LBI 4x4 Beach Driving Info & Buggy Access
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Time to read 16 min
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Time to read 16 min
Long Beach Island's 18+ miles of open sand beaches is a surf angler's paradise which is full of great surf fishing opportunities. In the offseason four wheel drive beach buggy access is open. Cruising the sands in a buggy looking for structure, birds, breaking fish or any signs of life is a valuable asset to help finding fish on the surf [ https://fishinglbi.com/2022/06/12/finding-fish-on-the-surf/ ]. However, it can be challenging and requires some general knowledge.
Read this before driving on the beach so you know the rules and don't get stuck in the sand! Here are some fundamentals that will help you explore the sand beaches via 4x4 beach buggy.
Tips For 4x4 Beach Driving On Sand
Why Air Down & Where To Air Up On LBI
Where to Buy LBI 4x4 Beach Buggy Permits
LBI 4x4 Access Ramp Locations
First and foremost, when 4x4 beach driving your vehicle must be ready for off-road use and have four wheel drive. All wheel drive vehicles are not recommended. Some risk it, but it’s not uncommon to see them stuck in lumpy soft sand conditions. Nothing beats a Jeep or a compact 4x4, but all 4x4 vehicles will work following the basic do’s and dont's.
Acquire 4x4 Beach Permit from each municipality that you intend to drive on. (More Info Below)
Air Down to float over the sand (More Info Below)
Always be prepared with Essential Emergency Equipment (More Info Below)
Always know the tides & marine weather before venturing onto the beach. It's best to drive the beach around the bottom of the tide, lower water, last two hours of outgoing and the first hour of incoming tide.
Always drive slow, all LBI beaches have a 15 MPH Speed Limit
Alway drive with extreme care and courtesy
Always start and stop gently with a slow and easy gas pedal.
Always watch out for seawalls and wash outs.
Lookout for driftwood which might have nails that can damage a tire and also lodge into the undercarriage.
Don’t swerve all over the beach. Stay in the tracks.
Stay away/off the dunes
Never steer hard over and never stomp the gas pedal or break.
Goosing the gas will result in a buried, framed vehicle
Don’t venture out onto the beach low on fuel. 4x4 driving in sand burns significantly more fuel.
Never venture onto the beach without first reducing your tire pressure.
Lower tire pressure increases the contact area of the tire’s tread to the ground. Moreover, a deflated tire’s sidewall flexes and the sidewall bears more of the vehicle’s weight. This allows the tires to float on and over the sand, making 4x4 beach driving easy.
Properly deflated tires do not spin or dig into the sand. Each vehicle is different. There's no written rule but a common theme is to take the tire down about half of the standard air pressure. A tire that would call for 35 PSI will usually ride great on the beach at 17 PSI. For most vehicles 15 PSI is the magic number even in the softest sugar sand.
How to easily lower tire pressure? Don’t let airing down be a chore. Kneeling down and holding the tire stem to manually deflate a tire takes a lot of time, is uncomfortable and can be terrible in windy - cold - wet conditions. Quickly, conveniently and precisely air down with a great Made In America products from JT Brooks Automatic Tire Deflators which are convenient, fast and precise!
TIP: When driving on a soft sand beach knobby tread and traction is not important like off roading in mud or on rocky terrain. By and large, most vehicles require no modification for use on the beach. Standard street radial tires perform very well and bald tires are surprisingly the best. Lifted trucks and oversized wheels are not needed. Aggressively - knobby off road tires do not perform well on the beach and can hurt more than they help in soft sand as their tread digs in.
Once done 4x4 beach driving (off the beach) be sure to air up as soon as possible. While deflated, do not drive at high speeds or make sharp turns. Deflated tires increase fuel consumption, cause increased tire wear and affects the vehicle's handling. Air up at these two locations…
Mid-Island - Ship Bottom's Fisherman’s Headquarters has a free air pump station that is available 24/7
South End - Holgate's Parking Lot entrance, just north of the bathroom building has a free air pump station.
Properly deflated tires do not spin or dig into the sand. A common rule of thumb is to remove half of the air. For example, a 35 PSI tire will usually ride great on the beach at 17 PSI. For most vehicles 15-17 PSI is the magic number even in the softest sugar sand.
The following equipment is essential when caught in a bind on the beach:
It is also helpful to have a cutting tool large enough to cut a good size fishing hook. Recovery traction tracks aka off road recovery boards are also helpful.
Under Tow Service - P:609.492.0020
South Shore Towing - P: 609.597.9964
Long Beach Island is made up of basically five different municipalities which each offer their own beach buggy permit - license. Yes, in order to drive all of the LBI beaches, 5 permits are required. For simplicity's sake the towns of Long Beach Island are listed out below from north to south and all towns which are part of Long Beach Township are designated with a asterisk (*LBT) after their name listing.
When obtaining a beach buggy permit - license, be sure to bring a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance card. Each town if different so it is important to take note of accepted payment options as well as the permits duration. Annual refers to the calendar year. Season refers to Fall-Winter-Spring (Sept - May).
The northernmost town of LBI does NOT allow beach buggies. I repeat, NO vehicles are permitted on the beach in the town of Barnegat Light. Surf fishing access is by foot only! Public street parking is ample. The Barnegat Light State Park offers both easy parking and fishing access to the Inlet as well as the north end’s surf.
The northernmost town in Long Beach Township is made up of mostly private tracts and only a few public streets. Public parking and beach access is limited. Loveladies is best accessed and fished via 4x4 beach buggy. There is a small public parking are with beach access walkway for pedestrians at Dolphin Ave.
Loveladies 4x4 Beach Driving Access Ramps: Coast Ave, Long Beach Township Loveladies Public Beach one block south of St Clare’s Church (Tract 55)
Beach buggy access is open October 1st to May 15th. The annual permit is $50 and can be purchased via cash or check at the Harvey Cedars Police Department located at 7606 Long Beach Blvd. For more info call 609.361.6000
Due to beach erosion, Harvey Cedars has short and steep beaches. Almost every street in town offers public parking and easy beach access.
Harvey Cedars 4x4 Beach Driving Access Ramps: 83rd Street, Middlesex Ave, Hudson Ave, Bergen Ave
In between the towns of Harvey Cedars and Surf City is North Beach. It’s easily distinguished when driving on the boulevard north from Surf City as it has a grass median running the length of town. Similar to Loveladies, its primarily private tracks so public beach access is limited. The only public access is from the north side of town (Bergen Ave in Harvey Cedars) or the southside (Surf City’s 25th Street in Surf City). There is one small public parking lot in the middle of town at the tennis courts, North Beach Public Beach.
North Beach 4x4 Beach Driving Access Ramps: Bergen Ave (Harvey Cedars), Tract 1065 At Tennis Court, 25th Street (Surf City)
Surf City’s beaches are open to 4x4 beach driving vehicle access from the 3rd Saturday in September and access closes on the 4th Saturday in May. The seasonal permit is $25 and can be purchased via cash or check at the Surf City Police Department at Town Hall located at 813 Long Beach Blvd. P: 609.494.8121
The north end of town has shorter breaches and commonly a closer in bar whereas the south end of town tends to have a wider beach and larger trough between the beach and outer break’s sandbar.
Surf City 4x4 Beach Driving Access Ramps: 25th Street, 18th Street, 12th Street, North 5th Street
Ship Bottom’s beaches are open to beach buggy access from the 3rd Saturday in September to the 3rd Saturday in May. The annual $50 permit is purchased via cash, check or credit/debit (with 3% surcharge) at the Ship Bottom Borough Hall (upstairs at the municipal clerks office Mon-Friday 9AM-4:30PM). There is also an office at the Ship Bottom Boat Ramp where Ship Bottom beach permits are sold; however on limited hours and closed after Thanksgiving. Permits are free for disabled veterans, but a copy of documentation must be given to the town. For more information visit the Ship Bottom Borough Hall at 1621 Long Beach Blvd or call 609.494.2171 ext 116.
At the heart of Long Beach Island, Ship Bottom offers easy public beach access and has large beaches. It’s known for its fairly sloped beach profile and fairly easy beach driving conditions.
Ship Bottom 4x4 Beach Driving Access Ramps: 5th Street, 11th Street, 17th Street, 31st Street
Long Beach Township is open to 4x4 beach driving vehicles from October 1 to May 15th. The $50 annual permit is obtained from the Long Beach Twp Police Dept which is located on the south side of the municipal complex with easy access from the Ocean side on 69th street. Location 6805 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach Twp, NJ 08008 P: 609.494.3322. Payment accepted by in-state check or money order only. No cash. No Card.
Veterans are FREE and there is a special 9-week Fall LBI Surf Fishing Classic Surf Fishing Tournament Permit $25.
On LBI, Long Beach Twp encompasses the most miles of beach which includes the following subsect towns; Loveladies, North Beach, the many towns between Brant Beach and North Beach Haven as well as Holgate front beaches and the Federal Edwin B Forstyth Holgate Wildlife Refuge (more info in Refuge section below). Sometimes it is easier to think of LBI this way, Long Beach Twp is all of LBI except Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom and Beach Haven.
Long Beach Township 4x4 Beach Driving Access Ramps:
Brant Beach: 31st, 46th, 66th Street (Goodrich), 72nd Street (Coughlin);
Brighton Beach: 80th Street (Surf),
Beach Haven Park: 106th Street (Nebraska)
Spray Beach: 117th Street (Wyoming)
Beach Haven Gardens: South 34th Street
North Beach Haven: 13th Street
Beach Haven’s beaches are open to 4x4 beach buggy access from September 15th to May 15th. The annual permit is $25 and is obtained at the Beach Haven Police Department located at 300 Engleside Ave. Payment must be made via cash or check. For more info on Beach Haven access call 609.492.0505.
Beach Haven 4x4 Beach Access Ramps: Taylor Ave, Center Street, Holyoke Ave
For details on driving the town beaches of Holgate see the Long Beach Twp. section. Watch for erosion and steep access ramps.
Holgate 4x4 Beach Access Ramps: Parking lot south of Nelson Avenue block, Washington Avenue
The access gate at the South End’s parking lot (end of the boulevard) is managed by US Fish & Wildlife Service (Feds - Contact P: 609.652.1665 or email forsythe@fws.gov); however, the beach permit for 4x4 vehicle access is administered by Long Beach Twp. Yes, the Long Beach Twp $50 permit grants access to the Holgate Refuge as well as the beaches of Long Beach Twp.
The Holgate Unit of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge opens each year on September 1st. However, due to late nesting birds it can be delayed. There is one access ramp at the end of the boulevard. Drive slowly through the parking lot, pass the open gate, then towards the right and onto the beach.
Holgate is the southernmost town on Long Beach Island. At the south end of town lies the Holgate Unit of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, a 3 miles long peninsula. When the US Fish & Wildlife (P: 609.652.1665) managed gate is open, both pedestrians and four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed to partake in wildlife-oriented activities such as fishing, photography and environmental education.
From April 1 to September 1 the entire Holgate Peninsula, both above and below the mean high water line, is closed to all public entry, including boat and personal watercraft landings.
When 4x4 beach driving in the Holgate Refuge, as per federal mandates, no motor vehicle use may occur on or above the berm crest. Where there is a beach berm crest, the vehicle must be kept to the seaward side of the crest. Where there is no beach berm crest, the vehicle must be kept in wet sand or in the case of blowout tide below the last regular high tide line. This intertidal zone is easily identified by its harder packed sands.
Occasionally some areas of Holgate's beach may not be accessible to 4x4 beach driving vehicles due to ongoing, naturally occurring variations in beach width, or because of excessively high tides. During storms Holgate access can be closed for safety. It usually opens once the storm clears and after at least one regular high tide cycle.
When the route is impassable, vehicles must wait until the tide permits passage. No vehicles or pedestrians are allowed on or near the dunes or grassy areas at any time. Drivers must use caution and not enter closed areas.
1) Dry Sugar Sand: This is the fin-grained white sand that is found on the dunes, and often all the way down to the high water mark. This type of sand is the hardest to gain traction on, and requires the use of lower tire pressures, as it is not uncommon for vehicles to pack this sand down 5 to 6 inches before it becomes firm enough to offer traction. Drive on it only when necessary.
2) Hard Packed Sugar Sand: Results from moisture getting into sugar sand, and it drying as the tide recedes. This sand is ideal to drive on, as vehicles sink only slightly into it before gaining traction, or ride right over the top of it. After periods of exceptionally high tides, a section of beach comprised of this type of sand may exist for days all the way up to the dunes. When present, this sand is good for driving.
3) Moist Sand: Occurs on the receding tide. It is very hard-packed. Vehicles cruise right over the top of it. This is by far the easiest and most favored type of sand to drive on.
4) Wet Sand: Occurs near the shore-break. Should be avoided at all costs, as it can act like quicksand, and is very difficult to get out of. If forced to travel in it-do not stop!
Before you go 4x4 beach driving, make sure you are at one of the designated access points for the municipality you are driving in. For local driving on Long Beach Island, it is usually ideal to drop your tire pressure down to 20 PSI. Make sure your vehicle is in four wheel drive mode.
Make all turns gradually, planning ahead. Whenever you are going to descend or ascend an embankment, try to do so at a 60-degree angle or better, driving parallel to an embankment when on one can bring about the risk of rollover.
Always stay below posted signs (especially prevalent in Holgate) and off the dunes.
Without exception, avoid driving near cliffs in the sand. Coming within even a few feet of a drop-off can collapse a cliff and either bury or roll your vehicle.
Try not to turn unless you have a fair amount of momentum and speed built up. There is a substantial increase in drag when turning, and your level of traction will decrease. Having a good head of steam will allow you to complete your turn without getting stuck.
Try to always accelerate and decelerate very gradually. Accelerating too rapidly will cause you to spin your tires and dig your tires into the sand. The softer the sand, the more imperative this is. Same thing when decelerating, too rapid a stop can cause you to dig in.
When possible, always travel in tracks made by prior buggy drivers. It puts less stress on your vehicle. If you have a buggy with low clearance and the tire ruts are so deep as to force you to drag the bottom of your truck on top of the sand between the tracks, keep one side of your vehicle in the tracks, breaking sand with only the one side of your vehicle. Keep your speed at no higher than 15 mph, the speed limit on the beaches of LBI. Traveling between 10 and 15 mph allows you to monitor beach conditions ahead of you and strategize your future path.
When parking, always try to park on firm sand that is level. It is very important to avoid stopping on uphill soft sand. In areas where the beach is narrow, park parallel to the beach so as not to impede the progress of other buggies. Otherwise, it is helpful to park with the rear or front of the vehicle facing the water to allow easy access to your equipment. One helpful hint is to back up in your tracks a little way when parking, so that you are on packed sand when you pull forward later. DON'T PARK IN THE TRACKS!
If you start to spin your tires and get stuck, get off the accelerator, you will only succeed in burying your wheels up to the axle or beyond in a hurry. First, make sure your tires are parallel with your vehicle. You never want to be turning if you start to bog down. If your tires were already straight, or you could not move forward after straightening them out, get the shovel out and dig a rut in front of at least two, if not all four tires. This should allow you to get going again.
When driving around jetties, make sure to steer well above them, as often there will only be a small amount of sand above the rocks. Getting up near the dunes will ensure safe passage.
When driving at night, DO NOT shine your lights on the water. Whenever possible, try to travel via your parking lights. Headlights can both blind anglers robbing them of their night vision, as well as spooking fish in the shallows. Vehicles with daytime running lights can deactivate them by depressing the emergency brake one notch.
When leaving the beach, make sure you are exiting via an approved access point. When climbing a sand dune, especially a steeper one made of soft sugar sand, try to get up a good head of steam and climb it at a 60 to 90 degree angle, without accelerating or decelerating. This will allow for smooth passage. If you do get stuck, back straight down the dune before turning parallel to the beach. Go a good distance down the beach, turn around and try again, trying to use your own prior tracks, or another vehicles tracks.
Excerpts from Introduction to Beach Driving, 2000 by Fisherman's Headquarters Inc.
Properly permitted vehicles can drive in the five municipalities on LBI such as Long Beach Township, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom and Beach Haven. For more details explore this 4x4 beach access guide.
No. Campers and sleeping on the beach is prohibited.
No, alcohol is prohibited
No, fires are prohibited; however, special permits are issues. Explore options with local police.
Refill tire pressure as soon as possible at...
1) Ship Bottom's Fisherman’s Headquarters has a free air pump station available 24/7. It is conveniently located near the enterance and exit to LBI on the Causeway.
2) Holgate's Parking Lot entrance, just north of the bathroom building has a free air pump station.