When I’m not busy planning weddings I love spending time outside doing the kind of things that you get to enjoy when you live “down the shore” all year round. Many of you may already know how much I am obsessed with  my stand-up paddle board and how I love kayaking out in my back yard. I also love to go hiking, and one of my favorite excuses to hike (not that I need one) is to go geocaching. Last week, I visited the Manahawkin Bridge to Nowhere. I thought I’d share my experience with you this week on the blog.

The Manahawkin Bridge to Nowhere

The Manahawkin Bridge to Nowhere is an odd little place. If you like to kayak you can find a listing for it on the Great Bay Paddler’s website here. And if you like to bird watch, apparently it’s a great place to spot owls in the winter. The NJ Audubon magazine has a great write-up on the owls and hawks you might spot here.

But I went there for a quick exploration and to see it for myself one evening on our way home from a workout on the beach. Just an FYI: This is not a place I would recommend visiting solo. It’s best to go with someone. Because despite being “nowhere” there were actually a considerable number of people doing the same thing we were.

How to Reach the Manahawkin Bridge to Nowhere

Take the GSP to Route 72 east (exit 63), go east toward Long Beach Island. Then head north on Route 9 to the traffic light at Bay Ave. Continue straight and make the next right onto Stafford Ave. Go straight, cross Hillard Ave. you will soon enter into the Manahawkin Wildlife Management Area. The road’s condition is questionable. Use your best judgement. But we made it to “nowhere” and back in my Elantra, so you probably don’t need your four-wheel drive.

Why is the Manahawkin Bridge to Nowhere There?

I asked around. I goggled it (a lot). I’ve found a bunch of different answers. One theory holds that it was the original bridge to LBI but fell into the water during a storm. Another version says that the bridge was never finished. I don’t give much credibility to these theories. It’s hearsay. I can’t find any hard evidence. Another theory says it was built during WWII by NJ Bell as an access point to a telephone farm the phone company built. I give this one a little more credence. You can still see the telephone poles, and they still line the road leading to the Bridge to Nowhere. Off in the distance you can still see the telephone farm.

What Did We See There?

Among a few cars and other visitors were an abundance of Egrets. I didn’t have the right camera on me, so you probably can’t spot them in the pics I snapped with my iPhone 6. But, trust me they’re there. We also saw an amazing sunset.