Looking for more photos?

View All Photos
View Map
Driving Directions
Hike Trail

Laurel Ridge Trail

3.8 (5 Ratings)
A loop in the west end of the park running through areas of mountain laurel and American holly.
2.5
mi
Distance
313
ft
Gain
moderate
Difficulty
Access Issues
The park is closed on various dates for hunting. Check the park website. Trails are not blazed. There are indicators at each intersection as to which way each trail heads off. Take a map or you can end up going in circles. There are some 'difficulty' blazes on the trail; this is a blue square trail.

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
2.47mi
Distance
313ft
Elevation Gain
313ft
Elevation Loss
15%
Max Grade
235ft
High Point
71ft
Low Point
Path Type
Loop
Description
This trail starts at the Buttermilk Valley entrance of the park and runs through woods full of mountain laurel and American holly trees with some steep ups and downs. As trails are not blazed, be careful to select the correct trail at Buttermilk Valley--there are three different trailheads. The Laurel Ridge Trail is marked as moderate with a Blue Square. The other two are rated easy and marked with a Green Circle. Posts at the start of the trail and at intersections indicate the direction of the trail. The northeast section of the trail joins the Grand Tour for a short way and intersects with the end of the Cuesta Trail. This trail is advertised as having a wooded overlook branching off about halfway around. We found it to be heavily wooded with no view whatsoever. We would expect it to be similarly occluded even with the leaves off the trees.

Route Conditions

Report Conditions
No Condition Reports
Report Conditions

Nearby Hike Routes

Holmdel Park X-Country Loop

Hike Route

Holmdel Park X-Country Loop

easy
3.48 mi
+252 ft
Steamboat Landing and Crabbing Bridge Loop

Hike Route

Steamboat Landing and Crabbing Bridge Loop

Birding
moderate
4.46 mi
+220 ft
Marine Park: West Loop

Hike Route

Marine Park: West Loop

Birding
easy
3.63 mi
+0 ft
Clay Pit Ponds Loop

Hike Route

Clay Pit Ponds Loop

easy
2.78 mi
+108 ft
Prospect Park Trail Loop

Hike Route

Prospect Park Trail Loop

Birding
moderate
4.83 mi
+206 ft
Blue Heron, Falcon and Gull Loop

Hike Route

Blue Heron, Falcon and Gull Loop

easy
4.12 mi
+128 ft
Contributors
Charles Behnken