Watershed Institute
Directions
The main parking area is located at the Johnson Environmental Center, 31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington, NJ 08534. GPS coordinates: 40.35387,-74.771848.
Park Overview
A beautiful nature preserve with several short hikes through protected habitats.
Trail Overview
The preserve features an 0.7-mile loop boardwalk. The Watershed Trail (blue, 3 miles long) traverses the length of the park, roughly from south to north -- from Stony Brook to West Broad Street. For details on the other trails and for a map of the trails, see their website, https://thewatershed.org/
Pathways have a dirt surface with some wooden bridges over boggy areas. Most trails begin from the main parking area off Titus Mill Road. There are no fees to hike in the Reserve.
Limited hunting is allowed. The trails are closed to hikers on certain specific dates. See the website, https://thewatershed.org/ for details.
Park Description
The goal of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, founded 60 years ago, is to improve the health and quality of central New Jersey’s water and sustain a network of protected habitats for wildlife and people. Maintaining the Watershed Reserve is a major component of this environmental protection effort. Hikers can explore wetlands, forests, meadows, streams and the four-acre Wargo Pond, which nourish the diverse community of animals and plants. Some of the oldest trees in central New Jersey are found here, as well as fox, coyote, weasel and flying squirrel.