Sunset at the Manasquan River Wildlife Management Area

Ben Ruset

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Oct 12, 2004
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Well, it's not the Pine Barrens but I discovered this little slice of heaven only about 15 minutes from my house yesterday. I just got a new wide angle lens for my camera and wanted to give it a try and I caught this after the clouds started to change color and the trees caught a bit of side light as the sun peeked through a hole in the clouds.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of history here. The 1930s aerials just show some farm fields around and a RR station at nearby Allenwood. The Howell Iron Works (today's Allaire State Park) is nearby but I'm pretty sure they imported bog iron from elsewhere, so there probably wasn't any ore raising done here. I'm hoping to bring my kayak here sometime soon and explore the river a bit.

DSCF1838-Edit.jpg
 

Boyd

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Jul 31, 2004
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Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
It shows up pretty well on the 3d LIDAR

https://boydsmaps.com/#17.00/40.138874/-74.114462/mbx3dmidatl/-30.60/60.80

I'd love to find the source. It starts somewhere in Freehold.

If I'm reading it correctly, the c. 1999 USGS 24k topo appears to show the Manasquan becoming an intermittent stream up here

https://boydsmaps.com/#16.00/40.205891/-74.337658/pines1999/0.00/0.00

You can see where it goes upstream pretty clearly on the LIDAR

https://boydsmaps.com/#17.00/40.205899/-74.337797/mbx3dmidatl/0.00/0.00
 
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Boyd

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Jul 31, 2004
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Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
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Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
Looking at the 1890 topo leads me to believe that the "source" is actually just rainwater coming down from all of the hills in the area and then joining together to make a stream. https://boydsmaps.com/#14.00/40.215602/-74.302232/njginHist/0.00/0.00

It's so interesting to see the topography in the area change over the years. In 1870 it looks like there was a mill pond nearby. By 1930 you can see it dried out and (presumably) being used as a field of some sort. Now there's no trace of it. Interestingly there's a lot of activity there on the 1949 topo.
That sliver of light on the horizon makes all the difference. Last light. Beautiful.
Thanks! I love how it lit up the tops of the trees to the left.
 
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ninemileskid

Explorer
Sep 14, 2014
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Looking at the 1890 topo leads me to believe that the "source" is actually just rainwater coming down from all of the hills in the area and then joining together to make a stream. https://boydsmaps.com/#14.00/40.215602/-74.302232/njginHist/0.00/0.00

It's so interesting to see the topography in the area change over the years. In 1870 it looks like there was a mill pond nearby. By 1930 you can see it dried out and (presumably) being used as a field of some sort. Now there's no trace of it. Interestingly there's a lot of activity there on the 1949 topo.

Thanks! I love how it lit up the tops of the trees to the left.
Google map shows a tributary called Sawmill Creek.
The Manasquan also flows under Lakewood-Farmingdale Rd and then Rte. 195. I fished that stretch of the river, it was very muddy and I caught nothing...that does not mean there were no fish there, In between the split in the Lakewood-Farmingdale Rd. there is a sanitary sewer pump station and a VERY interesting graveyard. Worth a look if you're in the neighborhood but the place is loaded with ticks.
 
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Ben Ruset

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Google map shows a tributary called Sawmill Creek.
The Manasquan also flows under Lakewood-Farmingdale Rd and then Rte. 195. I fished that stretch of the river, it was very muddy and I caught nothing...that does not mean there were no fish there, In between the split in the Lakewood-Farmingdale Rd. there is a sanitary sewer pump station and a VERY interesting graveyard. Worth a look if you're in the neighborhood but the place is loaded with ticks.
Do you mean the Quaker Cemetary, right by 195? I've never been but have always meant to.

 

Trailwalker

Scout
Sep 5, 2023
42
31
(ex-piney) in Florida
My stomping grounds growing up. Have paddled that river from near Howell High School down to Bryce Park many times. Further upstream around the Haven's Bridge (referenced in Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town) area the river is lined with very steep banks. it is near this area that the Fenton gang's cave was purported to be. Always wondered about the Willy Wonka color of the river but there is a scientific reason for it. Downstream from the gauging falls off of Lakewood Farmingdale road the area would get loaded up with fishermen so there is definitely something in there worth catching.
 
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Ben Ruset

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Oct 12, 2004
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Monmouth County
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My stomping grounds growing up. Have paddled that river from near Howell High School down to Bryce Park many times. Further upstream around the Haven's Bridge (referenced in Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town) area the river is lined with very steep banks. it is near this area that the Fenton gang's cave was purported to be. Always wondered about the Willy Wonka color of the river but there is a scientific reason for it. Downstream from the gauging falls off of Lakewood Farmingdale road the area would get loaded up with fishermen so there is definitely something in there worth catching.

Where did you put in? Up by the high school?
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,606
551
Galloway
My stomping grounds growing up. Have paddled that river from near Howell High School down to Bryce Park many times. Further upstream around the Haven's Bridge (referenced in Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town) area the river is lined with very steep banks. it is near this area that the Fenton gang's cave was purported to be. Always wondered about the Willy Wonka color of the river but there is a scientific reason for it. Downstream from the gauging falls off of Lakewood Farmingdale road the area would get loaded up with fishermen so there is definitely something in there worth catching.
something in the soils, I presume? Do you know what exactly is giving the water its color?
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,606
551
Galloway
Well, it's not the Pine Barrens but I discovered this little slice of heaven only about 15 minutes from my house yesterday. I just got a new wide angle lens for my camera and wanted to give it a try and I caught this after the clouds started to change color and the trees caught a bit of side light as the sun peeked through a hole in the clouds.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of history here. The 1930s aerials just show some farm fields around and a RR station at nearby Allenwood. The Howell Iron Works (today's Allaire State Park) is nearby but I'm pretty sure they imported bog iron from elsewhere, so there probably wasn't any ore raising done here. I'm hoping to bring my kayak here sometime soon and explore the river a bit.

View attachment 17493
I used to visit this location when I lived in Brielle. Always wanted to put my kayak in there.
 
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