New Jersey · Hiking

Blue Loop

0.71-mile out-and-back trail in New Jersey with 186 ft of elevation gain.

0.7 mi
round trip: 199 ft
climb: 317 ft
high point: Out and back
route

Best time to visit Blue Loop

Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

Jan
39° / 22°
9 wet
Feb
42° / 23°
8 wet
Mar
50° / 31°
10 wet
Apr
62° / 40°
11 wet
May
72° / 50°
12 wet
Jun
82° / 60°
11 wet
Jul
86° / 66°
11 wet
Aug
85° / 64°
11 wet
Sep
78° / 56°
10 wet
Oct
66° / 44°
10 wet
Nov
54° / 35°
9 wet
Dec
44° / 28°
10 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Canoe Brook, NJ, 3.9 mi away at 180 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Blue Loop is a short, easy hike on county land in New Jersey, set within the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness and the Great Swamp Outdoor Education area. The route is an out-and-back of about 1.4 miles, with a total climb of about 200 feet from the start at roughly 280 feet to a high of about 317 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.2 miles in, with a grade of about 9 percent. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Canoe Brook weather station show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 78°F, while July averages about 86°F. Several other trails sit close by, including the Orange Trail and Red Trail, each about 0.2 miles away, and the White Trail at about 0.3 miles. For paddling, Great Brook is about 3.6 miles off.