Places to Run -- Navesink

These runs start at Bodman Park in Middletown.  The Jersey Shore Running Club meets every Sunday morning at Bodman Park for a group run, typically on one or more of these courses.  

• Stone Church (9.7)
• Cooper (9.9)
• Beacon Hill (11.4)
• Portland (10.5)
• Serpentine (10.4)
• Whippoorwill (9.8)
• Constitution (13.3)
• Hartshorne Loop (14.6)
• Highlands (18.2)
• Monster Loop (22.4)
• Inner Loop (6.3)
• Short Cooper Loop (8.0)
• River Loop (12.6)
• Hartshorne Trails
• Hartshorne Runs (5.5)
• Huber Woods Trails
• Huber Woods Runs (4.1)

Stone Church

Total: 9.7 miles Point A1: 3.0 miles Point B: 5.2 miles Point A2: 7.3 miles Climb: 679 feet Return via a: add 1.2 miles (10.9) Return via b (Cooper): subtract 0.5 miles (9.2) Return via c : add 0.7 (10.4) Via Browns Dock both ways: add .2 (9.9) Via Huber Woods both ways: subtract .2 (9.5) The "main" Sunday run for most club members, this travels through rural countryside, parks, and farmland.  Water stops are provided at points "A" and "B" (blue dots).  The one big hill on Cooper Road is more challenging on the outgoing leg of the trip; the return is much easier. Here is a full-sized map. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

Beacon Hill

Total: 11.4 miles Point A: 3.0 miles Point B: 5.4 miles Point C: 7.9 miles Climb: 616 feet Return via a (Portland): subtract 0.7 miles (10.7) Return via b (Serpentine): subtract 0.8 miles (10.6) Return via c (Whippoorwill): subtract 1.4 miles (10.0) Via Huber Woods (d): subtract 0.2 mile Via Independence & Hillandale (e): add 0.1 mile. If the standard route is not enough for you, the return through Beacon Hill not only adds one and a half miles, but also adds a steep hill.  The difference between this run and the Stone Church route seems greater than the figures indicate. There are various ways to avoid the steep hill (which is just before point C), that also save a little distance.  Water and (usually) Gatorade is available at the top of Beacon Hill. Here is a full-sized map. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

Constitution

Total: 13.3 miles Point A: 3.0 miles Point B: 5.4 miles Point C: 7.2 miles Climb: 643 feet Return via a (Serpentine): subtract 0.1 miles (13.2) Return via b (Independence): add 0.1 mile (13.4) This variation on the return from the Stone Church adds a few miles and more hills.  Climb to the top of Beacon Hill by any of the standard routes (above).   Then go down through Beacon Hill golf course, along Leonardville Road, and up over the hill one more time.  You wind up back on Whippoorwill Road, not far from Beacon Hill, and return as usual. Here is a full-sized map.

Hartshorne Loop

Total: 14.6 miles Point A: 3.0 miles Point B: 5.4 miles Point B (return): 9.8 miles Point A (return) 12.2 miles Variation a (Battery Loop): add 1.3 miles (15.9) Return via b (Portland): add 0.5 miles (15.1) Climb: 772 feet This is a scenic variation to add a few miles to the standard run.   At the stone church, it takes a loop around Hartshorne before returning to the church.  The route shown here avoids the trails of Huber Woods, adding 0.2 miles and a big hill. The route through Huber Woods makes it even more rustic. Here is a full-sized map. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

Highlands

Total: 8.5 miles (total 18.2) Return via Whippoorwill: (18.3) Return via Serpentine: (18.9) Return via Portland: (19.0) Climb: 673 feet Return via a: 5.6 miles (total 15.3) From Stone Church to B via b: 8.1 miles (total 16.8) This run starts and ends at the stone church, so that you can add it on to the standard run, or onto one of its variations.  When combined with the standard run, it comes to 18.2 miles.  When there is group running this on Sunday, they usually place water at the top of the hill in Hartshorne Park, at the jog in the road in downtown Highlands, and by the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant atop the cliffs overlooking the bay (shown as blue dots).  Returning through Atlantic Highlands via route b gives a total of 16.8 miles, when you finish up on Whippoorwill Road, as shown on the previous map (point C). Here is a full-sized map. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

Monster Loop

Total: 22.4 miles Point A: 3.0 miles Point B (Stone Church): 5.4 miles Point C (Hartshorne): 7.6 miles Point D (Gulf Station): 10.9 miles Point E (Stoplight): 13.2 miles Point F (Police Station): 16.2 miles Point G (Tower Hill): 19.4 miles Alternate Route G: 16 miles Alternate Route Total: 19 miles Climb: 618 feet The aptly named "Monster Loop" has two versions: the full loop and the mini-loop.  The Jersey Shore Running Club seems to do this run about once a month, on selected Sunday mornings at 7:30.  The first half is hilly, and the second half has long stretches with no stops (both versions). There are several ways to cut the run down, depending on how you are feeling.  One thing I like about this run is the beauty and variety of the scenery. Here is a full-sized map. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

Inner Loop

Total: 6.3 miles Point A: 3.0 miles Point B: 4.8 miles Alternate a (Short Cooper): 8.0 miles Alternate b: (Independence): add 0.1 miles Climb: 312 feet A shorter alternative to the Stone Church route, water is stashed at both points "A" and "B".  Much of the run is on back roads through rural Navesink highlands. The extra loop on Cooper adds an extra hill. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

River Loop

Total: 12.6 miles Point A: 5.2 miles Point B: 7.2 miles Climb: 484 feet This run, which used to be the "standard" is now run on special occasions, such as the week before a marathon.  Instead of running along Navesink River Road, where the road is too narrow and the cars too fast, it goes through the back roads and farmlands to the Stone Church, then backtracks a little way to the Oceanic Bridge.  It returns through Rumson, Fair Haven, and Red Bank.  Unfortunately, there is no good place to stop for water after Rumson Park (point B).  There is an Exxon station in Fair Haven, but I have found that it is not always open early on Sunday morning. Here is a full-sized map. Here is a 3-D view of this route.

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