Cuesta Ridge Trail
- 1.2 mi
- round trip
- 251 ft
- climb
- 243 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Nov
- best months
Cuesta Ridge Trail is a short, easy hike in Hartshorne Woods, a county-managed area in New Jersey. The trail is about 1.16 miles long, and the round trip adds up to roughly 2.3 miles with a total elevation gain of about 250 feet. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 7% grade near the start, and the trail is an out-and-back that returns to its starting point. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Long Branch-Oakhurst show May highs around 68°F and September highs around 76°F, while July peaks near 84°F. The trail sits among a cluster of other short walks. The Grand Tour and Grand Tour Trail are both within a quarter mile, and the Candlestick Trail and Laurel Ridge are about 0.4 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Pier 13 Hoboken24 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Grand TourHiking0.1 mi
- Grand Tour TrailHiking0.2 mi
- Candlestick TrailHiking0.4 mi
Candlestick OverlookHikingPhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.4 mi- Kings Hollow TrailHiking0.4 mi
- Laurel RidgeHiking0.4 mi
- Claypit RunHikingPhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.6 mi
Camp Gateway - Sandy HookSurf fishing3.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Candlestick OverlookHiking · Next doorPhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Reservoir LoopHiking · ~16 min drivePhoto: James Loesch, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Claypit RunHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Grand Tour TrailHiking · Next door
Nature LoopHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Bunker LoopHiking · ~2 min drive
- Meadow RambleHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Battery LoopHiking · ~2 min drive
- Farm PathHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Many Log RunHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: febb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Cuesta Ridge Trail
Best months: April–November. 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
42° / 25°
11 wet
Feb
43° / 26°
9 wet
Mar
49° / 32°
10 wet
Apr
59° / 41°
11 wet
May
68° / 51°
12 wet
Jun
78° / 61°
10 wet
Jul
84° / 67°
9 wet
Aug
82° / 65°
9 wet
Sep
76° / 59°
9 wet
Oct
65° / 47°
10 wet
Nov
56° / 37°
9 wet
Dec
47° / 30°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Long Branch-Oakhurst, NJ, 7.2 mi away at 30 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Route details
- Distance
- 1.2 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 251 ft
- Summit
- 273 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 0.5 hours
Other routes up Highlands of Navesink
Questions about this route
How long is the Cuesta Ridge Trail on Highlands of Navesink?
About 1.2 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Cuesta Ridge Trail?
About 251 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Cuesta Ridge Trail?
It is rated easy.
How long does the Cuesta Ridge Trail take?
About 0.5 hours round trip.
How many routes go up Highlands of Navesink?
3: Grand Tour, Cuesta Ridge Trail and Grand Tour Trail.
Conditions and forecast on Highlands of Navesink
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
