Check out this unique NJ sunset that really isn’t a sunset
New Jersey really has some incredible sights. From High Point to Cape May and everything in between, New Jersey truly is an amazing place.
Sometimes, certain things line up just right to create something incredible. And that's what happened while my son and I were on a hike.
It was later in the afternoon early in January when we were thinking of trying to get out of the house to do something. My one son wasn't having it, which you have to expect sometimes when you have kids.
My other son, however, was up for getting out. He wanted to go on a hike with me, which is something I love to do.
We decided to take a hike along the Henry Hudson Trail in Monmouth County. It's a very popular path that many hike and bike every day.
For those unfamiliar with the Henry Hudson Trail, it runs along the path of an old rail line stretching from Freehold to Highlands in Monmouth County.
Depending on the section you're on, you can actually see remnants of the old train tracks along the path. It's really a cool area to check out.
And because the path is where an old rail line once was, the trail itself is relatively flat. This makes it easy to travel for people of all fitness levels.
For this hike, my son and I decided to walk the Bayshore section, which is the portion that runs between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. This portion is the most eastern section of the path and a very unique portion at that.
The views at this part of the trail are stunning. Aside from the lovely victorian homes at the Atlantic Highlands portion, most of this section overlooks New York City across the Hudson Bay.
At one portion of the path, you can stop and check out the Henry Hudson Springs. It's a very old spring that's no longer safe to drink from, but back in the day, Henry Hudson himself actually used it for water.
It was around 4:30 p.m. when we finished checking out the springs and started heading back toward the path. It is at this point that sunset started to occur, and point that we experienced what appeared to be a sunset over the bay.
Check it out. What appears to be the sunset is actually the sunlight's reflection off the skyscrapers of New York City.
Pretty wild, right? We just happened to be at the right place at the right time in January to experience a blinding sunset reflecting off the city buildings.
And it was bright, too. So bright in fact, that it was hard to look at even with sunglasses on. Perhaps that was a sign of the UV rays also reflecting back at us.
Yes, it was probably dangerous to look at to an extent, but it was also mesmerizing. This lasted for probably about a good ten minutes before the sun dropped low enough below the horizon for it to go away.
But even after that, many of the buildings continued to glow orange for a while before the sun finally went all the way down and the evening skyline took over.
It was quite a sight, and one I'm glad we had a chance to experience. This stretch of the Henry Hudson Trail is beautiful at any time of day, and I highly recommend you come check it out if you've never been.
And although we never actually saw the true sunset thanks to the giant ridge that runs along this portion of the path, we still got to witness a unique Jersey sunset courtesy of the skyscrapers in New York City.