Van Nest Refuge WMA – Hamilton Township, Mercer County, NJ Distance – Did 1.7 miles loop.  Trails connect into Mercer County Park, so can expand this hike much, much further! Type – Loop-ish Difficulty:  5 of 10 – some bridges were out when we were there, which involved some fancy footwork.  If they were/are replaced, it would be a 2.

Website – None Open – Sunrise to Sunset?

Note – This is a WMA, but it seems to be closed to deer hunting due to it’s connection with Mercer County Park.

Terrain – Forest and swamp Surface – dirt trails

Trailheads – N 40° 16.137 W 074° [...]

High five!

Grounds for Sculpture– Hamilton, Mercer County, NJ Difficulty: 1 of 10 Total score: 9 of 10

Website –www.groundsforsculpture.org/ Admission – $15 per adult, Seniors $12, $10 for students, Free for the 5 and under crowd. (Rates as of January 2016) Admission cheat code – most of the libraries in the state have passes for here that you can check out. They are VERY popular in nice weather, but if you’re dumb and go in the winter like us, they are readily available.  Can only hold onto them for three days (at least in Camden County). Open – Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 PM. Closed [...]

Great Egg Harbor River Paddle – Penny Pot in Hammonton to Lake Lenape, Mays Landing, NJ Distance: 16.9 miles total (we did 2.7 miles) Type: One way Difficulty: 6 of 10 – I’m sure much lower when flow is normal Total score: 7 of 10.

Breakdown (according to the Atlantic County Park System): Penny Pot to Weymouth – 9.9 miles (4 – 6 hours) Weymouth to Camp Acagisca – 2.7 miles (2 – 3 hours) Camp Acagisca to Lake Lenape – 4.3 miles (3 – 4 hours)

Terrain – Forest and swamp

Map –

Put ins – Penny Pot – 39°34’31.64″N, 74°49’20.54″W (8th Street, just off Rt 73 – [...]

Welcome sign by Watson House.

Spring Lake Trail – John A. Roebling Memorial Park – Abbott Marshlands – Hamilton Township, Mercer County, NJ

(Formerly the Trenton-Hamilton-Bordentown Marsh) Distance: 4 miles of trails in the park (we did 2 1/2 miles – the Spring Lake Trail.  Will be back for the Watson’s Woods Trail) Type: Web of interlocking trails. Difficulty: 4 of 10 – some parts slippery and muddy, some parts of the trail (especially on the island portions) can be a little difficult to follow.  Elevation is no problem. Updated: 6/22/20

Terrain –Swamps, swamps, swamps, lake, and [...]