PASSPORT TURTLE

Partnership between Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners and Division of Parks & Recreation

The Hunterdon County Division of Parks & Recreation is dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources, providing safe parks and facilities, and offering educational and recreational opportunities, all contributing to an enhanced quality of life for present and future generations.

Point your camera here to find this index with many great trail maps!

https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/guides/parkareasmap.html

VISIT THE 17 PARKS THAT ARE CIRCLED & EARN A COIN!

1. Hunterdon County Arboretum 2. Charlestown Reserve 3. Clover Hill Park 4. Cold Brook Reserve 5. Columbia Trail 6. Court Street Park 7. Crystal Springs Preserve 8. Cushetunk Preserve 9. Deer Path Park 9a. Round Mountain Section 10. Echo Hill Park 11. Heron Glen Golf Course 12. Hilltop Reserve 13. Hoffman Park 14. Landsdown Meadows & Trail 15. Laport Reserve 16. Miquin Woods Preserve 17. Musconetcong Gorge Preserve 18. Preserve 19. Point Mountain Reservation 20. Schick Reserve 21. Preserve 22. South Branch Reservation: Arches / Sunnyside / Wings / Woodfern 23. South County Park 24. Teetertown Preserve 25. Tower Hill—Jugtown Complex 26. Turkey Top Preserve 27. Union Furnace Preserve 28. Uplands Reserve 29. Wescott Preserve

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HOW TO USE THE PASSPORT AND EARN A CHALLENGE COIN

The program “HOPE” stands for: “Hunterdon Outdoor Park Exploration,” and has been developed to remind you that there is hope and enjoyment in the world: the true treasure of nature and our surroundings. This program will take you on a scavenger hunt with activities through 17 of the County’s parks. It is our hope that as you explore these parks, you will find more than just a location within a park.

Hunterdon Outdoor Park Exploration (HOPE)

• Your PASSPORT TURTLE is on the cover of this booklet. • On page 39, you will find another turtle with the names of the parks to visit on the scales of the shell or legs. Upon completing the activities at each location, cut out the corresponding part, decorate it, and glue it to your Passport Turtle. • Use your PASSPORT TURTLE for a photo opportunity. Take a picture of your turtle at each location and tag us on Hunterdon’s social media.* @HunterdonCountyNJ @county_of_hunterdon @HunterdonCountyParks We would like to see your photos please email them to [email protected] • Each park has a dedicated activity page followed by a page with a trail map for said park. On the activity page, you will find the park name, directions to the park, and the following:

A picture of the location that we want you to find and then take a picture with your PASSPORT TURTLE in the image. Look for this turtle before BRING you go. For some activities A phrase to meditate on while you visit the location. you may need to bring supplies. An activity, challenge, and/or historic fact about the park.

• On the trail map you will find a red dot that has a red arrow pointing to it. This is the location that we want you to navigate to.

• To claim your coin, bring the completed PASSPORT TURTLE to the County Arboretum, the Hunterdon Parks Office, located at 1020 Route 31 North, Lebanon, NJ (office hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM weekdays).

Disclaimer: 15 parks may be recognized as completion if one is unable to meet the physical challenges to reach some of the locations. Do your best!

Notes: All park trails are open sunrise to sunset. No bathroom facilities are available within the parks. Please dress appropriately for the weather and trail conditions. Take precautions for sun and ticks and be aware of poison ivy.

Hairy rope, don’t be a dope! POISON Leaves of three, leave it be! IVY

What's in your backpack? Be sure to take along some water and maybe a snack. A first aid kit is always a wise addition to your backpack as well as an identification book. Please bring your adult!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A PHOTO WITH US? or DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? email Liz at [email protected] or call the park office at 908-782-1158.

* County Policy: No photos of minors should be posted to any of the County social media accounts. 3

Hope is being able to see that there is light at the other end.

The High Bridge in 1852 from whence the town is named

Shortly after this high bridge was built, it was realized it was not going to hold up to the wear and tear of the weight from the trains filled with anthracite coal. While the bridge was still in use, they filled the void below with soil, creating what we see now, a large earthen bridge. Can you visualize the old high bridge that is still within the mound of dirt before you? The discovery of anthracite made big The Arches and Dorland’s Dam, High bridge, N.J. circa 1862 changes. This hard, dense, and heavy variety of coal contains relatively pure carbon and burns with little flame and smoke.

Challenge: How long can you stand on one leg? Pretend you are a flamingo. Feel the burn! A washout in 1913

Arches Location: Along West Main Street, High Bridge 08829. Parking is available on West Main (513) and Arch Street. Directions from the Clinton Area: Proceed north on Route 31 for 1.7 miles past the intersection with Route 78, to Route 513 north. Turn right and follow Route 513 north for 1.9 miles to Arch Street. The first parking location is on the right just beyond the turn for Arch Street. To park at the second location, turn onto Arch Street and bear to the left. The parking area is on the left.

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Find the Arches

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There is hope even when your brain says there isn’t. Breathe deep and exhale slowly.

Find the wetlands

Wetlands are land that is wet, at least part of the year! Wetlands help clean the water of toxins, and help control flooding. They provide habitat for unique plants and animals, including frogs, turtles, beavers, aquatic insects, ducks, and fish. Did you know that a frog swallows by squishing in its eyeballs?

I spy with my little eye... What can you see? Can you outwit your fellow hiker? I spy with my little eye something beginning with P...Park!

Do animal yoga, the frog position. Can you make a sound like a frog?

Cold Brook Location: Cold Brook Reserve is located at 65 Old Turnpike Road, Oldwick 08858 (Tewksbury Township). The park is open from sunrise to sunset. Please note that there are no restroom facilities at this park. Directions from the Clinton Area: Take Interstate 78 east to exit 24, Oldwick/ Whitehouse. Proceed north from this exit on Route 523 towards Oldwick. Continue straight on Route 517 when Route 523 turns to the right. After passing through the center of Oldwick, the park entrance will be on the left. A gravel parking lot is located on the right side of the driveway.

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Court Street Park facilities can be reserved for private and public affairs, from photo sessions and ceremonies to corporate events.

Find the Veteran’s Memorial

Hum a patriotic song, such as The National Anthem, America the Beautiful, or You’re a Grand Old Flag.

Knowing that there is hope brings peace.

Sit on a bench and close your eyes… listen to what's going on.

Peace… even in the middle of chaos, noise, problems, or hard work you can still be calm in your heart.

SOME OTHER THINGS TO SEE

 Gazebo/Bandstand  A Freedom Pole (donated by a local Girl Scout troop) is displayed at the entrance.  A sundial along one walkway displays the date instead of the time.

Court Street Park Location: Flemington Borough at the intersection of Court Street and Park Avenue. The park is open from dawn to dusk. Only street parking is available. There are no restrooms. Directions from the Clinton Area: Take Route 31 South for about 11 miles to the traffic light at Walter Foran Boulevard. Turn right onto Walter Foran and proceed to the traffic light at the end. Turn right and make the immediate left onto Park Avenue. The park will be on the left after crossing over Capner Street.

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Court Street Park Map

Flemington Woman’s Club

Bench Sundial

Gate Benches Gazebo

Combat Benches Veteran’s Memorial

Trees & Planted Material

Lawn Area

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• Part of a horseshoe-shaped mountain that was formed by volcanic activity about 200 million years ago. • The Leni called this area “Cushetunk,” meaning “place of hogs,” due to the settlers’ hogs who at times escaped and roamed the . Settlers called the area “Hog Mountain.” • The natural bowl shape of the valley led to the state’s selection of this site for the creation of in the 1960s. Ten homes in the valley were demolished and 16 others were relocated before the area was flooded. • At a depth of 180 feet, the reservoir is the second deepest body of water in NJ. • In 1981, the county acquired this 380 acres as open space and created the preserve.

Find a Musclewood tree

American Hornbeam is also called Musclewood or Ironwood. The tree looks like a muscle in use. It is an understory tree that grows slowly and has a very dense wood. It has finely serrated leaves. Liz Braidwood-Fulmer Recreation Program Coordinator Hug a tree; it can be good for your health! It boosts the production of oxytocin, a hormone for calmness and emotional bonding. Movement releases endorphins (natural chemicals to relieve stress & pain) & shifts your body’s response… think strength.

Cushetunk Location: spans across the border of Clinton & Readington Twps. Parking is located at 106 Old Mountain Road, Lebanon 08833. From Clinton: Take I-78 east to Route 22 east. On Route 22, travel until the junction with Route 629. The junction is at a traffic light and marked by a sign for Round Valley. Turn right on Route 629 and proceed for about 0.5 miles until a left-hand turn for the “Boat-Launching Ramp.” Turn left and follow the road for another 1.4 miles to Old Mountain Road. Make the right and travel 1.5 miles. On a curve just before the railroad tracks is a gravel parking lot on the right side. From Whitehouse: West on Route 22 and exit to the right for Lebanon/Cokesbury. Use the jug handle and cross over Route 22. At the “T” intersection with Main Street, turn left and then make the right-hand turn onto Cherry Street. Go 0.4 miles and after passing under the railroad bridge, turn left onto Old Mountain Road. After 1.5 miles, on a curve just before the railroad tracks is a gravel parking lot on the right side.

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A picnic basket! Debra Reed Park Naturalist

Find the kissing trees

SOME OTHER THINGS TO SEE  The dam on the Prescott Brook and a sluiceway that supplies water to Echo Hill’s pond.  The Lodge, part of which has the original beams from a barn that was used when this land was a farm, now a rentable facility.  A few buildings left over from Camp Echo Hill, a sleepover camp, that was housed here from 1936 to 1972. It is still home to the Parks Summer Nature Program, a day camp.  The old Stanton Station train station that was moved to the top of the south hill.  The old stone house.  A beautiful stand of cedar trees amongst lots of great nature.  A group campsite that can be rented by organized groups.  Picnic tables and a playground.

Try to make yourself laugh; it’s fun! Try to make someone else laugh… Knock, Knock Belly laugh and watch inner peace begin.

Our journeys are not the same, but we can encourage each other. When you choose joy, you feel good, and you do good.

Echo Hill Location: 42 Lilac Drive, Flemington 08822 (Clinton Township). From Flemington Area: Take Route 31 north about 5.6 miles from the Flemington Circle. Make a right onto the jug handle for Stanton Station Road. Travel 0.4 miles to Lilac Drive. At Lilac Drive turn right and proceed another 0.4 miles. The entrance to the park will be on the right. From the Clinton Area: Take Route 31 south about 6.2 miles from Interstate 78 to the traffic light for Stanton Station Road. Turn right onto Stanton Station Road Travel 0.4 miles to Lilac Drive. At Lilac Drive turn right and proceed another 0.4 miles. The entrance to the park will be on the right.

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A blanket or yoga mat

Find the island within Manny’s Pond

Feel like an island? Remember you are not alone.

Animal yoga positions: Can you make your body shape look like a bird, a fox, a turtle, and a tree?

Laura Bush, Senior Park Naturalist

Hoffman Park Location: Union Township, west of Clinton and just south of Interstate 78. The main parking area is at 26 Baptist Church Road, Hampton 08827. The gate is open from 9:00 AM to sunset. A second parking lot is located at 751 Mechlin Corner Road, Hampton 08827. From Clinton area: Take Route 78 west to exit 11. Follow the circle around to the left and cross over Route 78, following the signs for Pattenburg. Immediately after crossing over 78, turn left at the light. Proceed to the remains of an old church and veer right onto Baptist Church Road. Proceed on Baptist Church Road under a railroad bridge and shortly thereafter turn left into the park entrance, which is marked by a large brown sign.

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Find a wet vernal pool or a dry vernal pool!

Vernal pools are divots in the land that fill up with water in the spring, creating a habitat for frogs and salamanders to lay eggs free from fish predation. During the summer and after the eggs have hatched, the pools dry up and wait for next year and for the process to repeat! At Jugtown these divots are holes from an old mining operation. There was a ski slope on HISTORY: this mountain at one time! This site was once known as Swayze Mine after landowner William Swayze. It was one of the 41 known mines in the county during the 1800’s & one of the main producers of magnetite ore. Remnants of ore dumps, rock pits, and concrete structure foundations are still visible today. This 586-acre nature preserve is located on the ridge of the Musconetcong Mountain. Jugtown traces its name to the rock ledges These trails are part where moonshiners hid their jugs to avoid of the authorities during Prohibition. Highlands Trail! The Earth will survive! Reuse, repurpose, recycle, & buy wisely!

Jugtown Mountain Location: 408 Mine Road, Asbury 08802 (Bethlehem Township). Tower Hill Location: 944 Mountain View Road, Asbury 08802. Directions from Clinton to Jugtown: Take Route 78 west to exit 11. Proceed on Route 173 west for about 2 miles. Turn right onto Mine Road. The driveway to the park is on the left just beyond the Bethlehem Township Building.

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Find the boulder field along the Yellow Trail.

Did you know that different types of woodpeckers create different types of holes? The Pileated Woodpecker creates tall oval or rectangular holes, and the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker makes horizontal lines of small holes. Allow yourself to process your emotions with patience.

Make a Nature Picture: Collect 2 sticks that are about 12” long and 2 sticks about 15” long. Lay them on the ground to create a rectangular picture frame. Now find leaves, sticks, nuts, and rocks and create an image. Leave your creation for the enjoyment of the next park visitor who happens by! Do you see one that was left for you?

Miquin Woods Location: 326 Newport Road, Glen Gardner 08826 (Lebanon Township). From Clinton: Take Route 31 north to the Borough of Glen Gardner. At the traffic light for Sanitarium Road, turn right and make the immediate left onto Main Street. Proceed on Main Street a short distance and turn right onto Hill Road (Route 628). Stay with Route 628 for about 3.5 miles and turn left onto Red Mill Road, go 1.5 miles, turn right onto Newport Road. The park entrance will be on the right in about 3/4 of a mile. From Califon: Take Route 513 south to Bunnvale and the junction with Route 628. Turn right onto Route 628 and proceed past the Woodglen School. At the stop sign turn left and then right on to Red Mill Road. Then proceed as above.

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BRING Bring a blindfold Make a sailboat out of things you find as you walk through the woods and get ready to take to the water. You can use leaves, sticks, or a piece of bark off a dead tree. See how far your boat will sail. Can you change your design so it floats better?

Find the pond

SOME OTHER THINGS TO SEE  An old springhouse.  Ruins of an old homestead.  A beautiful little creek at the bottom of the hill! Feel the sunshine, smell the flowers, listen to the birds sing, feel the wind blow… get in touch with your senses. While on the Red Trail, blindfold yourself and have someone lead you along the trail for 5 minutes. When you take the blindfold off, list everything you could smell and hear. See who can remember the most!

Musconetcong Mountain Location: Holland Township at 275 Ellis Road, Milford 08848. From Clinton: Take Route 78 west to exit 11. Use the jughandle and the second exit of the circle to cross over Route 78 and proceed west on Route 614 (Little York - Pattenburg Road) for about 5 miles to Little York. At the intersec- tion in Little York (where 614 turns left), proceed straight across onto Ellis Road. Continue about 1.3 miles, and look for a double driveway with the brown park sign on the left. The park is the driveway on the right. From Stockton: Go north on Route 519 until the junction with Route 631. Proceed straight onto Route 631 until the junction with Route 614. Turn right onto Route 614 and drive through Little York. Turn left onto Ellis Road when Route 614 bears sharply to the right. Proceed about 1.3 miles, and look for a double drive- way with the brown park sign on the left. The park is down the driveway on the right.

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Find your way to the overlook (A). (challenging climb)

AND / OR

Find your way to the rock chair by the river (B).

Hope conquers fear. Experiences that have value are not always easy to achieve. The rocks at Point Mountain are gneiss and granite. They are from the Precambrian era, estimated at 1.3 billion to 750 million years old. Rocks from this era are the oldest in ! Granite is an , formed by volcanic activity. Gneiss is granite that has been buried and deformed under high pressure and temperature. The valley below consists of softer sedimentary rock that has eroded more quickly than Point Mountain.

Pick up two sticks… tap, tap, tap… tap out a marching song.

Point Mountain Central Location: 80 Point Mountain Road, Washington 07882 (Lebanon Township). From the Intersection of 31 and I-78: Route 31 North about 7 miles to the traffic light before the Musconetcong River. Turn right onto Musconetcong River Road and proceed to the end of the road. Turn left onto Point Mountain Road, and the parking area is on the right. There is also road pull-off parking.

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B

A

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Find the bank barn.

This style barn is noted for its accessibility. Being built into the side of a hill allows for access to the first and second floor from ground level.

Learn from past mistakes. You cannot live long

enough to make them all yourself!

Schick has been farmed since 1844. Today the fields are kept in agriculture and mowed later in the season to encourage grassland birds and insects to take up residence in the fields. In the wooded section, dead logs and leaves are recycled to naturally replenish the soil.

Story Stick: One person in the group picks up a nice stick and starts making up a story, then passes the stick to the next person who continues adding to the story, and so on. When the story stick returns to the first person, they create the ending to the story. Where will the story end up?

Schick Location: Alexandria Township with parking areas on Schick Road and 486 Little York—Mt Pleasant Road/ (Route 631). The park is open from sunrise to sunset. From Clinton: Take Interstate 78 west to exit 11 and cross over I-78 and follow the signs for Pattenburg. Follow Route 614 through Pattenburg to the junction with Route 579. Turn left onto Route 579 and make the first right onto Hickory Corner Road. Proceed for 1.5 miles, turn right on Schick Road, and make a quick left into a gravel parking lot. From Flemington: Route 31/202 Circle, take route 12 west to Route 579. Turn right on to Route 579 and travel through Pittstown to Hickory Corner Road. (Be careful to follow signs for Route 579 because it makes several turns.) Turn left onto Hickory Corner Road, and proceed 1.5 miles. Turn right on Schick Road, and make a quick left into a gravel parking lot.

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BRING ID books, or download the “inaturalist” app.

Find the big boulders

The only thing you will lose by being real, is something that’s fake.

Don’t want to see a snake? Be aware, yelling will not help because snakes do not have ears. You’ll have to stamp your feet and they will feel the vibrations.

Tom Sheppard Chief Park Naturalist

Challenge: Who can build the tallest tower using dead sticks?

Scavenger hunt… see if you can find some lichen, a feather, a piece of grass, a leaf and a perfectly round stone.

Sourland Mountain Location: East Amwell Township, in the southeastern section of Hunterdon County. There is a small parking area at 233 Rileyville Road, Ringoes 08551. From Flemington: Take Route 202/31 south from the Flemington Circle for 5 miles to the jug handle for Wertsville Road (Route 602). Use the traffic light to cross over Route 202/31. Continue on Wertsville Road for 3.3 miles to Rileyville Road (Route 607). Turn right onto Rileyville; go 1.7 miles. The park entrance is on the left and is marked by a Green Acres sign as well as a County Park sign. The entrance is shared by two other driveways; continue up the center driveway to the small parking area. Do not block the gated access road. From Lambertville: Take Route 202 North for about 6 miles to Ringoes. Turn right onto Wertsville Road (Route 602), and follow the directions above.

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Find the 9/11 Memorial

Hope is important because it can make the past and present less difficult.

Challenge: Make a whistle using a blade of grass. First put your thumbs next to each other side-to- side and see the open space made by the shape of your thumbs. Find a nice wide blade of grass. Stretch it and capture it in between your thumbs. Go ahead and blow through the hole. The challenge is to get the grass to vibrate and create a whistle sound.

What is an eddy? It is in a river and can be used as a parking spot for a canoe. Look for a place where the water (current) in the river hits a rock and forms a V that points upstream. This causes an empty space behind the rock and some water actually travels back upstream to fill this space. If this space is large enough, a canoer can paddle into this space and Patrick Eckard Recreation Leader have a rest.

Sunnyside Location: 47 Kiceniuk Road, Annandale 08801 (Clinton Township). From Flemington: take Route 31 north about 5.6 miles, and make a right onto the jug handle for Stanton Station Road. On Stanton Station Road, make the first right onto Lilac Drive. Travel approximately one mile to Kiceniuk Road and turn left. After crossing the railroad tracks, Kiceniuk bears to the right. Continue to follow Kiceniuk, and the parking lot is on the left just before the bridge. From Clinton: Route 31 south about 5 miles, turn right onto Payne Road and proceed to the end. Turn left on to Lilac Drive and proceed for just over a mile. Turn right at Kiceniuk Road and follow the directions above.

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Find the brook in the ravine

Running water can wash away fear, leaving room for hope. Learn to find joy… search nature.

Take a seat on a rock, close your eyes, and listen to the babbling brook, breathe in the moist cool air, feel the surface of the rock you are sitting on… let your senses take over.

Play Winnie-the-Pooh Sticks: pick a starting line and finish line in the brook. Drop sticks in the river and watch where they go, and which one crosses the finish line first. Try again with leaves.

Teetertown Preserve Location: Lebanon Township. There are three parking areas along Pleasant Grove Road, and pull-offs for parking along Hollow Brook Road. From Clinton to main parking area: Route 31 north to Route 513 north. Turn right and follow Route 513 through High Bridge toward Califon for about 6.5 miles. Just past the Aqui in Califon, turn left onto Sliker Road and proceed about 1.6 miles to Pleasant Grove Road. Turn right and travel another 0.6 miles to the main driveway for Teetertown on the right-hand side, at 30 Pleasant Grove Road, Port Murray 07865 (the second entrance). For GPS, use 30 Pleasant Grove Road, Califon. To Ravine Parking Area: Follow directions above onto Sliker Road. After about 1.3 miles on Sliker Road, turn right onto Teetertown Road. Follow the left fork of the road about 1 mile to the stop sign at Hollow Brook Road. Turn left and proceed 0.1 mile up the ravine. There are two single-vehicle pull-offs near the trailheads. 30

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BRING A blindfold

Find the wellhouse

Wescott is the first County park, donated in 1966 by Lloyd and Barbara Wescott. Lloyd was the founder of the Hunterdon Medical Center. Wescott predates the Division of Parks & Recreation, established in 1973.

Hope is faith… it will be as it will be. Believe.

Birds sing to establish territory and attract a mate, and to respond to others and warn others about danger. The best time to hear birdsong is early on a spring morning. Make up a song and sing as you walk along.

Blindfold Challenge: Guide the blindfolded person to touch something near. Allow them to touch and feel the object. Then spin the person 2-3 times and guide the person a short distance away. Remove the blindfold and see if they can find the object they were led to and touched. After they guess, switch roles and try again.

Wescott Preserve Location: Delaware Township. The parking areas are located at 70 Raven Rock- Rosemont Road, Stockton 08559 and 63 Strimples Mill Road, Stockton. From Flemington to Raven Rock-Rosemont Road Parking Lot: Travel west on Route 12 to the circle and take Route 523 south. In Sergeantsville, turn right onto Route 604 and proceed to Rosemont. In Rosemont turn left onto Route 519. Route 519 makes an “S” bend while leaving Rosemont. Near the end of the “S” Bend, turn right onto Raven Rock-Rosemont Road. Proceed on Raven Rock-Rosemont Road approximately a mile until you come to the preserve located on the right. From Flemington to Strimples Mill Road Parking Lot: Travel west on Route 12 to the circle and take Route 523 south. At the junction with Route 604 in the center of Sergeantsville, turn right onto Route 604 and proceed to Rosemont. At Rosemont turn right onto Route 519 and proceed north. Strimples Mill Road will be a left turn in about a mile. Proceed on Strimples Mill Road for about 1.5 miles. After a hard left bend, the parking area will be on the left.

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BRING Paper and a few crayons

Find the South Branch of the Raritan River. The South Branch Reservation is made up of 11 parks that have been preserved by Hunterdon County along the South Branch. Our County parklands number over 30; let’s be thankful for Trust nature and receive hope. these open lands.

Tree bark rubbing: Hold a piece of paper steady on the bark of a tree. Peel a crayon and place it flat. Rub it back and forth across the bark to capture the impression of the bark. History: When you get to the end of the trail, look across the South Branch River to what was once called Pic-Nic Island, a once popular social mecca. Crowds of folks would get off the Lehigh Valley Railroad (LVR), and promenade across the walking bridge to enjoy fresh air, picnics and events such as ice cream socials or live music. In 1881 the island was renamed Packers Island to honor Ace Packer, president of the LVR who owned and created this social hub.

Wings Location: 52 Deer Path Road, Flemington 08822 (Readington Township). From Flemington: Take Route 31 north. Immediately after crossing the bridge over the South Branch River, turn right onto Deer Path Road. Proceed to the first sharp bend to the left. Park is on the right, 0nly roadside parking is available; please do not block the gate. From Clinton: 31 south past the Hunterdon County Arboretum. Use the jug-handle for West Woodschurch Road and cross over Route 31. At the top of the hill, turn right onto Deer Path Road. Proceed about 1/2 mile to the bend just past Newell Road. Park in on the left.

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BRING Drawing paper and pencil

Find the bridge

Keep your eyes open and look up! On a nearby powerline is a nesting platform for Bald Eagles; maybe you’ll spot one. How many different bird species can you see?

Bald eagles take five years to develop their full brown-and-white plumage. Juveniles do not have the white head and tail.

Choose five plants that stand out to you and make a drawing of them or take a photo of them. When you get home, see if you can look up and identify the names of each plant.

The Earth will survive! Nature is always reclaiming itself.

Woodfern Location: Readington Township at 1 Higginsville Road. The trailhead is located just north of the river crossing for the South Branch of the Raritan River. The park is open from dawn to dusk. From Flemington: Proceed north on Route 202 for 1/2 mile to the intersection with Route 650 (Voorhees Corner Road). Take Route 650 to the end and turn left onto Route 613. Go about one mile and turn right onto Hillsborough Road, which is the last turn before you cross the river. Proceed another mile and turn left onto Higginsville Road. Cross over the bridge carefully and you will see the trailhead on the right. There is enough parking for two to three cars head-on in front of the yellow bollard.

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ABCs Challenge: Identify something on the trails that begins with A, and then work your way through all the letters in the alphabet. Can you make it to Z? You might want to bring an identification book with you. A:

B:

C:

D:

E:

F:

G:

H:

I:

J:

K:

L:

M:

N:

O:

P:

Q:

R:

S:

T:

U:

V:

W:

X:

Y:

Z: 38

Keep track of the parks you visit by cutting out the matching turtle scale and pasting it on your PASSPORT TURTLE that is located on the cover.

WOODFERN WINGS

TEETERTOWN MIQUIN RAVINE WESCOTT WOODS PRESERVE PRESERVE MUSCONETONG PRESERVE COLD BROOK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE PRESERVE TOWER HILL RESERVE & JUGTOWN MOUNTAIN SOURLAND NATURE PRESERVE MOUNTAIN POINT PRESERVE MOUNTAIN

COURT STREET PARK SCHICK RESERVE ECHO HILL HOFFMAN PARK

SUNNYSIDE

ARCHES

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The Hunterdon Outdoor Park Exploration (H.O.P.E.) booklet encourages residents to enjoy our parks and the great outdoors in Hunterdon County.

Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners

Director Susan J. Soloway Deputy Director John E. Lanza Commissioner Matt Holt Commissioner Shaun C. Van Doren Commissioner Zachary T. Rich

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