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    Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

    4.3 (12 reviews)

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    Graffiti in the Witherspoon Woods area.  If you're going to be an ass-hat and paint on nature, at least be interesting.
    Rich W.

    Once you get about 50 yards into Mountain Lakes, it's hard to remember that you're in Princeton. You're surrounded by trees and rolling terrain (not mountainous, despite the name) that is more reminiscent of the Kittatinnys (minus the elevation gains) than it is a park located just a few minutes away from downtown Princeton. Asphalt paths are available in the Community Park North portion for those with less reliable ankles or strollers, but if you're going into the interior, it's all dirt and rocks and then more rocks. The further away you get from the Mountain Road parking lot, the rockier it gets. If you're walking thru the Witherspoon Woods area, I'd recommend something a little more supportive then sneakers. The trails will trip you up if you're not careful, especially if there's ice on the paths. No need to go high-tech, just something that will help you out if you're ankle starts to roll, but I wouldn't walk the rockier areas without a basic pair of yaktrax (or something similar) if they're icey. While the trails get rockier the more you move into the park, the number of people you encounter drops significantly. If you seek solitude, move away from the trails around the larger lake (which was originally built to harvest ice). Sadly, some of the larger rock formations are marred by grafitti, but that shouldn't deter you from enjoying the park. There seems to be a great variety of birds, so if you're a bird watcher, you should be in your element. The only reason that I'm not going five-star on this place, is because it seems that, especially close by to the parking area on Mountain Ave, I keep encountering entitled Princetonians who feel that their dogs are too precious to keep on the leash. It's not like their mutts are better trained than others, and a couple of them have gotten a face full of angry shih tzu when they didn't listen to their owners and got too close while off the leash. I don't see a lot of them carrying bags of poop either. Just saying. I've never seen another car parked in the Cherry Hill Rd. parking area (or an unleashed dog, much less a human), so the upper part (Witherspoon Woods) is def five-stars. You can print a trail map at NYNJTC.ORG or get one at the trailhead parking lot if they're available.

    A blue heron looking for fish in the dam.
    Emma M.

    Sometimes called Princeton's Central Park, this picturesque 75-acre preserve has an 8-mile network of well-maintained trails that are great for hiking, trail running, and birding. The preserve is located in the middle of 400 acres of Princeton Open Space that include the boulder fields in Witherspoon Woods, Mountain Lakes North, Tusculum Meadows, and Coventry Farm's boardwalk and pastures. With two lakes, numerous rocky creeks, wooded wetlands, and upland forests, this park has something for anyone looking for a little casual outdoors diversion. It's my favorite park locally! The best times of year to explore are early spring, when the snow melt turns even minor streams into beautiful rivers and late spring when flowers and ground cover are in full bloom.

    My puppy gives this place five stars for dog walking. I give it five of my own for running and light hiking.

    The only other review I could find was for the Mountain Lakes House. While I do not doubt that this is a fabulous event venue for weddings and the like (it's a beautiful house), the rest of the park is not to be ignored. It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful park in Princeton and amongst the most beautiful in Mercer County (Bald Pate Mountain in Hopewell is up there as well). There are about eight miles of nature trails at this park which offer fantastic hiking (not overly technical) and trail running opportunities. I bring my dogs here and they absolutely love it. Volunteers do an amazing job of keeping the trails in tip top shape (mix of dirt, grass, mulch and pebble trails). The lake itself is beautiful. Actually, everything about this place is beautiful. The trails are well marked and it's relatively hard to get lost.

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    1 month ago

    Great hiking trails , for a nice stroll on a beautiful sunny day . See turtles and ducks, while enjoying nature.

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Easily accessible, great for bike riding and a casual walk. The trails are great for my 4-year-old - very flat, safe, and clearly marked.

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

    There are about eight miles of nature trails at this park which offer fantastic hiking (not overly technical) and trail running opportunities.

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    Mercer County Park

    Mercer County Park

    4.4
    (69 reviews)
    7.4 mi

    A very nice park with a boathouse where you can rent out kayaks/pedal boats, bbq area, playground,…read morewalking/biking trails. There is also an ice skating center where you can take lessons. A lot of festivals and summer concerts are hosted during the summer to fall.

    Mercer County Park is a complete park that offers something for just about everyone's needs…read more Whether you're looking to take the kids to the lake for a swim, go kayaking, let the dogs off leash in the fenced in dog park, ride your bike along paths both paved and natural, or just go walkabout to enjoy the largest park in the county. There are even a small number of campsites that can be reserved during certain times of the year. There are also large playing fields that host tournaments throughout the year for baseball, soccer, lacrosse, etc., and rowing regattas are hosted on the lake. At 3.9 square miles, Mercer County Park is a whopping 1.7% of the total acreage in all of Mercer County. The NE portion of the park is part that I like best, as it's also the part that gets the least amount of traffic, with the only folks you see being people walking the trails, birdwatchers and BMX bike riders. I wouldn't advise taking a gravel bike on the paths in this part of the park. I used to come here often with my bike, but now I'm also enjoying the trails on foot. If you're a road bike owner who's just looking for a short ride, the paved paths that run the length of the park, and the broad shoulder of the main road offer a good conditions for a road bike, but you'll need to look elsewhere for a longer, challenging ride. Also, I've yet to encounter the entitled dog owners who think that the leash regulations don't apply to them. I'm sure that they're out there, but perhaps they're not as common as they are at places like Mercer Meadows or Mountain Lakes--fingers crossed.

    Photos
    More early Winter scenery along the park's trails.
    More early Winter scenery along the park's trails.
    Pincushion moss along the Blue Trail.  Don't forget to look down now and then, or you'll miss some good stuff...or trip over it.
    Pincushion moss along the Blue Trail. Don't forget to look down now and then, or you'll miss some good stuff...or trip over it.
    2/25/2024 mercer lake

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    2/25/2024 mercer lake
    Firehouse Cycles

    Firehouse Cycles

    3.5
    (44 reviews)
    11.6 mi
    $$

    Wow. I have been…read morelooking for a new bike for a year. I have shopped in Ohio and New Jersey before coming to Firehouse Cycles. After trying out a few bikes, I found out Firehouse Cycles carried the bike and color I was interested in. Not only did I walk out with a bike I loved, but I also had the best experience at Firehouse Cycles. Buying a bike can be a huge investment, regardless of if you're getting your first bike to ride around town or looking for a top of the line race bike. So whatever your price point, you want someone who will be sensible, thoughtful, and helpful. And as with any purchase, you want to leave feeling excited, confident, and assured about your new item and the service you received. That's exactly what you'll get at Firehouse Cycles - the perfect shopping experience. I called ahead asking if they had the bike, color, and size I needed. Mike, the owner, offered to hold the bike for me for several days until I could make it out there. Mike was extremely well-informed, patient, and welcoming. I learned a lot about my new bike in the process, and felt comfortable to ask any and all questions. Within thirty minutes, my bike was ready to go fitted with all the accessories I had requested. Plus he picked water bottles and a helmet to match my new bike. This was also a great place to test ride a new bike: they have a large parking lot and quiet neighborhood around back. He offered to drive the bike to our house even though we live 40 minutes away! As you can see in other reviews, this is the norm. When I let him know this bike would be coming with me back to Cleveland, he said to never hesitate reaching out if I ever needed help with my bike. Mike also helped us pick out two bike racks for two separate cars, and even took the time to teach us how to set it up and secure our new bike. I left the shop with a huge smile on my face. I wish every shopping experience was like this. Thank you Mike and the rest of the team at Firehouse Cycles!

    Don't waste your time taking a kids bike for repair here! $36 to replace a tube. $13.25 for a the…read moretube you can by elsewhere for $6.00. Shameful!

    Photos
    Firehouse Cycles' new location is now: 
 38 S. Bell Ave
 Yardley PA 19067
 1 block WEST of River Road (aka, Delaware Rd)
    Firehouse Cycles' new location is now: 38 S. Bell Ave Yardley PA 19067 1 block WEST of River Road (aka, Delaware Rd)
    FIREHOUSE CYCLES has a NEW location: 
 38 S. Bell Ave 
 Yardley PA 19067
    FIREHOUSE CYCLES has a NEW location: 38 S. Bell Ave Yardley PA 19067
    Firehouse Cycles

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    Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve - hiking - Updated August 2026

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