Sherry Felix – port4u

How did Cheesequake get it’s name? Cheesequake is named after a sub tribe of the Lenni Lenape (equates to “Original people’) called Chichequaas. They spoke Unami and/or Munsee. The Lenape lived in the area of Eastern Pennsylvania, Northern Delaware, and SE New York including Western Long Island and Manhattan. Their land is called Lenapihoking. The Cheesequake band originally lived in the Sand Hill area of Asbury Park, now six lanes of the Garden State Parkway. Remnants of the tribe still live near there and many became carpenters. The town of Asbury Park has many houses that were built by the local Native Americans. They are still known as the New Jersey Sand Hill Indians and are headquartered in Montaque, New Jersey.

Cheeseaquake State Park is in Monmouth County, New Jersey. See some information about the park at NJDEP New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,. The website with maps ,etc. is at NJDEP | Cheesequake State Park | New Jersey State Park Service (njparkseiadforests.org). There is a lot worth seeing in this small park. The trails are flat and there are many viewing platforms overlooking the marshlands. Parts of the blue trail that we attempted to follow is poorly marked and it is easy to lose the trail because of all the paths created by people leaving the trail. Fortunately, I use All-Trails maps with GPS and was able to find my way.