I'm generally not an advocate of hiking in the rain (or really whenever anything is falling from the sky), but this is definitely the place to do it if you're going to. The Millennial Chum and I made our Pine Barrens hiking debut here this past Saturday, which was rainy and hovering in the high 40s. Our itinerary was very straight-forward - it was an 8.5-mile hike along the white trail (my ye olde pre-Sandy NJ hiking book identifies it as the Penns Hill Trail, but the website for Wells Mills cites it as the Macri trail; regardless, it's the white one), which is basically one giant loop circling Wells Mills Lake, though it veers much further west than that at several points. Our book claimed this would take four to five hours, which we thought was a ridiculous overestimate and was - we did this in a little over three hours, though we're both in good shape and really didn't stop. We were both enormously impressed by the facilities and trail markings here. The Nature Center at the beginning of the hike looks and is pretty spiffy, with a toasty, clean bathroom and helpful kiosks with maps to grab (handheld maps are not a given in this day and age). They DID run out of hand soap, but I think any of us would take a warm, functioning indoor plumbing situation over what we usually have to deal with. There was one time late in the hike when we stopped to peer around for the next marking, but we literally found it about five seconds later. Given that a lot of the trails overlap, turn and often cut into or across non-hiking fire trails, I thought they did a great job denoting the specific routes. I expected the entire hike to be flat, which is my general/uninformed impression of the Pine Barrens, but it actually had a few ups and downs over dune-like, woody hills, especially in the first two miles. Nothing crazy, and while we stopped for a few water breaks at the top of those mounds, we never felt obligated to pause to catch our breaths. I'm at a point in 2023 where I'm gauging the strenuousness of an activity based on what my Fitbit says, and it claimed I had no zone moments, which is essentially high cardio activity. So take that for what you will. Regardless, I think this is also a selling point, as I've actually been reluctant to hike around here due to the lack of terrain; definitely adds some character. The viewpoint situation was not my favorite. On a rainy day like this, you're treated to an X-files-esque view of a lake right at the beginning, complete with Vancouver-like pine trees (if you know, you know), but this is not a hike where you're going to end up looking out over anything; even the tops of the hills are in the middle of the woods, so you're just looking at the same trees you were looking at when you were at the bottom, just...higher. The other downside (depending on your perspective) is that this is probably the best kind of weather for the Pine Barrens in many ways, but it's hazardous. This hike has many boardwalks throughout the damper/swampier areas, but they get very slippery when it's rainy. I don't believe either of us legit lost our footing but we both hollered, 'Careful!' a lot. I'd recommend some tread on the hindpaws. I suspect due mostly to the weather, the wildlife and canine chum situations were terrible. We saw a pooch in the parking lot getting ready for a walk, but never encountered one during the entire 8.5 miles (and only saw a miserable-looking boy scout troop and two other people). Hopefully others have better luck. There was also a bright pink port-a-potty about halfway through right where the trail brushes up against the scout reservation, so if nature calls and you're trying to avoid direct body contact with pine needles dot dot dot. A lot of the hiking intangibles are here, so it's hard not to recommend this for just about anyone, regardless of skill level. It's not the kind of hike I'd do for a real workout, but to just get some fresh air and steps in? It's a nice change of pace if you're in the area. read more

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Wells Mills County Park is the largest county park in Ocean County. It's substantial actually. It actually feels more like a state park because the trails are longer and more involved. There's no admission fee to enter, which is great. You can just hang out closer to the main entrance by the lake. You can also go down the trails for just a little bit and come back. So, it can be what do you make of it. They have trails of all different lengths, however. The trails interconnect, so you can "cheat" and don't have to go down the full length of them. The green trail takes about an hour and a half to walk around. The white trail is windier and a little bit more scenic. The white trail also goes down much closer to the lake and through the cedar or swamp next to the lake. The yellow trail is very long. I've been on parts of it, but I've heard that it's relatively boring. One day I will want to walk the whole distance of it because it's close to 10 miles long. While most parks in Ocean County tend to be flat like a pancake, there's a little bit more elevation here. Some parts of the green and white trail would be easy to moderately difficult. But the trails are well blazed, and it's not terrible. Be careful because the trail map that I found online is old, and they have since updated it. When you come in there's a board that has a map posted. You can pick up an updated trail map there. It's also recommended that you sign in if you are going to be hiking for a distance. You don't want to get stuck in there and have the gates close on you. It's for your safety. There is a canoe launching dock on the lake, as well. When my friend comes next summer, who is a big kayaker, then I'll try it out. But I mostly go just for exercise and to go on the trails now. The park has a very safe feel, and I feel comfortable walking there. People generally say hi to you when you pass them on the trail. The only thing you need to worry about is ticks that may cause Lyme disease. So, make sure that you check for ticks, and take a shower as soon as you get home from there. read more

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I've been on a nature kick lately & this place def hit the spot! I was not ready for this trail at all! There is a map you can get the map at the nature center of all the trails they have and how long they are. My husband & I picked the 3.4 mile trail. Well it was no joke!! I wore the wrong sneakers for this & thank God I brought the deep woods off!! It didn't work very well!! The trails is mostly trees and more trees ! Bugs and more bugs! Oh yeah lots of spider webs. After we dealt with this and accepted it. It was a nice walk, and my favorite part was all the butterflies! Wow, they literally follow you around!! After walking,& my head was cleared and ready for the day ahead. So wear sneakers, socks, long pants, hat and bring the Off!! There is a spot for fishing, canoes for $3 and great photo ops of the water. read more

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Great for doggies, hiking, family, mountain biking and sightseeing, just prepare against ticks.

I'm not sure why a park would need a review, but I love to walk in nature, so this is a great place to spend some time.

Love this park , I love all parks lol. Beautiful and never busy ! Great to take kids fishing, hike , run , bike , just get out and take in nature ! Went on memorial day , like 6 people there . read more

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This is a beautiful place, with excellent trails. I go hiking here at least once or twice a week. The only problem that I have with the park is the number of times that I have come across people wit no leash on their dogs. There have been a few times that they got angry and yelled at me for asking that they put a leash on the dog while I walk past. I understand that people love their dogs and want to walk with them and I have no problem with them having their dogs in the park. But my problem is that I should not have to worry be afraid to walk in the park. If someone insists on having their dog off the leash they should be going to an offense dog park read more

About a year ago, my wife and I were walking the dogs through Wells Mills County Park, and in the berm at the side of the trail, I spotted a perfectly round hole of about two inches in diameter. On closer inspection, I saw that it was formed by the glass lip of a bottle. I removed it gently and found that it was a one quart Sealtest milk bottle; it had been buried under four inches of dirt, and was perfectly intact. I brought it home, cleaned it up, and did a little research; it dated back to either the late twenties or the early thirties, and I was delighted with my find. I could not stop thinking about how that bottle had sat in one piece, undisturbed for 80 or more years, just for me to stumble across it on a lovely fall day. I sat it on an occasional table by a window in my home office, and there it rested for about a month until one of my cats knocked it off and shattered it. What an unfitting end. I shouldn't have disturbed it. As they say, take only pictures, leave only footprints. Wise words indeed, and I'd heard them before. I wish I had listened. Located on 910 acres in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, Wells Mills is part of the Ocean County Park System. Marked by rolling hills which are uncharacteristic for the area, the park, centered around a lake formed by the damming of Oyster Creek, offers a good variety of terrain for hikes of varying difficulty. Canoes are available for rent in season, and the lake is also circled by a wide, flat bicycle path. The main building hosts an environmental center and an observation deck on the third floor, though I've never been inside. Thankfully, there is no hunting permitted within the park, but the lake is open to fishing. It is open from 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year. The 8.4 mile Penn's Hill Trail is moderately difficult, featuring frequent and numerous elevation changes, and offers the best sampling of the park's different ecosystems, which are more varied than one might expect, given the setting. read more

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Lyme tick central. I am paranoid of ticks and do all the preventive measures. My family and I stayed on all the paths avoiding the brush and we literally pulled 60+ ticks off of us. They were all the tiny Lyme ticks, I will never take my family back there again which is sad because it's a nice place. read more