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Franklin Parker Preserve — Chatsworth Lake Entrance
4.8 ★★★★★ 214 Google reviews · Running trail in Chatsworth, New Jersey · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 6 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Franklin Parker Preserve — Chatsworth Lake Entrance'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.
Pine barrens preserve, with wetlands, hiking, blueberry and cranberry farms and a bridge.
What runners say about Franklin Parker Preserve — Chatsworth Lake Entrance
“Finally got a chance to kayak Chatsworth Lake and it is beautiful, but just a word of caution it is stumpy.”
“The trails are well marked and easy to navigate.”
Had a great time on this trail. It is a real hidden gem in the Pine barrens! We hiked the red which starts right off the parking lot. The red trail was about 5.8 miles according to my GPS watch.There are plenty of the red trail markers so just follow those and you won't get lost.
If you can go during peak leaf color change I highly recommend. Great trails and pretty views. Quiet yet trails are wide open and markers are often posted. And if you keep a picture of the map from the beginning there shouldn’t be any confusion. It’s a flat trail and there are multiple options.
This is a great preserve. Was my first time there. We parked across from Chatsworth lake. There are other locations to park. There seems to be enough parking, but it gets pretty crowded. There is an outhouse here, but it needs some maintenance. There is so much hiking.
Beautiful place for a hike! A little over 6 miles on the red trail, which loops around. Very buggy so bring spray and protective clothing and be prepared to reapply the spray. Views were lovely, lots of birds and cute little toads around.
Trail conditions & character
“Finally got a chance to kayak Chatsworth Lake and it is beautiful, but just a word of caution it is stumpy.”
“The red trail is less than 6 miles and mostly flat which made the hike easy.”
“If you're carting in your kayak be careful crossing the road from the parking lot.”
“There are plenty of the red trail markers so just follow those and you won't get lost.”
“The trail has mostly shaded and wooded areas but some of it is open along the former cranberry bogs.”
“The red trail is less than 6 miles and mostly flat which made the hike easy.”
“Just don't expect much in the way of creature comforts - there are portajohns at entrance gates and a few benches along the trails.”
Plan your run at Franklin Parker Preserve — Chatsworth Lake Entrance
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- Distance6 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websitenjconservation.org
- Phone+1 888-526-3728
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Chatsworth
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Wharton State Forest
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Pemberton Lake Wildlife Management Area
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Batsto Village
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