Swimming River Reservoir–Marlu Lake Loop, 8 sights is a 4.7-mile loop in Thompson Park near Holmdel, NJ. The route passes Marlu Lake and Swimming River Reservoir. It is mostly level, with 56 ft of elevation gain. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi43 – 118 ft4.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Thompson Loop 40.33986, -74.16485
Nearest town Holmdel, NJ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Swimming River Reservoir–Marlu Lake Loop, 8 sights
4.7 mi · ▲ 56 ft · 1 hr 36 min
Elevation 44–118 ft
Loop · Thompson Park
Trailhead: Thompson Loop · 40.33986, -74.16485
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 81°F / low 69° · precip 3% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:24 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Thompson Loop, heading SE.
- 0.3 miPass Marlu Lake.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Marlu Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear left onto Thompson Loop, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Wanderer Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Swimming River Reservoir.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Thompson/Inner Loop, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Inner Loop Shortcut, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Inner Loop, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Thompson Loop, heading NW.
- 1 miThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
25% dirt5% paved70% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 81°F69°
Precip3%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity69%
Rained 0.2″ 2 days ago (1.6″ over the last week)
Hourly temperature
85°65°
Sunrise 6:29 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:24 PM
Sun
72°64°
19%
Mon
80°61°
Tue
84°63°
Wed
87°65°
Thu
84°71°
Fri
76°60°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~16 min). Leave by 6:48 PM for the 7:24 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Thompson Loop Trailhead
- Marlu Lake–Inner Loop Loop, 4 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 26 ft
Get outside more
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