Sandy Hook from the top of Twin Lights Lighthouse, Highlands, New Jersey

Sandy Hook is highlighted on this map

Sandy Hook is a barrier peninsula, approximately 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) in length and 800 meters (0.5 miles) (varying between .10 and 1 miles) wide, in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, along the Atlantic Ocean coast of eastern New Jersey in the United States. The barrier spit encloses the southern entrance of Lower New York Bay south of New York City. The Dutch called the area "Sant Hoek", and the word "Hook" comes from the Dutch "Hoek" meaning "spit of land".^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 542 KB) Summary Picture of Sandy Hook from Highlands, NJ. I (User:Batkins) took this picture, and license it under the GFDL. The narrow bit of land in the distance is Sandy Hook. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 542 KB) Summary Picture of Sandy Hook from Highlands, NJ. I (User:Batkins) took this picture, and license it under the GFDL. The narrow bit of land in the distance is Sandy Hook. ... The historic Twin Lights of Highlands, New Jersey The Twin Lights Lighthouse are located in Highlands, New Jersey, USA overlooking Sandy Hook Bay, the entrance to the New York Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. ... Highlands is a borough located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. ... Sandy Hook (New Jersey) © 2004 Matthew Trump File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Sandy Hook (New Jersey) © 2004 Matthew Trump File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... Map of Middletown Township in Monmouth County Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. ... Monmouth County is a county located in the state of New Jersey. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... Lower New York Bay is the section of New York Bay outside of the Narrows and open directly to the Atlantic Ocean. ... Nickname: Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1625 Government  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area  - City  468. ...

Geologically, it is a large sand spit or barrier spit, the extension of a barrier peninsula along the coast of New Jersey separated from the mainland by the estuary of the Shrewsbury River. On its western side, the peninsula encloses Sandy Hook Bay, a triangular arm of Lower New York Bay. The community of Highlands overlooks the southern part of the hook. This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... Rio de la Plata estuary Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Estuaries An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea[1]. Estuaries are often associated with high rates of... The Shrewsbury River is a short stream and navigable estuary, approximately 8 mi (13 km) long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. ... Sandy Hook Bay is a triangular arm of Raritan Bay, along the coast of northern New Jersey in the United States. ... Highlands is a borough located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. ...

Sandy Hook is owned by the federal government. Most of it is managed by the National Park Service as the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. The eastern shoreline consists of public beaches North Beach, Gunnison Beach, and South Beach. The southern part of the spit consists of public beaches, fishing areas, and the SeaGull's Nest, a seafood restaurant operated by a concessionaire. The peninsula's ocean-facing beaches are considered among the finest in New Jersey and are an extremely popular destination for summertime recreation. Gunnison Beach is one of the largest clothing optional (by custom) beaches on the east coast. The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Gateway National Recreation Area is a 26,607 acre (105 km²) recreation area owned by the United States government in the New York City metropolitan area. ... Concession stand is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a theatre, fair, or other event. ... Gunnison Beach located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, is part of the Sandy Hook unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and is managed by the National Park Service. ... Bredene naturist beach in Belgium. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...

Throughout history, it has formed a convenient anchorage for ships before proceeding into Upper New York Harbor. The now-defunct Fort Hancock is located at the north end of the peninsula. It is now open to the public. The Sandy Hook Proving Ground was a proving ground used by the United States Army for many years (post-Civil War to 1919, when the facility was moved to Aberdeen, Maryland) and was later the site of a Nike missile defense installation. The Sandy Hook Nike station is one of a very few stations that are still intact. Almost all of the fort's gun batteries are off limits to the public due to their hazardous condition. The exception to this is Battery Gunnison which is being restored by volunteers and also has two M-1900 six-inch cannon installed; the weapons were placed there in 1976. Guided tours give visitors a look at an actual Nike missile, the missile firing platforms, and a radar station (complete with 60's-era computers). This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Ft. ... The Sandy Hook Proving Ground was a military facility, formally established by the Secretary of War on August 7, 1874, to serve as the United States Armys first proving ground for the testing of ordnance and materiel. ... Proving Ground is a term for a military installation or reservation where weapons or other military technology are experimented or tested, or where military tactics are tested. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Launch of a Nike Zeus missile Project Nike was a US Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Labs, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. ...

Sandy Hook Lighthouse is located within the fort grounds, as is the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), a magnet high school, part of the Monmouth County Vocational School District. At the entrance to Fort Hancock is Guardian Park, a plaza dominated by two Nike missiles. Some of the buildings of Fort Hancock are off-limits because their structural integrity is dubious. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse after renovations in 2000. ... The Marine Academy of Science and Technologys logo The Marine Academy of Science and Technology (M.A.S.T.) is a coeducational four-year magnet public high school located in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade. ... The Monmouth County Vocational School District is a vocational school district in Monmouth County, New Jersey serving the need to provide area students with relevant skills to implement technology and to develop as life-long learners. ...

A controversial proposal was recently accepted to allow adaptive re-use of some of the buildings in Fort Hancock by private entities.

Beyond Fort Hancock is an outpost of the United States Coast Guard. This area is administered by the Department of Homeland Security and is off-limits to the general public. USCG HH-65 Dolphin The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States armed forces and is involved in maritime law enforcement, mariner assistance, search and rescue, and national defense. ... The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a Cabinet department of the federal government of the United States that is concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. ...

The "hook" is open year-round, but there is a parking fee during the summer months.

Transportation

The only road that grants the public access to Sandy Hook is Route 36. Route 36 is accessible from the Garden State Parkway at Exits 105 in Tinton Falls and 117 in Hazlet Township (near Keyport). Exit 117 is the more direct route for travelers. Another possibility is to take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 109, in Middletown Township, for County Route 520, and take 520 through Red Bank to its eastern terminus at Route 36 in Sea Bright. Another alternative is to take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 8A (in Monroe Township) to Route 32 east, to County Route 612 east, which then becomes County Route 520 east. Take CR 520 to its end in Sea Bright. Route 36 is a state highway in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. ... The Garden State Parkway is a 174. ... Map of Tinton Falls in Monmouth County Tinton Falls is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. ... Hazlet Township is a Township located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. ... Map of Keyport in Monmouth County Keyport is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. ... Map of Middletown Township in Monmouth County Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. ... County Route 520 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ... Map of Red Bank in Monmouth County The Borough of Red Bank is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey incorporated in 1908. ... Sea Bright is a borough located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. ... The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United States. ... Monroe Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. ... Route 32 is a state highway in New Jersey, United States. ... County Route 612 is a county route in Middlesex County, New Jersey that measures 5. ...

Ferries from East 34th Street and Pier 11 in Manhattan, in New York City, have been available in past years during the summer months.^[2] Manhattan is a borough of New York City, USA, coterminous with New York County. ... Nickname: Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1625 Government  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area  - City  468. ...

See also

• Geography of New York Harbor

New York Harbor waterways (numbered): 1. ...

References

December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (136th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

External links

• Virtual tour of Sandy Hook
• National Park Service guide to Visiting Sandy Hook
• Nike Missile Site NY-56

Map

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 40.452891° -73.995237°
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