360 Monastery Lane, Aberdeen Township, NJ 07747
732-264-7277
Park Map | Tick Advisory
Park opens at 7 a.m. daily, year round.
Closing time is 5:30 p.m. through January 14; 6 p.m. January 15-February 11; and 6:30 p.m. February 12-March 8.
Portions of this site will be open for deer hunting during the 2024/2025 season.
Located along the headwaters of Matawan Creek and Lake Lefferts, this 313-acre park is comprised mostly of woodland and protects critical wildlife habitat and bolsters water quality in the region. Both historically and environmentally significant, the park provides open space in a densely populated area of the county.
Trails may be accessed from the Monastery Lane and Greenwood Avenue entrances. Modern restrooms are available in the Visitor Center when programs are in session. Work is underway on expanding the trail system and making improvements to the buildings.
The park is named after a poet of the American Revolution, Philip Morin Freneau, whose family once partly owned the property. Known for his inspirational poetry and influential political articles in support of the American Revolution, Freneau played an important role shaping the country’s history.
In accordance with New Jersey’s Smoke Free Air Act, all Monmouth County parks are tobacco free. The ban applies to cigarettes, pipes, cigars, e-cigarettes, and vaporize cigarettes, as well as smokeless tobacco such as snuff and chew.
Upcoming free program:
Cold Water Sharks of New Jersey
Sunday, January 12 from 3-4 p.m.
Freneau Woods Park Visitor Center, Aberdeen
If you think the waters are free from sharks in the winter, you may be wrong. Join a Naturalist as we discover sharks that can not only survive in cold water but that can be found near the Jersey Shore, including porbeagles, spiny dogfish, and maybe even a great white. There are many ways these fish have adapted to feed and forage during the winter when limited resources exist. We will also discover threats to sharks and how to save them.
Grey Squirrels of Monmouth County
Saturday, February 8 from 3-4 p.m.
Freneau Woods Park Visitor Center, Aberdeen
In New Jersey, our most common squirrel is the Eastern gray squirrel, but just because it’s common does not mean people know much about it. Join a Naturalist to discover more about these furry critters including some other species of squirrels that call New Jersey home. There is more to squirrels than just eating nuts in your backyard.
Directions:
FROM ROUTE 79
Take Route 79 (also called Freneau Road) north or south to Wilson Avenue. Go west on Wilson Avenue. Turn right onto Monastery Lane. Continue to the end of the road. Parking area is on the right.
FROM ROUTE 34
Take Route 34 north or south to Mill Road. Go west on Mill Road. Turn right onto Route 79 North (also called Freneau Road). Turn left onto Wilson Avenue. Turn right onto Monastery Lane. Continue to the end of the road. Parking area is on the right next to the Visitor Center.