Trails

Open Daily: Dawn to Dusk

The Watershed Reserve offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that are open from dawn to dusk throughout the year including a half mile ADA accessible boardwalk that is currently under construction.

Our trails explore wetlands, forests, meadows, streams and the four-acre Wargo Pond, which support the Watershed Reserve’s vibrant and 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. Birders will enjoy looking out for osprey, bobolink, Coopers hawk, red-shouldered hawk, or any of six species of owl that frequent the reserve.

The trails are accessible from our main entrance at 31 Titus Mill Road, a parking lot on Moore’s Mill-Mount Rose Road and W. Broad Street just outside Hopewell Borough. View or download a copy of our trail map here:

Trail Map

Trails will be closed for controlled deer management on these days:

Dec. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22  |  Jan. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19,21, 25, 26  |  Feb. 1, 2, 8, 9

Dates in blue mean that trails south of the pond open after 9 a.m.
Dates in orange mean all the trails will be open after 12 p.m.

Please observe the following while enjoying the trails:

  • Trails are for foot travel only. No bicycles, motorized vehicles or horses are permitted. [Snow shoes & Cross Country Skis ARE acceptable in the appropriate season]

  • No off-trail travel is allowed to protect wildlife habitat.

  • Picnicking is permitted in designated areas where there are tables. Please carry out all trash.

  • Pets must be on leashes at all times. Respect other hikers by cleaning up after your pet.

  • No smoking or lighting of fires is allowed.

  • No hunting, trapping or collecting of any natural materials is allowed.

  • Catch and release fishing is permitted only from the dock and shores of Wargo Pond in conjunction with an appropriate license.

Sustainability Trail Audio Tour

We are pleased to offer cell phone tours that provide details about our new Watershed Center and Reserve. We offer 22 different tour stops both indoors and out!  Look for signs throughout the Reserve about different aspects of our green infrastructure.  Scan their codes to view site descriptions and photos. To access our tour from your web-enabled phone, visit: watershed.toursphere.com

Interested in Geocaching?

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunt using GPS. It has been described as “hiking with a purpose”! Participants navigate to a specific set of geographic coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache, or special container, hidden at that location. All you need to get started is a GPS-enabled device – even your phone will work! Visit Geocaching.com to learn more about the activity and to locate caches placed all over the world.

Geocaches on the Reserve

The Watershed Reserve has several permanent geocaches hidden throughout our 950-acre property. It’s a great place to spend the day with a GPS, friends, and miles of trails through a variety of habitats. How do you know where to look? Enter these GPS coordinates into your device and start hunting! Just be sure to leave the treasure for the next geocacher.

Name Coordinates GC Code
Watershed – Returning N 40° 21.318 W 074° 46.543 GC4HQCP
Watershed – Lonely Tree N 40° 21.461′ W 074° 46.389′ GC6N5MJ
Watershed – Hedging Your Bets N 40° 21.168 W 074° 46.632 GC3F2CG
Watershed – Cache but Don’t Dash N 40° 20.969 W 074° 45.908 GC6ZV2Y
Watershed – Bad Shot N 40° 21.336′ W 074° 46.242′ GC6MXMY
Watershed – Wilson Too N 40° 21.624′ W 074° 46.074′ GC6MXK8
Watershed – Bush House N 40° 22.825′ W 074° 46.372′ GC6MQQW
Stony Brook – Four Seasons N 40° 20.935 W 074° 46.656 GC1F9G9
Watershed – Pooped N 40° 21.268 W 074° 46.105 GC23J98
In the Shadow of the Two Towers N 40° 21.497 W 074° 46.011 GC1KZ5F
Symplocarpus N 40° 22.119 W 074° 46.468 GC1M55V
Rocky Too N 40° 22.662 W 074° 46.236 GCH0R4
Watershed – Wrong Turn N 40° 21.122 W 074° 46.111 GC45CNB