Walk the Trails in and around Princeton: Revised to Include the Newest Trails
72
Walk the Trails in and around Princeton: Revised to Include the Newest Trails
72eBook
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Overview
This is an attractive, pocket-friendly guide to walks on sixteen of the best trails through preserved open space in Princeton, New Jersey, and its neighboring towns. This revised edition includes eight new walks, several of which have been created on land that has been preserved since the popular guide was originally published in 2009. The walks range from two to four miles, but many include suggestions for trail connections that allow you to extend your hike if you choose. The guide includes detailed color maps of the trails, directions on how to get to them and where to park, and recommendations for the most scenic routes. Each walk has been designed with a "reason to walk" in mind: a special boulder or waterfall to find, a bit of local history or a beautiful vista to enjoy. The guide is illustrated with specially commissioned color photographs, sixteen of which are featured on detachable postcards.
- A guide to 16 trails through preserved open space in Princeton and neighboring towns
- Directions for how to get there and where to park
- Detailed walking directions, trail distances, and color trail maps
- Suggestions for connections to other trails
- 8 new walks are featured in this revised edition, including the Scott and Hella McVay Poetry Trail, the Stony Brook Trail, and the trails at St. Michaels Farm Preserve
- Specially commissioned color photographs
- 16 detachable color postcards
- Proceeds benefit D&R Greenway Land Trust, Friends of Princeton Open Space, and The Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association to support trail maintenance and land stewardship
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781400884834 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
| Publication date: | 03/07/2017 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 72 |
| File size: | 77 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Walk The Trails In And Around Princeton
Revised To Include The Newest Trail
By Sophie Glovier
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Copyright © 2017 Princeton University PressAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4008-8483-4
CHAPTER 1
The Boardwalk & the Lakes
This walk will introduce you to the broad swath of open space sometimes known as Princeton's Central Park. You'll enter it via a boardwalk over the wetlands at the edge of Coventry Farm, a historic farm preserved in 2002. This large expanse of open space also includes the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, the John Witherspoon Woods, and Community Park North. There are more than 400 acres and 8 miles of trails to enjoy.
The Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Princeton, NJ
[C] Bentley Drezner. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take the Great Road north and look for the "Farm View Fields" sign on your left. Turn left into the parking lot.
THINGS TO KNOW: This walk is jog-stroller friendly and suitable for all ages.
A B C D
2.7 miles 50 min
[W] Walking Directions
From the Farm View Fields parking lot, take the paved path that winds through the baseball diamonds and past the soccer fields. When you come to the Great Road, use the crosswalk to cross the street and turn right on the sidewalk on the opposite side.
Directly across from the entrance to North Road you will see an opening in the fence — turn left and go through the entrance. You will see a sign marking the J. Seward Johnson Sr. Trail, which runs across the bottom of the preserved fields of Coventry Farm. Follow the grass path to access the boardwalk and enjoy the beautiful view as you continue across. When the boardwalk ends, bear left, then bear right, following the blue trail markers. Continue until you come to a crossroads. Turn left and shortly you will see the picturesque lake. Turn right and walk along the base of the lake until the trail dead-ends at a stream. Turn right, then take a left and cross over the stream. Once you are across the bridge, turn left. When the path splits, bear left along the water.
Follow the trail along the lake until you come to the lawn of Mountain Lakes House. Go straight across the grass past the dam and go left over the old stone bridge. Follow the gravel path until it ends, then turn left. Follow the path until you come to and cross a wooden bridge. When the path ends at the base of a set of rough steps, turn left. This path leads down the opposite side of the lake back to the connection to the boardwalk, which is indicated by a marker with a brown bicycle on it and a blue trail marker. Turn right and follow the arrows back to the boardwalk, across the Great Road, and up the path through Farm View Fields back to the parking lot.
CHAPTER 2Forest, Fields & a Waterfall
This is one of my favorite walks because of the variety of terrain that it includes. Beginning in pretty Pettoranello Gardens, you travel through the woods before crossing two picturesque fields. After you pass near Mountain Lakes House, you will enter the historic John Witherspoon Woods and cross a waterfall before returning along the banks of the lake.
The Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Princeton, NJ
[C] Bentley Drezner. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take Route 206 north to Mountain Avenue. Turn left. You will see the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve/Community Park North Parking Lot on your right. Turn in and park here.
THINGS TO KNOW: This walk crosses several streams, so wear boots when it has been wet. Watch for roots along the trails through the woods. Volunteers from Friends of Princeton Open Space work hard to maintain the trails in the Greater Mountain Lakes Open Space Area. If you would like to join them, visit www.fopos.org.
C D
2.4 miles 50 min
[W] Walking Directions
From the parking lot, walk toward Route 206, and turn left onto the paved path. Stay straight to enter Pettoranello Gardens. At the pond, turn left onto the wood-chip path. Continue over the wooden bridge and bear left (away from the lake) to go over the second bridge. Continue straight into the woods and follow the white trail markers. You will reach a set of stairs that lead down the stream bank; continue across the stream and up the other side to the open fields. Bear left to follow the white trail along the side of the meadow and back into the woods. Cross a second streambed and follow the trail to another field. Turn left at the trail crossing to stay on the white trail. You will see Mountain Lakes House through the trees to your left; continue on until you come to a stream on your left. Keep your eye out for a set of steps to the left which lead down to the stream; take this path to cross at the base of the waterfall. Continue up the hill and then turn left onto the yellow trail toward Mountain Lakes North/Stuart Trail. When you reach the next stream, cross it and turn left, staying straight and following the red markers and then green markers until you see the lake on your left. Continue along the side of the lake before winding to your left along its bottom edge. Follow the path to the right, then go left over the bridge and bear right to follow the green trail. At the trail crossing, stay straight and follow the trail until it ends at the driveway, which you will cross to return to the parking lot.
CHAPTER 3The Scott & Hella McVay Poetry Trail
This trail combines a beautiful view with the opportunity to enjoy 48 poems featuring the work of poets from 14 countries, all inspired by nature. The trail is set within Greenway Meadows Park, 55 acres of open space on the site of the former Robert Wood Johnson estate. The property was preserved by D&R Greenway Land Trust in 2001, avoiding the possibility of a major development. You can make this walk longer by combining it with Walk 4.
Greenway Meadows, Princeton, NJ
[C] Nathan Drezner. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take Rosedale Road west. The parking lot for Greenway Meadows is directly across from the entrance to the Johnson Park School.
B C D
1.1 miles 25 min
[W] Walking Directions
From the parking lot, head up the hill toward the playground. Take the paved path until you reach the majestic allée of sycamore trees. A sign with background on the McVays, who have dedicated their lives to protecting the environment and celebrating the arts, marks the beginning of the Poetry Trail. Continue up the hill and across the top. Don't forget to enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the hill. As you descend the other side, rejoin the paved path and continue downward. Then take the paved path back through the park to where you began, stopping by the D&R Greenway Native Plant Nursery or Meredith's Garden for Inspiration on the way, if you wish.
THINGS TO KNOW: D&R Greenway Land Trust is located in the Johnson Education Center, the historic barn by the playground. Visit www.drgreenway.org for hours and to learn about frequently changing exhibits of art inspired by nature, as well as a wide variety of environmentally focused programming.
CHAPTER 4From Greenway Meadows along the Stony Brook
This trail is one of my favorites on a hot day. It winds along a broad stretch of the Stony Brook, and great blue herons and ducks can frequently be seen. One highlight is the 125-foot pedestrian bridge, which offers a great view up and down the stream.
The Stony Brook Trail, Princeton, NJ
[C] Nathan Drezner. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take Rosedale Road west. The parking lot for Greenway Meadows is directly across from the entrance to the Johnson Park School.
THINGS TO KNOW: For a longer walk, cross Rosedale Road and take the trail that starts by the bridge and curves around Johnson Park School to the Great Road. From here it is a short walk to the beginning of Walk 1 and the rest of the trail network in the Greater Mountain Lakes Open Space Area.
C D
2.5 miles 50 min
[W] Walking Directions
Walk to the end of the parking lot away from the road to pick up the paved path. Turn right and continue straight. Continue into the woods to the sign for the Stony Brook Trail and turn left. Continue straight and follow the trail as it winds along the stream. Cross over the wooden bridge and climb the stairs. You will cross two more wooden bridges as you make your way along the path. When you see the large reddish bridge, turn right to cross over it and then continue up the hill and over the second smaller bridge. Continue up the gravel path; the trail continues until it intersects with Route 206. Eventually, a trail connection is planned which will allow walkers to connect to the Princeton Battlefield area, but for now, retrace your steps back the way you came.
CHAPTER 5The Princeton Battlefield through the Institute Woods to the Swinging Bridge
On this walk, you can learn about the Revolutionary War through a landscape that has remained largely unchanged since that time and experience one of the great open spaces in Princeton, the 589-acre Institute Woods. Skirting the acclaimed Institute for Advanced Study and passing by a beautiful pond, you will get a chance to cross over a very unusual and picturesque swinging bridge.
The Institute Woods, Princeton, NJ
[C] Bentley Drezner. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take Mercer Road south toward Lawrenceville. When you see the Princeton Battlefield, a wide field on either side of the road, make a left into the parking lot.
THINGS TO KNOW: These paths are open and flat, making for an easy walk with a jog-stroller.
A B C D
2.5 miles 1 hour
[W] Walking Directions
FROM THE PARKING LOT, walk along the drive toward the historic Thomas Clarke House. Keep the house to your left, and walk straight into the woods until you see a concrete trail marker and then a larger obelisk — this marks the route that General Washington and his troops took through this wood.
Follow the path, keeping the larger marker on your right, then take your first right down a dirt road. When the path dead-ends at the field, turn left, and then almost immediately bear right. Follow this trail to the water. The path will veer to the left and then run along the Stony Brook. Follow it along until you see the swinging bridge to your right. Take the chance to walk across the bridge and back, and then continue your walk by going straight when you leave the bridge. When you come to a V, go left. When you come to a trail crossing, continue straight.
When the path dead-ends, turn left to follow the trail that skirts the Institute for Advanced Study until you see a marker and a path running off to the right.
Follow this through the beautiful wildflowers back to the Princeton Battlefield, and cut across the grass by the Mercer Oak to return to the parking lot where you began.
CHAPTER 6To the Updike Farmstead in Washington's Footsteps
This walk starts at the Princeton Battlefield and travels through the Institute Woods and along a crushed-stone path next to Quaker Road to the 6-acre Updike Farmstead, home of the Historical Society of Princeton. You will be traveling part of the route followed by Continental troops on their way to the fight that occurred on the Princeton Battlefield in 1777. To return, you will walk through preserved farm fields back to the starting point.
Near the Updike Farmstead, Princeton, NJ
[C] Grace Glovier. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take Mercer Pike toward Lawrenceville until you see the Princeton Battlefield on either side of the road. Parking is available on both sides of the street.
THINGS TO KNOW: The trail along Quaker Road also connects to the D&R Canal State Park entrance at Quaker Road, and the longer distance makes a great bike ride. For information on visiting hours and other events at the Historical Society of Princeton, visit www.princetonhistory.org.
C D
2.8 miles 1 hour
[W] Walking Directions
Start at the crosswalk and pick up the paved path on the side of the battlefield, where you will see the descendant of the famous Mercer Oak tree with its protective fence. The trail runs along the edge of the field toward the Institute Woods. At the marker, turn right toward the Quaker Meeting House, walking on the gravel path. You will pass the first stone monument to Washington's march. Continue straight until you reach Quaker Road. Then turn left to follow the trail beside the road as it hugs the edge of the farm fields. Watch for a second stone marker on your left. At the parking lot for the Historical Society of Princeton's home at the Updike Farmstead, turn left and stop in to explore if you are walking during visiting hours. To return, start from the back door of the Updike Farmstead and head toward the barns, keeping the shed to your left. Continue straight onto the farm road toward the woods. Head toward the tree line, keeping the woods to your left. Turn left at the next field and continue along the edge straight until you enter the woods. Continue past a green lamppost on your left, and at the trail crossing turn right at the marker to walk toward the Clarke House. Continue straight past one marker, and at the next marker, turn left to rejoin the path that will take you back to where you started.
CHAPTER 7Council Rock & Tent Rock
This is a walk of discovery—a hunt for Council Rock and Tent Rock. Council Rock is a cliff that overlooks the forest floor from a significant height. You can imagine an Indian chief speaking to his tribe from the top of it. Tent Rock is a massive boulder that can be scaled by the intrepid climber.
Woodfield Reservation, Princeton, NJ
[C] Bentley Drezner. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] From Princeton, take the Great Road north. Turn left onto Drakes Corner Road. After a half mile, look for a small white sign for Woodfield Reservation on your left. If you get to Fredrick Court, you have gone too far. There is space to park along the road near the sign.
THINGS TO KNOW: These trails can be hard to follow in the fall when the leaves are on the ground. Keep an eye out for the white blazes on the trees marking the trail. Appropriate footwear is suggested.
C D
1.2 miles 25 min
[W] Walking Directions
FOLLOW THE PATH into the woods and over a streambed. When you come to a V, turn right. Follow the trail until you come to another V and a sign that points the way to the right to Council Rock and Tent Rock. Continue to follow this trail until you reach Council Rock. After you have enjoyed the view, retrace your steps, looking carefully for the trail that you will take to your right to go the short distance to Tent Rock. When you are ready to return, face the rock the way you came and take the trail to the left.
CHAPTER 8Hilltop Park to Herrontown Woods
This trail offers an introduction to the Eastern Ridge area of Princeton and is a great example of how trail connections can be used to get across town. Starting at Hilltop Park, you will make your way to Herrontown Woods, a fascinating 142-acre property that was once the home of famed mathematician Oswald Veblen and his wife, Elizabeth. From here, you can easily walk to Barbara Smoyer Park, just down the street from the entrance to Herrontown Woods.
Near Herrontown Woods, Princeton, NJ
[C] Grce Glovier. All Rights Reserved.
www.walkthetrails.org
[P] Take Route 206 North and turn right onto Terhune Road; then turn left onto North Harrison Street and make a slight right onto Bunn Drive. Park in the lot for Hilltop Park, which is located at 782 Bunn Drive.
THINGS TO KNOW: This walk does have many roots in parts and can be slippery after a rain. There are many trails to explore and a large parking lot at Herrontown Woods. For a complete trail map and to learn more about the property and efforts to save the Veblens' home and cottage, visit www.veblenhouse.org.
C D
2.8 miles 1 hour
[W] Walking Directions
FROM THE PARKING LOT, follow the sidewalk out to Bunn Drive. Turn right and follow the sidewalk to the crosswalk. Cross the street and continue on the sidewalk until you see a grassy road to your left, just across from the Copperwood apartments. Turn left onto the path and follow it past the first trail-map sign you will see on your left. At the second trail entrance marked with a trail map, turn left. Follow the trail through the woods. You will pass the trail connection to All Saints' Church on your way. Once you reach the sign for Herrontown Woods, turn left and use the stepping-stones to cross the stream, following the red trail markers. At the sign, continue straight; then at the T, turn right onto the white trail. At the next T, turn right and continue across the stream. At the next V, bear right and cross the stream out of Herrontown Woods and back onto the original trail, bearing right at the V. You will again pass the trail connection for All Saints'. Continue straight and retrace your steps back to the grassy road; turn right to head back to Bunn Drive. Turn right onto the sidewalk, and cross at the crosswalk to return to the parking lot where you started.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Walk The Trails In And Around Princeton by Sophie Glovier. Copyright © 2017 Princeton University Press. Excerpted by permission of PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
In Princeton's "Central Park"Walk 1. The Boardwalk and the Lakes
Walk 2. Forest, Fields, and a Waterfall
Greenway Meadows & the Stony Brook
Walk 3. The Scott & Hella McVay Poetry Trail
Walk 4. Along the Stony Brook
In the Institute Woods
Walk 5. The Battlefield to the Swinging Bridge
Walk 6. To the Updike Farmstead in Washington's Footsteps
Woodfield Reservation
Walk 7. Tent and Council Rocks
The Eastern Princeton Ridge
Walk 8. Hilltop Park to Herrontown Woods
Along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail
Walk 9. Around Rosedale Lake to Hunt House
Walk 1 0. Mercer Meadows
Walk 11. The Watershed Center and the Pond Loop
Walk 12. Carson Road Woods
Other Great Walks in Nearby Towns
Walk 13. St. Michaels Farm Preserve, Hopewell
Walk 14. Skillman Park, Montgomery
Walk 15. Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve
Walk 16. Along the D&R Canal, Rocky Hill