St. Michaels Farm Preserve was formerly the site of an orphanage. Set on the northern slope of the Rocky Hill Ridge (though not quite at the top), most of the fields overlook attractive views of the main Sourland ridge, a … Read More
The Hunterdon County Sourland Mountain Preserve is located roughly 5 miles to the southwest of a Somerset County Park with a confusingly similar name. Both share the same ridge of Jurassic diabase, an intrusive igneous rock. The Somerset County park … Read More
For years I’ve heard about the Griggstown Native Grasslands Preserve but was never motivated to visit. Frankly, “Grassland Preserve” may be accurate, but it’s terrible branding for a woodland hiker who loves slopes and finds most meadow hikes as boring … Read More
This is a town park that offers everything you’d expect, plus a surprisingly pleasant, if slightly surrealistic, woods-walking experience. We’re evaluating this as a woods-hike, and as such it’s OK, but there are much better places to walk in the … Read More
Woosamonsa Ridge is possibly the most beautiful, small hiking preserve local to the Princeton-Trenton corridor, and compares to more distant favorites like Zega-Lockatong and Wickecheoke Creek. Those other preserves provide access to much larger and more dramatic streams. Woosamonsa Ridge … Read More
Formerly the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Reserve, the Watershed Reserve is a 930 acre site in Pennington, about 20 minutes from Princeton and half an hour from Trenton. It provides 10 miles of hiking trails, is home to Honey Brook Organic … Read More
Pole Tree Pasture In 2010, Mercer County merged 5 separate parks into the “Mercer Meadows, a 1,619 acre utopian park for walking, cycling, and wildlife observation. Primarily consisting of acres upon acres of wildflower meadows. Frankly, while there are some pretty … Read More
How do you feel about a 4 mile loop hike on one of the country’s most hallowed historic sites, just 45 minutes from town? Valley Forge is only about 40 miles west of Trenton. Kids will love Valley Creek, and the historical buildings. (Driving time about 45 min if you miss traffic; Rated Beginner to Experienced depending on the route you select)
The Institute Lands are a uniquely Princeton institution. Where else, in less than a square mile, can you walk in context of TWO seminal aspects of human history?
Utterly beautiful. 12 miles of hiking trails with up to a 400 foot elevation gain. 20 minutes from downtown Trenton. Need I say more? This is the jewel of the Mercer County Park system, and one of the nicest small parks in all of NJ. (Driving time is about 20 minutes; Rated beginner to Experienced depending on where you go).