Regular visitors prefer it during the cooler months because the five-mile trail, which follows the perimeter of the reservoir, is less congested. Even on the busiest days, however, the park provides tranquil moments of secluded privacy in a beautiful setting that's not your typical Shore backdrop. A favorite view is looking east, toward the dam, near the trail's first mile-marker, where numerous dead trees rise up out of the water like the masts of sunken ships. Look closely and you can spot a family of ospreys perched atop one of the trees. Whether you're on the Point Pleasant Beach or Manasquan side, the view is an eye-pleaser.
Fishermen line either side, competing with sea gulls for a prime catch.
People on extended lunch breaks park their cars and enjoy the view. A parade of boats, including commercial fishing vessels, goes in and out of the inlet all day and night. It's a great place to weather-watch during a nor'easter. This is where you come to get away from the mayhem on Long Beach Island, a minute's drive away, without retreating to the mainland. A small settlement of vacation homes on this speck of land beneath the Route 72 causeway in Stafford bespeaks a simpler, quieter existence by the bay, with breathtaking views of Barnegat Lighthouse to the north and Atlantic City to the south.