Hiking
The trails in Island Beach State Park are collectively called the "Discovery Trails System." They are designed to allow you to see and learn about all of the habitats associated with a barrier island. There are interpretive signs scattered along the trails that point out interesting facts about the plants, wildlife, and natural systems that you can encounter as you are walking.
Most of the eight trails are fairly short (0.1 - 0.3 miles) and all are under 1 mile. While a few of the trails have some ups and downs or take you across areas filled with loose sand, for the most part the trails are not difficult or strenuous. There is even a wheelchair accessible boardwalk that cuts right across the island. The only potential problem you might come across on any of the the trails are insects.
The trails are interesting and worth exploring. The majority of people that visit the beach in New Jersey have only seen heavily developed areas of the coast. Even plenty of folks that visit Island Beach State Park head down the park road, park in one of the large parking lots for the swimming beach, head right for the beach only catch a small glimpse of the wild habitats that they just drove past. There is a whole other world that lies beyond the wall of vegetation and sand that you see as you drive down the park road. It is also interesting to imagine that the habitats you see as you walk the trails once dominated the landscape in places like Seaside Heights or Lavallette.
Some of the trails pass through areas that are sensitive to human disturbance and/or are located in areas that are primarily managed for preservation. It is important that you pay attention to signs that tell you where you should or should not be walking.
The trails are listed below in the order you will find them if you travel from north to south through Island Beach State Park. Oceanside trails are located on the east side of the park road and bay trails are on the west side.
Reed's Road.
Oceanside and Bayside.
This trail passes close to the Coast Guard Station buildings that you see shortly after you enter the park. This is one of the longer trails in Island Beach and extends across the entire barrier island. The oceanside section is shorter than the bayside trail. If you do walk down to the bay you will pass the site where the Reed's Hotel once stood.
Aelium Nature Center Trail.
Oceanside
There is a small parking lot and building that are helpful in locating this trail. Outside the building is a butterfly garden and the circular Aelium trail begins and ends at this pretty spot.
Tidal Pond Bird Blind.
Bayside
A short walk that begins on the west side of the road, opposite the Ocean Swimming area parking lots, will take you to a bird blind that overlooks a small pond.
Fisherman's Walkway and Tice's Shoal Coastal Heritage Trail
Oceanside and Bayside
This trail is adjacent to Parking Area A-7. These trails are the two parts of the wheelchair accessible boardwalk that extends from the ocean to the bay.
A-13 Trail
Oceanside
One section of this trail to the beach has a boardwalk. This helps you to keep your feet dry as you pass over a section of freshwater wetland where you can find cranberry plants growing.
Johnny Allen's Cove trail
Oceanside and Bayside
This trail can be accessed from the Interpretive Center parking lot. The oceanside trail is a short walk. The bayside trail passes through thicket and freshwater wetland habitats before reaching the bay.
Spizzle Creek Bird Blind Trail
Bayside
Access - you can park at lot 19 or 20, then walk along the road to the trailhead. Whether you're an avid birder or simply looking for a peaceful walk, Spizzle Creek Bird Trail offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and ecological importance of New Jersey's coastal environment.
For birdwatchers, the Spizzle Creek trail has a bird blind with good shorebird viewing. The trail is a little more than three-quarters of a mile. It is relatively flat and easy to navigate but does have some muddy areas. There trail leads west, towards Barnegat Bay, and there are some interpretive signs that detail the flora and fauna. Along the way there is maritime forest, salt marsh, and the tidal Spizzle Creek. The trail splits as it approaches Barnegat Bay. One branch leads to the bird blind and the other ends at the salt marsh/bay shoreline.
There is very little intact natural barrier-island habitat remaining along the Atlantic coast so this trail, and Island Beach State Park overall, draws an unusually rich variety of birds.
Biting insects are abundant along this trail so don't forget the bug repellant! What is an annoyance for us is an boon for birds that frequent the salt marsh. The area is particularly significant during migration seasons, as it lies along the Atlantic Flyway, a major migratory bird corrider in North America.
Here is a blog post with a lot of pictures of the birds and the trail.