New Jersey is the most densely populated state per square mile in the United States. We’re also the only state where every county is classified as urban by federal government standards. Still, there are certain parts of New Jersey that are considered rural, particularly areas of Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Burlington, Ocean, Atlantic, Cumberland, Cape May and Salem Counties. While these areas may be small in population, they are big on charm.

  1. A bucolic Knowlton Township farm.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. A spectacular shot of a horse farm in Colts Neck.

Flickr/b k

  1. Dusk near Hope. The Delaware Water Gap is in the distance.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. A rustic red farmhouse near Sergeantsville.

Flickr/Garden State Hiker

  1. Beautiful Jersey wetlands in Dennisville.

Flickr/Louis Dallara

  1. The Appalachian Trail, running through Sussex County.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. Rural parts of Cape May County are a haven for birdwatchers. Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge is pictured.

Flickr/hjhipster

  1. Just a small portion of New Jersey’s 700,000+ acres of farmland. Photo shot in Fredon.

Facebook/ ‎Marilyn Ehrhart De Block

  1. Can you believe this beautiful blue barn in Pennington is just miles from Trenton?

Flickr/Bill

  1. Sunflower fields at Duke Farms in Hillsborough.

Flickr/Anthony Quintano

  1. Our rural areas include both farms and forests. Stokes State Forest is seen here.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. Our gorgeous pinelands. Wharton State Forest near Goshen Pond.

Flickr/Carly Schwartz

  1. A Franklin Township farmstead.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. New Jersey’s famous Pine Barrens cranberry bogs.

Flickr/Vilseskogen

  1. The sun disappears and darkness begins to fall over Manalapan.

Flickr/Bob Jagendorf

  1. Columbia Wildlife Management Area near Knowlton.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. The always lovely Allaire State Park.

Flickr/Shawn Perez

  1. A spectacular wildlife shot at Parvin State Park.

Flickr/David Slack

  1. Looking across the Delaware Water Gap.

Flickr/Jim Lukach

  1. A cotton candy sunset in Harmony Township.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

  1. Take a serene stroll along the river at Washington Crossing State Park.

Flickr/Art G.

  1. One of the best parts of rural New Jersey? You can see the stars! Old Barney is seen here during a meteor shower.

Facebook/David Cassius

  1. A picturesque farm in Sandyston.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

Clearly, New Jersey is more than just a tangle of highways, though out-of-staters may not believe it. While the hustle and bustle of our urban areas is great, sometimes it’s nice to relax and appreciate nature. Something about these photos is just so calming. What’s your favorite part of New Jersey? Submit your rural photos to the Only In New Jersey Facebook Page.

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

Flickr/b k

Flickr/Garden State Hiker

Flickr/Louis Dallara

Flickr/hjhipster

Facebook/ ‎Marilyn Ehrhart De Block

Flickr/Bill

Flickr/Anthony Quintano

Flickr/Carly Schwartz

Flickr/Vilseskogen

Flickr/Bob Jagendorf

Flickr/Shawn Perez

Flickr/David Slack

Flickr/Jim Lukach

Flickr/Art G.

Facebook/David Cassius

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