NJ / 01 • UPPER FREEHOLD, MONMOUTH COUNTY
CLAYTON
PARK.
Rolling singletrack through one of Monmouth County’s oldest forests. Creek-side ridges, wooden bridges, a fast downhill on Bridges and enough punchy climbs on Doctor’s Creek to keep you honest.
~6 MI
Multi-use singletrack
456 AC
Of woods, fields and creek
523 FT
Climbing on the full Clayton Loop
BLUE
Intermediate, with a few black spots
THE PLACE
A FARM THAT BECAME A FOREST.
Clayton Park sits on the western end of a low ridge in the rolling farmland around Imlaystown. Farmer Paul Clayton bought the land in 1906 and worked it the old way, without electricity or running water. When developers and lumber companies came calling, he turned them down and sold to Monmouth County below market value on one condition: keep it wild. The county opened the park in 1979.
That promise is why the woods feel the way they do. Big beech, red and white oak, tulip poplar and shagbark hickory line the trails, and 76 acres around Doctor’s Creek and Old Forge were added to the Old-Growth Forest Network in 2023. Doctor’s Creek cuts a ravine through the middle of the park before draining into Imlaystown Lake.
TRAILHEAD
61 Emley’s Hill Road
Upper Freehold (Imlaystown), NJ 08526
HOURS
Open daily from 7 a.m. Closing time changes with the season, so check the county page before an evening lap.
AT THE LOT
Gravel lot with grass overflow, trail kiosk with the park map, picnic tables and a portable toilet.
SHARED WITH
Hikers, horses and leashed dogs. Ranger station: 609-259-5794
THE TRAILS
FOUR TRAILS.
ONE GOOD LOOP.
Two easier loops, Glen and Bridges, start right at the trailhead and feed into the tougher Old Forge and Doctor’s Creek trails out back.
GLEN
Short loop off the trailhead. Good warm-up and an easy way to link into the rest of the park.
BRIDGES
Bridges and a boardwalk, farm fields near Imlaystown Lake, and the long downhill the park is known for.
OLD FORGE
Follows Doctor’s Creek through the old-growth section. Roots, ravine edges and the best trees in the park.
DOCTOR’S CREEK
Starts over a bridge and climbs to the high point of the park (about 250 ft) on its eastern end, with views down into the valley.
Trail lengths and ratings from MTB Project. Ratings are a guide; ride what you’re comfortable with.
HOW WE RIDE IT
THE CLAYTON LOOP.
The Trailforks Clayton Loop strings Doctor’s Creek, Old Forge and Glen into one lap: 5.3 miles, about 523 ft of climbing, rated blue, with a fun downhill section. Short on time? The Clayton Park Fast Loop on MTB Project is 3.6 miles with roughly 384 ft of climbing and a jump or two.
Junction signs here can be confusing and some trails cross each other more than once, so load the map on your phone before you roll out.
ON CAMERA
OUR CLAYTON RIDES.
Every video in our
Clayton Park playlist.
BEFORE YOU GO
RIDE IT RIGHT.
HORSES ON TRAIL
This is a multi-use park. Slow down, call out, and give horses and hikers the right of way. Watch for what the horses leave behind, too.
HUNTING SEASON
Parts of the park are open for deer hunting in the 2026/27 season. Check the county’s dates and map, and wear something bright in fall and winter.
TICKS + MUD
The county posts a tick advisory for this park, so do a tick check after the ride. Skip it after heavy rain; soft trails rut fast.
Sources: Monmouth County Park System, Trailforks, MTB Project, NJ Trails. Conditions change; check the official page before you ride.