Decided to come here with my wife on the first day of parks reopening and enjoyed it! There are…read moresome basketball courts and a nice field with a path around it. We enjoyed lunch at one of the benches and then walked around for a while - the path had a beautiful backdrop of trees and was generally super pleasant. I can't say there's anything unbelievably remarkable about this park, but if you're in the area, I do think it's worth checking out.

It's a nice park to stop and rest. There is a short trail you can walk and a little pond. It's very…read morequiet but when I came.

A nice, medium sized park. It's perfect for a quiet stroll while observing the wide variety of…read moreplant and birds, walking the dogs or just kicking back on one of the many park benches placed throughout the park and relaxing. The paths are also widely used by joggers and the occasional bicycle rider, although it seems a little short for that to me. The main trail is called the poetry trail, and the name is no lie as poems are spaced along the path at various locations. I've never been able to appreciate poetry as much as I'd like (I'd do much better on the SciFi trail if it's ever built), but I do like how the poems invite you to try to appreciate your experience in the park at an intellectual level rather than just sensorial. Tennis shoes are fine on this hike, although if there's been a rain, they might get a little sloshy when you head off of the paved path and onto the dirt paths--which you should do. Don't forget to walk around the parking lot and head up the trail which leads along the creek. It doesn't offer a loop, but it's worth the short extra distance. The park is also adjacent to the D&R Greenway building. Make certain to take yourself inside if it's opened. The people there are helpful, and they've information on the park and other hikes to be found in the area.

Located off Rosedale Road, the D&R Greenway Land Trust includes Greenway Meadows Park and a 55-acre…read moretract of public open space land that abuts the Johnson Park School, the Hun School, Jasna Polana, and Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science (i.e. the former campus of the  American Boychoir School). There are about 20 miles of paved and dirt trails throughout the tract, including a number through the woods and along the banks of the gurgling Stonybrook stream. The wooded dirt trails, in particular, don't see a lot of foot traffic. Thus, they may occasionally become overgrown with ground cover in the summer. For the most part though, the Princeton Parks Department does a very nice (and prompt) job of keeping these clear and removing fallen trees and debris after bad storms. There is a clearing with soccer fields, a playground, and picnic areas in the middle of Greenway Meadows Park. These are conveniently located adjacent to one of the paved parking lots. Up a gentle slope from the soccer fields sits the Johnson Education Center, which is housed in a circa 1900 barn, and near to that, is a 1-mile looped poetry trail sporting 48 poems. You can also enjoy the Edward T. Cone Grove, the Hartman Garden Path, the Carroll K. and Frederick P. King, Jr. Terrace, the Ellsworth Terrace, and Meredith's Garden for Inspiration, a garden filled with native plants and nature-inspired sculptures. The Education Center offers a number of programs with local experts. Personally, I prefer to explore on my own. The wooded section has proven most interesting so far. This area is great for birdwatching. Along the streams, I'll also routinely encounter turtles, frogs, toads, and my personal favorite, bullfrogs. It's also just a great spot for a relaxing walk or quick trail run. I can typically get in an easy 3-5 miles here without even thinking.

I really like this place, which is a site preserved by the folks at D&R Greenway. There is plenty…read moreof parking on either side of the preserve. The paths are relatively smooth on the trails that edge the fields, but I'd recommend poles for folks with balance issues. The park itself is over 400 acres in size, so while it's great for walking, if you're looking for long, challenging trails and altitude gains, you'll need to look elsewhere. The preserve is a great location for bird watching, and you can often see folks with binoculars on the paths. It's peaceful with no freeways nearby, while at the same time adjacent to Hopewell if you need to get some food or drink after your walk. Watch your step for roots on paths in wooded areas on the Southern portion of the preserve on the blue and yellow trails. This is especially important during Fall, as the path is mostly obscured by the leaf litter, and barely be seen in some stretches. Also, parts of those two trails have fallen tree obstacles, so if you can't clamber over or crouch low to pass through, you may want to stick to the main trail along the fields.

As a student at Rutgers, this is probably my favorite part of campus. Located on the Livingston…read morecampus, the ecological preserve is footsteps away from the business school and has several miles worth of trails to travel. I tend to do this trail pretty often for running and to make things interesting I'll change up the trails. A lot of the trails are interconnected which can be confusing, but the trails are marked with some signs and trees which are marked with the color of their respective trail. The trail also extends from Livingston Campus all the way to Johnson Park and everything in between. My favorite trail is the blue trail which runs alongside one of the creeks and heads towards Johnson Park. Having run it in different seasons, I'd say the best time to do the trails is in spring/fall where the weather isn't too hot or cold and there's plenty of foliage. In the summer, it can get really hot and humid along with the many bugs that live there. (Be on the lookout for the many spider webs that you may encounter on the trail!) The trail is not paved, so be prepared for mud after the rain. Also, if running, be on the lookout for the many tree roots and changes in terrain that can trip you up (as I've done plenty of times). There are plenty of deer, squirrel, raccoon encounters so definitely be on the lookout. On one occasion the preserve was closed due to an "aggressive" coyote, but I have never made such an encounter. Overall, the Rutgers Ecological Preserve makes for a fun and interesting trip whether its hiking, running, biking or anything in between. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're a student.

This preserve is tucked away North of the Rutgers main campus. It offers a collection of hiking…read moretrails which are mostly well-marked, flat, and very clean. The small parking lot is easy to miss and don't be fooled by a chain halfway across the entrance to it, it is open for parking with no parking pass needed. The trails can be muddy in certain areas after a good rain, so hiking shoes are recommended over sneakers.

An excellent preserve located in rural Mercer County. It contains well maintained paths and also…read morehas boardwalks along some stretches that help during the wetter months. There's a good mix of wooded paths and others that lead along the edges of the open fields. It's not technical hiking, but it's great for a walk when you're looking to get into some nature. The trails are well maintained and easy to manage, with additional areas of boardwalk in place compared to how it was several years back. As with many wooded trails, watch your step for tree roots so that you don't faceplant while enjoying the outdoors. Trail distances range from .7 to 6 miles, but you can easily walk 5 miles or so without even using the bulk of the 6 mile route that leads to the northernmost parts of the preserve. Waterproof shoes are recommended if you use the field trails after a rain. Get your map from the institute's website, as the NJ Trail Association's website map is out of date and somewhat inaccurate. You can also pick up a copy from the friendly people working at the Watershed Center. Trails are reasonably well marked, and maps of the trails that include your location are placed at the major trail junctions. Along with nature based educational programs, they often have special events for families, with the Butterfly Festival being a major draw in the Summer. Make certain that you visit the Butterfly House itself during the Summer and early Fall months. Check the calendar before you come, as the parking lots and trails can be very full and busy on the event days. Some trails may be closed certain days in Fall/Winter for deer population management. Check their website for information before you go.

I went back here recently with a friend my LO to go on the hiking event that they put together…read more.. unfortunately, we got there too late and the hike started without us. They gave us a map to catch up, but because we were advised that it was very muddy after the recent snow melt, we decided to just hang around the main center. My friend brought donuts and we were very pleasantly surprised to find out that there is complimentary coffee!! But.. like the good kind. Really brewed well.. and wonderful quality creamers and raw sugar to add. I enjoyed two cups. You can sit in an area and talk while your kid plays in this area that was very educational about nature. It was very clean and well kept with live animals such as toads, walking sticks, turtles, etc. We both thoroughly enjoyed the simple experience. Joan, was very helpful and friendly. We cannot wait to return and enjoy the wonderful nature events that they hold throughout the year!

This may be my fave natural environment in my town. I've driven past it so many times on my way…read morehome from my former job and stopped in once or twice during hunting season - Abort! Abort! But I had a seriously intense week at work a couple weeks ago and just needed to breathe non-office air, move my legs, and enjoy some solitude. I stopped in on a Sunday and was blown. away. I only saw 2 people for the first 1/8 mile and then I was alone for a couple hours. And heavy on HOURS because I took my time, attempted to bird watch, sat in an open field, shot content (ask about my feet pics), and just enjoyed myself. I'm a huge 19th century British lit buff and you couldn't tell me I wasn't an Austen girlie walking through the English countryside. I just knew I'd see Pemberley around the corner and Darcy was gonna pop outta that pond. Whew!! There are 3 trails. I did two of those for about 2 miles total. The red trail was waterlogged after the first steps into the woods so I passed on that. Things to know: -ticks out in abundance. I found a fellow fatty on my backpack and some crawling along the planks in the lookout shed. -hard pack trail to the lookout and a ramp to access it. Bench inside is moveable. -sections of trail are likely to be boggy through the spring. Wear waterproof shoes. -benches along the back half of the other trails. I had a couple nice sits. -no pet friends allowed. Trails are very clean. Coincidence? -I felt incredibly safe as a solo woman. Happy Earth Day!!

Great spot for an easy hike or birdwatching, with numerous bird feeders and birdhouses on the…read moreproperty. Occasionally you'll see kestrels or other relatively rare species.

Great for early morning and late afternoon/evening walks, Van Horne Park is a charming oasis of…read morenatural beauty and tranquillity. This welcoming park has serene walking trails, lush greenery, and a perfect picnic spot.

If you're a fellow rose lover, this is the park for you! It features one of the most extensive…read morecollections of roses in New Jersey all beautifully maintained and perfectly labeled making it easy to identify each variety. The whole area is peaceful and full of charm. Safe. No trouble makers here! The paved rose labyrinth is lovely to wander through and even if one area is busy, there's always another path to enjoy. It's accessible for children and even strollers with a little care. Check out the surrounding grounds for interesting evergreen cultivars like the Pinus wallichiana 'Zebrina' Himalayan Pine. If you have children, look for the sensitive plant near the stone hardscape...they'll love gently touching one leaf to see it close up. Just be kind to it since it takes time to reopen and continue photosynthesizing/let other kids experience it.

The Rose Garden is beautiful place to visit. I was able to catch the end of the blooming season. I…read moream sure in season it is gorgeous.