Name: MOONLIGHT HIKE AT SANDY HOOK, NJ
Start: 2026-01-02T15:00:00-07:00
Location: PARKING LOT D At SANDY HOOK

MYSTERY IN THE MOONLIGHT…..
A WALK ON THE BEACH AT SANDY HOOK, NJ
FRIDAY—JANUARY 2, 2026
Hey there, let’s try a walk on the beach beneath the nearly full Wolf Moon. We will meet at 5 p.m. in Parking Area D in the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area off of State Highway Route 36. The 5 p.m. meeting time is a compromise between the moon rise and the park’s closing (at 9 p.m.).
No hills, but plenty of sand (some hard packed, some not). Rain or snow would cancel, but the forecast right now is good—a few clouds and mostly clear skies. Will it be cold? Check! Will it be windy? Check! Check! So, NO COTTON, dress in layers, with a good windbreaker. You might also consider bringing clear safety glasses to protect your eyes from the wind and possibly blowing sand. A neck gaiter/face mask might also be helpful. Although we shouldn’t need to use them under the full moon, bring a headlamp and/or a flashlight.
The moon will be above the horizon as we start walking north along the water’s edge and play tag with the waves (okay, a little poetic license here….). But ya never know, maybe we will see a mermaid or two or encounter a giant kraken…. (We will see NYC in the distance.) We will saunter along for an hour to an hour and a half and then turn around and head back, so anywhere between 4 and 6 miles. Then perhaps we will look for a little place for an evening snack.
NOTE: If you arrive a little late, walk toward the ocean and turn to the north (“left”). You will either catch up to us or meet us on the way back. (We should back at the parking area between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m.) NOTE: As of Tuesday, the unisex bathroom at the parking area was open.
WHEN: 5 p.m.
WHERE: PARKING AREA “D”—SANDY HOOK—GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA. (AREA D is about 1.7 miles from the entrance gate [no fee] on the right.)
[ 40.42409/-73.98447 ]