National Trails Day – June 6, 2015

It’s June! That means that the American Hiking Society’s Annual National Trails Day is nearly upon us! It will take place on D-Day, next Saturday June 6. Want to celebrate? Just go out and hike any trail! Want to celebrate at an official event? Here are some in South Jersey that are taking place!

NOTE: South Jersey Trails is not affiliated in any way with any of these events, please check their respective websites for any last minute changes! In fact, South Jersey Trails will be camping in Delaware with the Boy Scouts next weekend (don’t worry, we’ll be celebrating down there)!

South Jersey Land & Water Trust –

Upper Cooper River Walk in the Woods (Cherry Hill, NJ)

Saturday, June 6, 10 AM – 1 PM

“Join us Saturday, June 6th, at 10:00 am at the new Camden County Environmental Center, a LEED Silver certified building. We will walk in the woods for about 2 hours around Evans Park and the Croft Farm, an 80-acre farm; bring your camera and binoculars, and dress appropriately. Please RSVP tohoganphoto@verizon.net. This event is FREE for SJLWT members and $3 per nonmember.”

NJ Park Serice –

Wharton State Forest (Shamong, NJ)

Saturday, June 6 – 10:30 AM to 3 PM

“Help the NJ Park Service remark a hiking trail with paint blazes. Bring water, insect/tick repellent, work gloves and work clothes as well as comfortable hiking footware.”

Distance: 3 miles (Note: I can’t tell if this is total or one way)

RSVP required by phone – 609-567-4559

National Wildlife Refuge

Edward B. Forsythe National Wildlife Preserve (Oceanville, NJ)

Saturday, June 6 – 8 AM to 10 AM and again at 1 PM

“Celebrate National Trails Day at Edwin B. Forsythe (your) National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at the Visitor Information Center at 8:00 a.m. for a bird walk led by naturalists from the Atlantic Audubon Society; then hike one of our 5 trails or drive our 8-mile Wildlife Drive. Stick around until 1:00 p.m. and get on-board our solar-powered tram for a guided tour along our Wildlife Drive (call 609-652-1665 to reserve your spot). Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge is also a location on the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail and part of the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve.”

Belleplain State Forest –

Belleplain State Forest (Woodbine, NJ)

Time – TBA

RSVP required by e-mail – bellevsa@comcast.net

1 1/2 mile hike

Monmouth County Park System –

Thompson Park Conservation Area – Monroe Township

RSVP Required – email scott.meyler@co.middlesex.nj.us

Maintaining 1/2 a mile of trail

“Located behind the Monroe Twp Middleschool. Follow signs for student drop off then continue straight down the dirt road.”

Kingston Greenways Association

Cook Natural Area (Kingston, NJ)

RSVP required by phone – 609-924-3399

“We will celebrate Trails Day by opening up a trail in the Cook Natural Area. This will be an alternate trail, on a drier path, to replace the trail that was formerly the site of the boardwalk. Some sections of the boardwalk will be reused. All who would like to volunteer are very welcome. We also hope to clear sections of other trails in the vicinity. Meet us at the Cook Area parking lot at the intersection of Ridge and Heathcote Roads in Kingston. Wear boots; we will supply gloves and tools. For more information, please visit http://kingstongreenways.org/, or call 609-924-3399.”