'First Day' Hike Slated For Double Trouble State Park On Sunday

Looking for a healthy way to kick in the New Year? New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection officials have the answer.

The DEP is sponsoring free guided hikes through eight New Jersey state parks, including off Pinewald Keswick Road.

The 'First Day' hikes are being held in state parks in all fifty states.

The "New Year's Resolution Hike" is an eight-mile trek through the park's undisturbed woodlands and soft sandy trails. It offers a look into the Pine Barrens habitat, including the tea-colored waters of Cedar Creek and acres of cranberry bogs.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. Hikers should meet at the park's Interpretive Center. The hike is described as "easy to moderate" and is open to all ages.

Visitors should wear sturdy footgear, weather-appropriate clothing and bring water for the trip over the relatively flat, sandy terrain.

The state purchased the 8,000-acre park in 1964. The Double Trouble Historic District - once home to sawmill and cranberry industries - features the remanants of a "company town,' including a cranberry sorting house.

For more information, call the park's Interpretive Center at 732-341-4098.

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