LAWRENCE TWP: Rosedale Park is part of the Mercer Meadows district of parks featuring walking…read moretrails, views of Rosedale Lake, wildlife watching, open fields, and an off-leash dog park! The dog park is split into two sections: one for dogs 35 pounds and under & one for 36 pounds and over. The areas are spacious to run around with agility stations, a seasonal water fountain, picnics tables, and really pretty views. The gate to access the park was a little tricky for us to open and a park regular helped us get in. A very pretty place to spend some time outdoors! 111 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648

Lots of trails around lake and park. They have a picnic spot especially for large groups or family…read morereunions. Beautiful sunset can be seen over lake. Not my good to die walking or running tho due to lots of woods area. I recommend walking with someone

Verterans Park is a nice sized park that's easily accessible from multiple points. The park is…read morewell equipped with various sporting facilities, including tennis courts, volleyball nets and even a small, ver basic, skate park. There's even a location for roller hockey. There are play areas for kids, and picnic tables (including covered picnic locations) for families looking to spend some time out of doors. It can be very crowded on a nice weekend, which is both good and bad, as I'm glad that they park is being used by the Township's citizens, but at the same time, you always want the nice places all for yourself. There are parking areas on different sides of the park, and I prefer to park on the Hamilton/Whitehorse Road side, but that spot is pretty small, is popular with runners, and fills up especially fast on weekends. To make matters worse, for some reason the City recently installed E-Car charging stations there (sure, pick the smallest lot--nice work, Hamilton), so parking in those four spaces is no longer available for anyone, as the even the e-cars must leave after charging. There are well paved paths that lead through the park, and there are park maps located in a few places along the main paved paths. There are also dirt trails that lead through the more wooded areas in the park, but sadly, they are very poorly marked--meaning almost not at all, and it's up to you to figure them out. However, the park isn't so big that you can really get lost, so...go out and try to get lost, and you'll figure out the dirt trails soon enough. They aren't nearly as popular as the paved trails, so they should be your destination if the sensation of having the park to yourself is a goal. There's a dog park located by the Kuser Road entrance. There's a fenced in area for large and smaller dogs, but to be brutally honest, both areas are tiny compared to the expansive dog park located at Rosedale Park in nearby Pennington. That said, if you just want to bring your dog to a place where they can socialize and you're not worried about them having a place to run, it's fine. Just make sure you walk them through the main park itself before or after so that they can get some exercise. On the negative side, other than the poorly marked dirt trails and the underwhelming size of the dog park, the main problem in Veterans Park, which is pretty much the main problem in every park in the county. The city recently put up signs saying there will be improvements made to the paths that include separate bike lanes. It's a good idea, and a necessary one , but I'll be surprised if the people on feet respect the bike lines. Prove me wrong, Hamilton!

Great facility visited here for a USTA tennis tournament. Parking is limited, but they have…read moreextended parking options. There are restrooms within the park. They do have pickle ball courts. The surface of the tennis courts could be maintained well. They do have a hitting wall. I see a lot of dog walkers in the club.

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

Nice park close to Princeton campus for a leisurely nature stroll. Some of the bridges and wood…read morepassages were in need of some maintenance. The lake was lovely and picturesque. Overall, trails were easy to follow and not too far a distance, so you can easily adjust the length of the hike as you go along.

Easily my favorite trail in the New Jersey area! Breathtaking views on both sides with canals and…read morerivers. Spectacular choice for fall foliage viewing! This is my hands-down winner for the best trail in New Jersey, I've hiked it, and I have biked it! I love all of the other trails in New Jersey, but this one rises to the top for a few reasons. Often there is water on both sides of the trail. There's a man-made canal on one side and sometimes either a river or a lake on the other side. Plus, it's lush with trees and vegetation. Also, the trail is really great if you wanna go biking. You can't go wrong wherever you decide to explore. I would recommend biking since it's such a beautiful trail and you'd want to see as much as you can. Also, the trail is very flat and easy to ride. It's not paved, but it is a wonderful easy riding surface without dust. I recommend parking either at Kingston, which is my favorite. Or at Rocky Hill. You could also park in Princeton along Washington Street near the kayak rental place. If you park at the Kingston trailhead, if you turn one way and head towards Rocky Hill you will see the most breathtaking views I feel the trail has to offer with majestic Streams and canals with cliffs and trees, and all directions. If you take this trail in the fall, you will be blown away by nature! If you ride in the other direction from Kingston towards the Princeton trailhead, you will pass a long and beautiful lake on your right hand side with beautiful views and trees on your left! If you love trails, this one put to the top of your list if you live in New Jersey or nearby Princeton! Super highly recommended! Going in October during the fall can be a transcending experience!

There are over 70 miles of paths/trails along the D&R canal, passing through many historic towns…read moreand landmarks in NJ with some pretty houses along the way, from near Frenchtown down to Trenton, then up to New Brunswick, in a V shape. The D&R runs parallel to the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) trail on the Pennsylvania side, so you're also getting a view of the Delaware River on that part of the track. The trail is mostly flat and is suitable for walking or biking. We love riding this trail and exploring sections of it at a time and the surrounding towns. Some sections are more scenic than others. A favorite easy ride (or hike) of ours is to start in Lambertville NJ, ride up to Stockton, cross over Center Bridge to the PA side, grab a burger at Dilly's, then ride down to New Hope, PA, walk around town, and return to Lambertville via the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. It's only about 8 miles roundtrip and makes for a leisurely day, and is very doable even for kids.

The Van Nest Wildlife Refuge is an underused, 98-acre area located at the edge of Hamilton Township…read moreand adjacent to Mercer County Park. The trails stemming from the parking lot there all eventually lead to Mercer Lake--specifically leading to the dam there that creates and holds back the lake itself. You can create your own loop, and the trails are all pretty manageable on foot or bike, but leave the stroller at home. The area is full of wildlife and native flora, and makes a great nature walk to observe the animals and birds. I've never encountered anyone along the wooded portions of the trail. However, the Long Trail that runs through Mercer County Park and into the refuge along the Assunpink is popular with trail bikers, and you're likely to see one or two come through on their bikes. The area is accessed by a dirt road off the North side of Hughes Drive right at the intersection with Quakerbridge Road. It's easy to miss, and with traffic it might be hard to enter unless you're driving South on Hughes to make an easy right turn onto the dirt road. I've never seen a good map of the area, but if you have the Strava, Komoot, or Footpath apps, you can see the trails there and use your phone to choose your route. The NJ Trails Association map of Mercer County Park can be used in a pinch, but I found my phone to be a better guide. That said, there are a number of criss-crossing trails in area, so it can be confusing without a map, but as long as you pay attention to where you've walked, I don't think the lack of a map would be a reason not to go. It's not a huge area, and unless you're directionally challenged, you'll eventually (probably) find your way out

Hamilton Square, NJ - this is a sweet little 30-acre botanical garden and park that's free to…read morevisit, featuring specimens collected by gardening enthusiast Frederick Sayen from his world travels. The garden was created in 1912 when Sayen purchased the land with his wife Anne Mellon (of the Mellon family) and built a home in the Arts and Crafts style. The azaleas and rhododendrons are especially magnificent. We visited during the Azalea Festival over Mother's Day weekend, and the flowers were in full colorful splendor. There are ponds, gazebos, and walking trails around the property. My favorite are the wooded trails at one end of the park, but they aren't marked so you could end up wandering around trying to find the exit. Tip: you can find GPS map tracks in AllTrails and Gaia to stay oriented.

Happy Mother's Day! Went to the Azeala Festival today and…read moreboy oh boy it was so beautiful outside. The festival had live music who were awesome. Yes, I did dance in my chair. Couldn't help it when they played and sang some popular disco tunes. The craft and food vendors were there full strong with lots of unique things, (hint, my daughter surprised me with beautiful flowers.

Great park. Beautiful nature…read more Two areas to park your car at. One at each point of entry on both sides of the street. Some people rode bikes. Some people walked around with their friends and family. Some folks were walking their pets! Nice trail along the canal. Bike riding and walking. Met some pals for a lil snacks and coffee ! Lots of tables (and a bbq grill. ) Thankful for all the people who made this possible and who maintain this park for the benefit of all !

I don't know why this park isn't listed anywhere, but it's great. Take Bunn Drive to the top of the…read morehill, it's on the left via McComb Road. If on foot, take Mount Lucas Road up to Campbell Woods Way and find the path through a cul de sac. Why we love it: Restrooms. I know everyone loves the other parks, but this one has a real restroom, open most of the year and a port a potty during the winter. A definite bonus with kids. Skate park. Skateboards, bicycles, scooters. No one is rude--it's rather refreshing seeing people take turns. So much for the idea from my childhood that skaters were criminals. Climbing wall. Basketball court. Jungle gyms for wee and older kids. Picnic tables. Active soccer field. Swings. One was broken last summer, removed the next day, replaced the third day. Active. It is rare that the park is ever empty. Ample parking I try to do the bars every time we visit; the kids aren't quite there yet, but there are both children's and regular bars, plus the spinny bars. 4 slides, possibly 5. Tip: if you want to take ice cream cones, scoop ice cream on to cones, put upside down into cups (the kid's cups from restaurants are perfect), then put into a purse. The kids will think you're a mad genius.