Lower Delaware

NEW YORK/PHILADELPHIA METROPOLITAN AREA

OPEN SPACE RESOURCE LIBRARY

LOWER DELAWARE RIVER

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MERCER COUNTY

  

Baldwin Lake Wildlife Management Area

Managed by NJ Fish, Game, and Wildlife

Acreage: 47.33

Map: http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/wmamaps/baldwin_lake.pdf

NJ Trails Association Map: http://www.njtrails.org/trailmap.php?TrailID=117

Parking:

Main Street north of Pennington, near railroad bridge: Lat 40°20'12.10"N Long 74°47'35.57"W

Trails:

Baldwin Lake Trail: 0.8 mile, orange paint blazed. This trail leads from the small parking area on North Main Street in Pennington, near the railroad tracks along a farm lane to the edge of the creek, then follows it along the south shore of Baldwin Lake. Although the map shows public land along both shores, the homes border right up to the lake on the north side. This trail ends at the Blue Trail of Pennington Loop Trail system.

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Curlis Lake Woods

Managed by Mercer County Parks Department

Acreage: ?

Map: http://www.njtrails.org/trailmap.php?TrailID=40

Parking:

Pennington Road: Lat 40°18'55.05"N Long 74°47'15.04"W

Demonstration Gardens off of Federal City Road: Unlocated

Trails:

Howes Lane Trail: 0.48, non standard green blazed. This trail is marked with posts and is easy to follow, as it is simply an old road. It continues straight into woods with thick undergrowth, and Redwood Trail breaks off to the right. It then skirts yards to the left at 0.13 mile, and Lane Loop Trail leads left, while Woodland Trail departs to the right. The trail ends at an access to Oak Street just under a half mile from the west trail head. The trail was originally an access road to the Howe Nursery, which occupied this land prior to being a park.

Lane Loop Trail: 0.25 mile, unblazed. This short trail loops to the north of Howes Lane Trail and returns.

Redwood Trail: 0.4 mile, non standard red blazed. This trail loops to the south from the Howes Lane Trail near the western trail head. Redwoods are indeed not native to this area, but were part of the plantings of the Howe Nursery, an earlier incarnation of this property.

Lake Shore Trail: 0.9 mile, non standard blue blazed. This trail connects the Woodlands Trail just south of Howes Lane with parking at the Mercer County Equestrian center off of Federal City Road. Where the trail crosses over the brook on rocks, Lake Shore Trail continues to follow the creek. Near the trail junction is a beat up old car half into the creek. Soon, Lake Shore Trail follows the edge of Curlis Lake to the north past Beech trees. Before the northern end of the lake, the trail turns right to reach the field at the equestrian center. The edge of the field can be followed ot parking in the north.

Short Woods Loop: 0.2 mile, unblazed. Makes a connection between Lake Shore and Woodlands Trails, and can then be used as a small loop with them.

Woodlands Trail: 0.6 mile, non standard orange blazed. This trail connects Howes Lane across the brook and through woods, where Lake Shore Trail turned left. It follows near the boundary of the property, and connects with the Rosedale Lake Trail. Equestrian Woodlands Trail is an additional 0.2 mile north, parallel with the field and re-connects with Lake Shore Trail toward the parking at the equestrian center.

Lake Connector Trail: unblazed. Very short connector trail connects Lake Shore and Equestrian Woodland Trail.

Rosedale Lake Trail: 0.8 mile. This trail breaks away from the Woodlands Trail and turns right along the edge of the fields to the north. It may be somewhat difficult to follow at times. It enters a tree line along a small brook before reaching Federal City Road. Directly across the trail enters Rosedale Park and leads to the lake.

Field loop from Rosedale Lake Trail: unblazed. The edges of fields may be followed on the northwest side of Rosedale Lake Trail.

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Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park

Managed by NJ Parks and Forests

See Long Distance Trails; Delaware and Raritan Canal and Bel Del Rail Trail.

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Pennington Loop Nature Trail/Kunkle Park

Managed by D&R Greenways

Acreage: 41

Map: http://www.njtrails.org/trailmap.php?TrailID=117

Parking:

Kunkle Park, King George Road: Lat 40°19'57.54"N Long 74°47'5.60"W

Trails:

Blue Trail: 0.7 mile, blue triangle blazed, non standard. Beginning at Kunkle Park, this trail heads north and makes a connection to Pennview Drive at it's end, then continues to Baldwin Lake, with the yellow trail intersecting on the way. Orange Trail turns off to the left just before the lake. Blue Trail continues to the lake spillway and seems to just disappear. We have been told a connection was planned with Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association Property (probably Four Seasons Trail) but nothing seems to have been done yet. There does not appear to be any public access to the north end of this trail, though informal paths continue, unmarked, to the north and toward the end of a cul de sac. It was very overgrown when scouted by Metrotrails.

Yellow Trail: 0.3 mile, non standard yellow triangle blazed. This trail cuts a corner of the blue trail without getting as close to homes.

Green Trail: 0.5 mile, non standard green triangle blazed. This very scenic trail turns to the right near the trail head at Lewis Brook and follows rather close to the Stony Brook. It continues north along Stony Brook, then turns back to the west to rejoin the Blue Trail at Baldwin Lake.

Orange Trail: 0.8 mile, non standard orange paint blazed. This trail leaves the other trails and follows the lake through Baldwin Lake WMA to North Main Street where the is parking.

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Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association Main Reserve

Managed by Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association

Acreage: 535

Map: http://www.thewatershed.org/pdf/3.1.1_Reserve-MainCampusTrails.pdf

Further trail descriptions: http://www.njtrails.org/traildesc.php?TrailID=12

Parking:

J. Seward Johnson Sr. Evinronmental Education Center/SBMWA Headquarters off Titus Mill Road: Lat 40°21'6.49"N Long 74°46'21.04"W

Pond Road off of Wargo Road: Lat 40°21'27.71"N Long 74°45'58.25"W

Trails:

Four Seasons Trail: 1.1 miles, white non standard diamond shaped markers. This trail begins at the J. Seward Johnson Sr. Environmental Center, which is home to the SBMWA Headquarters. It heads in a loop to the southwest and crosses Titus Mill Road. It forms a loop which passes through both conifer and deciduous forest to the Stony Brook. It turns along the Stony Brook briefly, then turns back parallel to a small Stony Brook tributary to return to the parking lot.

Meadow Trail: 0.7 mile, unblazed. There are many mowed paths that pass around the SBMWA headquarters. On the west side, and south of the access driveway, these mowed paths follow around the edges of the fields. The largest loop that can be made just using these to the ends of the visitor center is about 0.9 mile. The trail makes a connection to Stony Brook Trail.

Stony Brook Trail: 2.5 miles, with non standard diamond shaped white markers and red metal arrows. This trail passes through the west portion of the preserve, and is the longest. It passes through and along both fields and through wetland woods. It can be seasonally very muddy, and at times difficult to follow. To the north of the SBMWA headquarters, it splits to form a loop. To the left, it crosses over small tributaries and uses a few puncheons on it's way to Stony Brook, the loveliest portion of the preserve. It follows Stony Brook north for a bit, to near the Hopewell Valley Golf Course, then heads back to the east, skirting successional fields. At the intersection of a wider field, Red Shale Trail goes straight and left, and Stony Brook Trail turns right and heads back to the south to close in the loop.

Circle Trail: 0.85 mile loop. This trail makes a loop off of the east side of Stony Brook Trail, passing through fields and forest, and connecting with Farm Trail: 0.17 mile, unblazed. This short farm lane connects Wargo Road with the Circle Trail.

Pond Loop: .62 miles. This short and muddy trail follows the perimeter of the pond, across Honey Run, and the spill way on opposite ends, and through young forest. Both ends of the trail are at the Pond Road. Interestingly, this pond was constructed for research; it is not an historic farm pond.

Red Shale Trail: 0.7 miles. This trail leads in a loop from the Pond Road west, looping around very young successional woodland which continues to grow, and along the north edge of a field. On it's westernmost point, it connects with Stony Brook Trail.

Arboretum Trail: 0.3 mile, unblazed. This short mowed off path is a loop parallel to the access road and Titus Mill Road. It makes it's way through the open area between isolated trees.

Pond Road: 0.34 mile, unblazed. This short farm road loops around on the southwest side of the pond and makes connections with Red Shale Trail, and a side path leads to Circle Trail.

Other trails: Many other official and unofficial connector trails exist within the reserve, including connections between Circle, Farm and Pond Trails, and along Stony Brook Trail. These in addition to non standard blazing make the trails sometimes hard to follow.

Road Walk to Mt. Rose: 1.17 miles, unmarked. Although the main reserve and Mt. Rose are not connected by trails, it is possible to walk between the two without major distance. From the Pond Road access, turn left heading north on Wargo Road. Continue to the end, and make a left on Moores Mill Road. Continue to the parking area on the left side where the trails begin.

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Washington's Crossing State Park

Managed by NJ Parks and Forests

Acreage: 3126

Map: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/docs/washington_crossing_brochure.pdf

Parking:

River Drive: Lat 40°17'53.32"N Long 74°52'6.58"W

Brick Yard Road: Lat 40°19'1.06"N Long 74°51'49.43"W

Main lot off Rt 546: Lat 40°18'11.40"N Long 74°51'38.35"W

Rt 546 and Bear Tavern Road: Lat 40°18'34.74"N Long 74°50'53.21"W

Off Bear Tavern Road: Lat 40°18'55.85"N Long 74°51'15.10"W

Parking at fields off Rt 32: Lat 40°17'49.05"N Long

Trails: Many trails criss cross the park. They travel through forest and around the edges of fields, marked much of the time with carsonite posts. None are standard blazed. More descriptions needed.

Continental Lane: This was the route used by the Continental Army on the approach to cross the Delaware. The present day roads of the park were built around this road to preserve the historic route.

Red Dot Trail: 1.6 miles, non standard blazed.

Green Dot Trail: 1.1 miles, non standard blazed.

Yellow Dot Trail: 0.9 mile, non standard blazed.

Blue Dot Trail: 2.8 miles, non standard blazed.

Red Trail: non standard blazed.

Blue Trail: non standard blazed.

Green Trail: non standard blazed.

Multi Use Trail: non standard blazed.

White Trail: non standard blazed.

Unmarked trails: Many paths and roadways.

Delaware and Raritan Canal/Bel Del Rail Trail: See Long Distance Trails

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