Hartshorne Woods Park, Buttermilk Valley Entrance - Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Hartshorne Woods Park, Buttermilk Valley Entrance – Dog Park in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Discover one of the top dog-friendly destinations in the Atlantic Highlands at Hartshorne Woods Park’s Buttermilk Valley Entrance. Set amidst scenic, wooded trails and offering access to a network of pet-friendly hiking paths like Laurel Ridge, Candlestick, and Kings Hollow, this park is a haven for active pups and their owners seeking both adventure and serenity. Walkers, runners, bikers, and dogs all enjoy these well-marked trails, with shaded woodlands and streams providing a cool respite during your excursions.
This park is known for its natural beauty, clean facilities, and multiple areas for exercise and relaxation. Amenities include trash cans, restrooms, water access, ample parking, seating, bike pumps, and scenic picnic spots. Although dogs must remain leashed on the trails, the area’s wide paths and welcoming atmosphere make it one of the best spots for an outdoor experience with your furry best friend in Monmouth County. Don’t forget to explore the nearby paved trails and let your dog enjoy the open fields when space permits!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? Dogs must remain leashed on the main trails. However, some open fields are used by owners for off-leash play when not crowded, at their discretion.
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? There is a safe, fenced-in dog park area nearby.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, Hartshorne Woods Park offers a variety of well-marked, dog-friendly trails perfect for hiking, walking, and running with your dog.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, restrooms (porta-johns) are located at the trailhead and parking area.
- Is there shade or shelter available? The trails and park areas provide ample shade from tree cover.
- Are poop bags or waste stations provided? Trash bins are available, but it’s unclear if poop bags are provided—bring your own to be safe.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? There is seating, including picnic tables and benches, as well as shaded spots for relaxation.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, the park features a playground and open fields for children and families.
- Is the park open year-round? The park appears open year-round, offering seasonal beauty and activities.
- Is parking available? Yes, there is ample parking available at the Buttermilk Valley entrance.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? The park is generally well maintained, though some trails may be subject to washouts or minor maintenance delays.
Reviews
I love to go trail running here with my dog. There is a good amount of exploring that can be done with varied difficulty levels. You can also encounter streams, in case you are worried about your pup over-heating like I am! Sometime the people on bikes FLY by so watch out for that.
This entrance to Hartshorne Park provides access to several great trails, perfect for walking your dog. It’s much less crowded than the main parking lot at Rocky Point. You can find trash cans, a bike pump, and two job johnnies at the trailhead. Below are descriptions of some of the trails we’ve used:
Laurel Ridge: The aptly named Laurel Ridge winds through a beautiful hardwood forest. Mountain laurels often border the path as do holly trees. I look forward to visiting the trail again in the spring when the laurels are in full bloom. The trail begins as a wide, sandy path, which narrows as you climb up the ridge. The trail is a well-marked loop, making it easy to follow.
Candlestick:
An enjoyable hike through the same hardwood forest as Laurel Ridge. Like Laurel Ridge, laurels and hollies border the path. This path is designated as “easy,” but it struck me as the same difficulty as Laurel Ridge (marked “moderate”) and Rocky Point (designated as “easy”). Roots abound on this trail; it has a rather steep incline at the beginning; and there are even some logs that you have to walk over on the path. I can only think that the park system determines difficulty based more on length than on the trail’s terrain. The path offers plenty of delights. In addition to the holly and laurels, you’ll see ferns carpeting the ground in clearings, and we happened upon several deer in the deep quiet of the forest.
Kings Hollow:
The shortest of the Buttermilk Valley trails, the Kings Hollow path is easier to navigate than the others, but it’s important to realize it’s still a hike rather than a walk. This path covers lower terrain than its counterparts but still offers the serene experience of exploring an untrammeled forest.
The park is a mess, trails washed out due to lack of maintenance. Please get somebody in there to fix this!!! No more parking lot renovations!
Very nice combination of highly available forest paths and some of a war history site!
Paths are suitable for both walking and bikes, very easy from the technical perspective, thus perfect for a senior citizens as well as little kids as well as just a ‘take a time to think about something’.
This is definitely my favorite of all the Monmouth County parks. Multiple entrances to the park with a variety of great trails going through the heavily wooded area. Good for walks, mountain bikes and dog friendly. If you want a nice long hike I recommend starting at the Buttermilk Valley entrance and navigating your way through the park to the Rocky Point Trail overlook to get a nice view of the Navesink River.