Double Trouble State Park in Berkeley closed due to possible rabid fox

Erik Larsen and Thomas P. Costello, Asbury Park Press
·1 min read

BERKELEY - Double Trouble State Park was closed for a second day and until further notice due to the presence of a sickly animal within its 8,000 acres of Pinelands that may be infected with rabies, according to New Jersey officials.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the New Jersey State Park Service (Monday) temporarily closed Double Trouble State Park in Ocean County for all uses due to the presence of a potentially rabid fox that was behaving erratically and has been involved in encounters with visitors,” a statement on its official Facebook page said. “New Jersey Fish and Wildlife is taking steps to address the situation. The park remains closed until further notice. More details will be posted as they become available.”

The Pine Barrens’ ghost town is a favorite with canoeists and kayakers, while hikers, photographers, mountain bikers and horseback riders have access to miles of marked trails through pine forests and cedar swamps, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The park itself is part of Brendan T. Byrne State Forest.

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At the entrance to the park on Tuesday, traffic cones and a barricade blocked the entrance while yellow tape was strung across an entrance to bicycle trails — although it did not deter one bicyclist who was observed going around the tape when an Asbury Park Press photographer was on the scene.

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Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Double Trouble State Park in Berkeley closed due to possible rabid fox