NJ 08525

Get directions

Running trails near Hopewell

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Hopewell Park

4.9 ★★★★★ 14 reviews

Hopewell, NJ

LoopShaded

1.0 miles away

Cedar Ridge Preserve

4.5 ★★★★★ 11 reviews

Hopewell, NJ

Natural surface

1.3 miles away

St. Michael's Farm Preserve

4.8 ★★★★★ 98 reviews

Hopewell, NJ

ScenicDog-friendly

Site of a former orphanage, now serving as a farm & forested park with hiking trails.

1.6 miles away

The Watershed Reserve

5 ★★★★★ 6 reviews

Hopewell Township, NJ

Boardwalk

1.7 miles away

Lawrence Hopewell Trail

4.1 ★★★★☆ 15 reviews

Princeton, NJ

2.2 miles away

Rocky Brook Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 38 reviews

Hopewell, NJ

1.6 miNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

2.2 miles away

All running trails in Hopewell, NJ →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.