Home | Department of Parks and Recreation | Park Guides & Trail Maps | Hoffman Park Guide
 
Department of Parks and Recreation PO Box 2900, Flemington, NJ 08822-2900 1020 State Route 31, Lebanon, NJ 08833 Phone: 908-782-1158 * Fax: 908-806-4057 parks@co.hunterdon.nj.us OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Wednesday, & Fridays: 8:00am - 4:30pm Thursday: 8:00am-6:30pm Saturdays & Sundays: Office Closed |
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Location: Hoffman Park is located in Union Township, Hunterdon County, west of Clinton and just south of Interstate 78. The gate is open from 9 a.m. to sunset.
Directions from the East/Clinton Area: Take Route 78 west to exit 11. Follow the circle around to the left and cross over Route 78, following the signs for Pattenburg. Immediately after crossing 78, turn left at the light. Proceed to the remains of an old church and veer right onto Baptist Church Road. Proceed on Baptist Church Road under a railroad bridge and shortly thereafter turn left into the park entrance, which is marked by a large brown sign.
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This 353 acre park is comprised of hardwood forest, grasslands, and 32 ponds of various sizes. It is the former farm of Albert and Joyce Hoffman, who began to acquire tracts of land in the late 1930's. They also owned land in four other townships and in the Nassau, Bahamas, where they lived from December until late June every year. The pastures on the farms were rented to farmers on a monthly fee per animal. Mr. Hoffman and his two brothers owned the Hoffman Beverage Company, which was founded by their father. It was the first beverage company in the country to incorporate natural ingredients into its products. Albert Hoffman was in charge of Production and Distribution and invented biological filters for soda syrups. Most of the Hoffmans' farm buildings still stand and are under the jurisdiction of Union Township.
Additional Information:
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The Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources, providing safe parks and facilities, and offering educational and recreational opportunities, all contributing to an enhanced quality of life for present and future generations.
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TRAIL MAPS & GUIDES
NOTES: All links below are to PDF files - Adobe Acrobat Reader is required. Trail Guides are set up as foldable brochures. Please print and fold in half vertically to view in proper order. Additionally, you may have to rearrange pages. Maps should be printed on Legal Size Paper.
- Trail Map
- Self Guided Trail Brochure
- Cross-Country Sking Reference Guide
- Downloadable Park Brochure/Guide
From the parking area, Hairpin Lane winds down a steep hill towards Manny's Pond. The vista at the start of the trail offers a wonderful view of Hoffman Park's fields and forests, as well as Spruce Run and the hills of the Highlands in the distance.
Once down the hill from Hairpin Lane, Hoffman Park's trails meander through woods and past ponds. Most of these trails are old gravel or paved roads that are flat and easy to hike, bike, cross country ski, or push a stroller on. Most of the trails are named for features one would find on them. For example, Powerline Road has a power line running along it, and Birch Way has birches growing along the trail.
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5 of the park's 32 ponds offer good fishing for bass (catch and release only) and sunfish. Anglers can concentrate their efforts at the pond along Crow's Road or at Manny's Pond, both of which have an open bank suitable for fly-casting. Manny's Pond is the largest pond in the park. Three ponds on the northwest end of Manny's Pond Road are also well suited for fishing.
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A host of different bird species can be found in the forests and fields, but Hoffman Park is probably best known among bird watchers for endangered and threatened species that nest in grassland habitat. These include bobolinks, eastern meadowlarks, grasshopper sparrows, and savannah sparrows. Please keep pets on a leash as these birds nest directly on the ground and are highly susceptible to disturbance.
Eastern bluebird nesting boxes and wood duck boxes were erected in 2000 as part of a Boy Scout Eagle project. The bluebird boxes can be seen in the fields, where bluebirds can be spotted year round. Wood ducks are harder to find. They prefer wooded habitat near ponds or streams.
In the fall, this can be a good area for watching hawk migration. Northern harriers and American kestrels can sometimes be seen hunting over the fields in fall and winter.
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Hoffman Park's paved and gravel paths are excellent for bike riding and walking. The ponds offer good fishing, as well as opportunity for reflective nature study. In winter the paths provide a good place to cross country ski.
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To control deer numbers, hunting is allowed (by Parks Department permit only) in some sections of this park. Please wear blaze orange during hunting season or confine your visits to Sundays. See additional information on the Hunterdon County Park System Controlled Hunting Program.
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Home | Department of Parks and Recreation | Park Guides & Trail Maps | Hoffman Park