June 24 - July 1

Steppin' Out!

Rich and varied, music in Northwest New Jersey is just the ticket for evenings that end on high notes. Your musical destination is never very far away, the price often can't be beat, and there's surely something to satisfy your tonal desires all week long!

Centenary Stage Company's Summer Musical Theatre Series presents a selection of Musical Theatre favorites during the summer months. This Thursday, June 25 it's A Taste of Ireland at 7:30pm.

CountryLIVE opens the annual Music Under The Stars series, Thursday (June 25). Presented by the Hunterdon County Park System, free concerts are held on subsequent Thursday evenings throughout the summer at Deer Path Park, in Flemington.

On alternate Thursdays and Saturdays at 8pm, the Back Deck Concert Series graces the Morris Museum in Morristown with swinging sounds from around the world. On July 2, Alexis Morrast brings a radiant blend of soul, gospel, and classic jazz phrasing. 973/285-5115.

Grab a lawn chair or blanket and come enjoy a wide range of musical talent each Friday at the magnificent New Jersey Botanical Gardens in Ringwood. This week (June 26), Zeke Carey will entertain.

Peter Karp at Ramsaysburg

The Ramsaysburg Summer Concert Series opens the season with blues rocker Peter Karp and band this Saturday (June 27, 4pm). The venue is part of the Historic Ramsaysburg Homestead along the Delaware River on Route 46 at Ramseyburg Road in Knowlton Township. Gates open at 3, so come early to picnic and enjoy the beautiful historic park.

Jazz at Rutherfurd Hall returns on Sunday, June 28 with the great Rio Clemente from 2-4pm. Then mosey on over to the Middle Valley Community Center in Califon for this Sunday's show with Reid Andrés Trio, June 28 from 4-6pm

And the Somerset Concert Series in the Park is always a good Sunday bet. Shows are free and take place at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater.

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Short Walks on the Long Trail

The Appalachian Trail, which stretches over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine, enters New Jersey at the Delaware Water Gap, heads north along the Kittatinny Ridge to High Point, then east through the Pochuck Valley. You can conquer the Trail this summer by taking these suggested day hikes as it traverses two of our most celebrated state parks — High Point and Stokes Forest — and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, along a 45-mile route through Sussex and Warren counties.

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Teach Your Teachers Well

Lake Wapalanne at the New Jersey School of Conservation, which provides educational opportunities for children, and development opportunities for adults, bringing immense value to the state.

The New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC), founded in 1949 on 240 acres within Stokes State Forest, was saved from closure in 2020 by the Friends of NJSOC after the COVID pandemic created severe financial challenges. Although now supported in part by a dedicated state budget line item, that funding is proposed for elimination this year.
On Sunday, June 28, the Highlands Coalition will host a special educational program about the NJSOC along with a relaxing three-mile hike along the cool, shady waters of the Big Flat Brook and the wetlands of the Blue Mountain Loop. NJSOC’s Executive Director will discuss the school’s history, its importance, and ways to support its mission. The 11am hike begins at 1 Wapalanne Road in Stokes State Forest. Registration is required.

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Your Neighbor's Cow

Dairy workers at the Springhouse Creamery.

A gallon of milk from the supermarket is a combined effort of thousands of cows, raised on any number of farms who knows where. But single herd milk is just that: milk exclusively from the cows that reside on one dairy farm. Northwest New Jersey is now home to a few dairy farmers who sell their milk directly to the consumer. Cream at the top!

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Planet Jersey

Photo by Dave Zolla

Close encounters of the hummingbird kind don’t have to be rare occasions. You can turn your backyard into a hummingbird paradise, a place where these beautiful creatures will become regular visitors. Don’t let them pass you by!

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June 17 - 24

Freedom, Art, & Community

Don’t miss the free Juneteenth Celebration on June 18 at the Morris Museum.

The summer solstice is this Sunday (June 21), the day with more sunshine than any other. Good thing; you'll need all that sunshine to celebrate Father's Day! Take Dad by the hand and show him all that Northwest New Jersey has to offer this and every day of the splendid season. Take advantage of a schedule full of intriguing events, or choose among dozens of natural attractions or outdoor activities throughout the region. Spread your wings and reach for the Skylands; summer starts now!

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Go Daddy!

Dads love to paddle, and this time of year is perfect for big time strokes on the Delaware. the longest free-flowing river in the Eastern United States. Knowing the river - its beauty, history, and its hazards - can provide you and your family with many days of enjoyment this summer.
Next week's Annual Delaware River Sojourn (June 20-26) is a six-day guided paddling excursion, combining canoeing/kayaking, camping, educational programs, historical interpretation, and more. The Sojourn is for novice to experienced paddlers or those who are simply curious about the outdoors. You can sign up for the entire trip or for the section(s) or day(s) of your choice. There's still time to register!

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On Track

Restored club car at the Whippany Railway Museum

Your dad will feel like a millionaire while traveling in this carefully restored relic from another age on Whippany Railway's Father's Day Special, Sunday, June 21. 1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany. 973/887-8177 .

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Fatherworthy Fish

Walleye pike

Pound for pound, the hybrid striped bass rates right up there with the best of the fresh water fish when it comes to putting up a good fight once hooked. Pound for pound, the walleye is hard to beat for table fare, with some fishermen calling it the best tasting fish of them all. Fortunately for those anglers in this part of the state who like some muscle on the end of their line and tasty fillets on the table, there are plenty of both fish around due to vigorous and well-planned stocking programs. These fish are there ... but you're going to have to work for them.

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Easy Pickin's

June is the season for strawberries! Check the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Jersey Fresh, for farmers' markets, roadside stands, and "pick-your-own" operations near you!

As June progresses, so does the season of berries, the best-loved fruits of summer. Beginning with the strawberries and languishing until the frosts of October, there is ample opportunity for berry-lovers to get out and savor the goodness of a native fruit. More juicy details...

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Camp Skylands!

Kymer's Camping Resort offers park model, cabin and luxury tent rentals as well as trailer or tent campsites with water, electric and cable TV hookups on two-hundred scenic acres located in Sussex County near the Kittatinny Mountains, at 69 Kymer Road in Branchville. And Kymer's offers exciting rental options for those families that want to enjoy the camping experience without having to purchase their own camping equipment. Trailer or cabin rentals are also available. And each weekend, there's something special going on. Create some memories in the great outdoors!

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Summer Spots

June 11 - 17

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." Or maybe a barn door. Take advantage of a schedule full of intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. Or choose among dozens of natural attractions or outdoor activities suggested on our website.

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What's The Buzz?

The buzz in "Little Washington" is Sustainability, so don't miss the Music and Arts Festival on Saturday (June 13), a live music, original art, and crafts, celebration in conjunction with the Washington Borough Farmers Market kick-off. Dance the day away to live music while you explore up-cycled and recycled goods vendors, gardening and outdoor groups, environmental preservation exhibitors and related non-profit organizations and vendors. 10am - 5pm. Downtown borough. Washington Business Improvement District, 908/689-4800.

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Wilderness Watch

"A wilderness... is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man; where man himself is a visitor who does not remain"- The Wilderness Act of 1964

In 1959, community activists raised enough money and support to donate thousands of acres to the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was born. Friends of Great Swamp was established in 1999 to provide assistance and support through volunteer efforts and the funding of programs to benefit wildlife and refuge visitors. Eight miles of trails through the wilderness area are accessible only on foot and offer expeditions especially sublime. For starters, find your way to the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center, named after one of the key leaders in the formation of the refuge, at 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township.

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The Right Path

The early twentieth century formal, European-style features at Duke Farms — fountains, sculpture, and pergolas — have given way to a modern $45 million model of sustainability. The knowledge, the science, and the techniques for a more sensible human environment are here, painted in bold strokes. Whether you enjoy wildlife watching, wildflower photography, ancient champion trees, geocaching, tracking the marks of man, or a sublime picnic, remember that Duke Farms is a park with a mission.

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Lake Effect

A public access launch for Swartswood Lake on Route 521 is quiet and remote, but leads to boatloads of fun.

Swartswood Lake is like a step back in time, a secluded grand retreat, with sparkling water and amenities galore, cradled in the northern mountains of far away. The lake was a major resort in the early 1900s, and today's State Park maintains the lake's status as a popular destination.

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In Our Footsteps

This fuzzy caterpillar is the offspring of the Gypsy Moth, and the cause of despair for New Jersey gardeners, foresters, and agriculturalists.

Non-natives have become another form of pollution, a biological contaminant in the Garden State, the intruders threatening native species in our waters, fields and forests. How obvious is their presence? Take a walk through the spring woods. A scavenger hunt in northern New Jersey turns up a Who's Who of infamous, alien flora and fauna. Each species offers a lesson in the far-reaching consequence of ignorance, accident, and ambition.

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Positive Developments

June 3 - 10

Keep Survivin'

Kuser Mansion shortly before its demise in 1995. Photo by Donna Traylor.

You know how it goes. You don't know what you've got... There's much worthy of your attention, so take advantage by exploring the vibrant heritage of Northwest New Jersey. Here's your essential guide to the adventures ahead. And keep our calendar close! It's filled with events that will help navigate this most gratifying of seasons. Don't let the well run dry!

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Spring Fest

Historic Lusscroft, once home to the finest purebred Guernsey herd in the region, holds its annual Spring Fling this Saturday.

Located in the northwest corner of Sussex County, Lusscroft Farm has a rich and diverse past, an early model of progressive dairy farming, gaining national prominence as the site where artificial insemination of dairy cows was developed. The historic farm, including fields and pastures, ponds, woodland, various barnyards, buildings, barns and farm structures, is now part of High Point State Park.
Take the opportunity to visit this Saturday, June 6 at Lusscroft's Spring Fest! Guided bird walks, Manor House tours, avian wildlife lectures, a photography contest, bake sale, barn sale, cottage sale, vendors and more are all part of a promising day. The event is presented by The Heritage and Agriculture Association, Inc., in cooperation with the NJ DEP/Div. of Parks & Forestry. 10am - 4pm. $5 admission, under 18 free. 50 Neilson Road in Wantage. Click or call 973-288-2760.

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Homeward Bound on the Morris Canal

Morris Canal Lock #7 West at New Village

Read about a canal boat captain and her two daughters as they navigate the Morris Canal in June, 1863. With your imagination properly stimulated, make time to introduce yourself to Lock 7 West, also known as Bread Lock, as home made potato bread and pies were sold at a little shack located at the foot of the lock. At today's Bread Lock Park, located on Route 57E (mile marker 4) in New Village, a short section of the canal towpath and canal prism has been cleared and offers a lovely walk. The park is one of many sites along the Warren County Canal Greenway.

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The Essence of Fluorescence

A thirty-two-foot-long pageant of rocks at the Franklin Mineral Museum that includes many of the ninety-plus fluorescent minerals found here, comes alive under ultraviolet light.

Most visitors do not realize that oceans covered much of Sussex County some 1.25 billion years before, a time when there was little life in the seas and even less on land, but when the astounding volume and variety of minerals in this area was deposited in as what we now know as the Franklin Marble. The area’s unusual geology helped shape a rich stream of historic discoveries, visionary people, successes, and failures. Today, we can follow that history along a corridor running from Sparta northward to Franklin, a fifteen-mile road trip that is fascinating, fun, and well worth taking!

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Ode to Jean

The Benjamin Van Campen House

Many have lamented the decline of hundreds of historic structures scattered throughout the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, most unmarked and unlikely to survive. Among the most prominent are those of the Van Campen Homestead: the historic house built by Abraham Van Campen (circa 1732), the Benjamin Van Campen House, dating to about 1840;, the Calno and Depue cemeteries, 1840, and the site of the "Van Kamps" fort of the French and Indian War.
There was no greater champion for this legacy than Jean Zipser, the widely admired former Mayor of the former Pahaquarry Township, and who died in a tragic car accident in 2006. Zipser spent 27 years as a National Park Service tenant in the Abraham Van Campen House, once owned by her family. She later helped forge a partnership with NPS to rehabilitate the Benjamin Van Campen House, where her grandmother, Julia Orthwine, once lived, and from which her descendants were later evicted by that same Park Service.
That work continues today as Van Campen family and friends have partnered with the Friends of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to help fund the restoration and long-term preservation of the homestead. Visitors can learn more about this remarkable place—including its historic buildings, peaceful meadows, scenic walking paths, and nearby Van Campens Glen— during this Sunday's Walking Tour (June 7, 11am-2pm), a kick-off event for the revitalized preservation effort.

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Up and Coming

May 28 - June 4

Father and son look out from Sunrise Mountain. (Mary Jasch)

Feeling your oats? Here comes the sun, so take advantage by following any number of paths and trails in Northwest New Jersey. Here's your essential guide to the adventures ahead. And keep our calendar close! It's filled with events that will help navigate this most gratifying of seasons. Stretch your legs, breath fresh air and stay strong!

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Brass Castle to Marble Mountain

Lake Marguerite Wildlife Refuge

While Warren County does not provide an official network of "improved" parks, there are municipal parks and several trail networks known as Natural Resource Areas (NRAs). Similar to the state-owned WMAs, they are minimally improved tracts of land reserved for passive recreational use by the public. Though not well-known, these places provide pristine destinations for family jaunts, hikes full of historical fabric, even the excitement of cave exploration.

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Feather Quest

Once they're in their breeding finery, the American goldfinch becomes the NJ state bird we all know.

Birds are scientifically classified in the class Aves, divided into orders, families, genus, and species. Some orders contain only a single species, like the common loon, while others, such as Passeriformes, include more than 5,000 species of mostly small perching and migratory songbirds. The ridges, valleys, and wetlands of our region create an ideal setting for enjoying their seasonal chorus from trails, roadsides, or even backyard windows.
Among the most recognizable bird groups are the diurnal raptors—vultures, osprey, falcons, hawks, and eagles. Since 1983, The Raptor Trust has rehabilitated injured and orphaned wild birds while helping foster public appreciation for raptors through education programs. This Sunday’s FeatherFest (May 31) offers a chance to learn about bird rehabilitation and do some up-close raptor watching. The free event requires registration. 1452 White Bridge Road, Millington. 908-647-2353.

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Carping

A Grass Carp caught by James Dempsey, Jr of Ewing New Jersey on May 12, 2011 is the official state record. The huge fish weighed an astounding 55 lbs. 8 oz.!

No, we are not talking about complaining here. To an angler, in particular, a fisherman from Great Britain, the word denotes someone who is dedicated--no, devoted--to the fine art of seeking and catching what some Americans foolishly call "Trash Fish". Carp! You see, more people fish for carp in the world than for any other species. Here in New Jersey, we have countless lakes, rivers, ponds and streams that hold carp. Go fishin!

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Seed to Stem

Young Red Mountain winter lettuce has not yet formed a stem. It makes a great early spring salad green. (William Woys Weaver)

Roughly seventy true lettuce heirlooms and a mosaic of varieties make this leafy annual of the aster family far from ordinary. It is great for you, delicious, accessible, easy to grow with varieties to harvest in every season in Skylands territory. Start now!

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Up and Coming

May 21-28

This Memorial Day Weekend, take advantage of a calendar bursting with intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. Or check our Day Trip Map for good ideas for recreational enhancement! The more aerobically inclined can choose among dozens of natural attractions or outdoor activities. Current thermal contours indicate summer is nigh!

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Paths Of Honor

Markers show the way to Captain Daniel Bray's grave next to the Bray Family burial site along County Route 519 near Rosemont. With a few patriotic citizens, Bray collected enough boats from along the river to make possible the memorable crossing of the Delaware of General Washington and his troops on the night of December 25, 1776, 250 years ago.

There are somewhere around 1,200 historical markers in New Jersey, 500 of them in the Northwest Skylands region. Many are monuments to military service from all eras and in all sizes. The Branchburg Veterans Memorial recognizes six wars, from the American Revolution through Vietnam. In Flemington, a lesser-known marker honors Vietnam War dogs and their handlers, while nearby Lambertville memorializes Marine PFC Charles L. Danberry who died in Vietnam. Revolutionary War figures are remembered as well, including George Coryell and Washington spy Sam Holcombe in Hunterdon County. In Raritan, a bronze statue of WWII hero John Basilone has stood since 1948.
Scattered across Northwest New Jersey, these statues, plaques and monuments — grand or modest, prominent or tucked away — preserve the stories of courage, sacrifice and community that define the region’s history.

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Visit The Wild Woods This Summer!

The Flatbrook-Roy

Got the secret desire to be an explorer? Envy Indiana Jones? Ever yearn for the excitement of bushwhacking through uncharted lands? Adventure is yours, right here in New Jersey. Discover over 305,000 acres of little known forests, meadows, streams, and lakes collectively called Wildlife Management Areas - all public property, all owned by the people of New Jersey. This land is your land!
And this year, visitors to New Jersey’s state parks, forests and historic sites can take part in the State Parks Celebrate 250 Challenge. You can track your progress online and earn a certificate of achievement upon completing one of five goals.

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See A Show!

Left: A wild geranium shows its stuff at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation (April-June). Center: The fringed polygala is commonly called gaywings because of its similarity in appearance to an airplane. This member of the milkwort family flies low to the ground, flowering from underground stems in moist woods from May to June. Tourne Park, Boonton/Mountain Lakes Right: Virginia Bluebells, despite its name, grows from Ontario to Minnesota and south to Alabama. A member of the Forget Me Not family, the plant sprouts bristly hairs to help prevent frost damage in its long blooming season from March to June. Photos: Michelle and Michael Mykowski

Enjoying flowers does not require knowing the first thing about them. The attraction of a flower is natural; seductive to people, much as to butterflies and bees, by a magical combination of hue, symmetry and fragrance. Wooded trails such as those at Musconetcong Gorge Reservation promise a great show of native wildflower displays. It's the greatest show in earth!

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Planet Jersey

If you come upon a wood turtle, admire that groovy carapace and those sexy red legs; and move him out of the road if you have to. But you may not take him home! Wood turtles gained designation as a threatened species in 1979 because of habitat loss and their popularity in the illegal pet trade. There are ten types of turtles in our neck of the woods; all quite fascinating, but let them be! Take a closer look...

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Rites of Spring

May 14- 21

Look Alive!

Bob Thompson

It doesn't last forever, so take advantage of a schedule budding with intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. Or choose among dozens of natural attractions or outdoor activities suggested on our website. Do what it takes to get where you're going!

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How does your garden grow?

Shawna Bengivenni admires her organically grown garden in Wantage.

Local gardeners generally consider mid-May the frost-free line for our region -- the target time for getting vulnerable plants in the garden. Everyone can grow their own veggies in garden plots, raised beds, deck planters or any small space. Here are some great tips on how to grow your best garden in Mary Jasch's best (and easiest) veggie garden primer.

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Edible Landscapes

Asian pears can be a beautiful and delicious addition to your backyard. (Gina Barkovitch)

Add to your backyard menu with an orchard, and your plantation is complete! Begin with a tree or two and learn as you go.

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History You Can Taste

Garden State Heirloom Seed Society Museum, located at 82 Delaware Rd., Columbia.

Heirloom seeds, which have been passed down over generations, not only produce the same delicious produce that your forbears ate, but also preserve the natural variety essential to a healthy system. Modern agriculture has already resulted in the loss of 75% of the world’s edible plant varieties. You can learn more about heirlooms and New Jersey's glorious farming past with a visit to the Garden State Heirloom Seed Society Museum, open last weekend each month or by appointment!

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On Track

This 1899 view shows the 1867 double track wooden trestle that spanned the Rockaway River to the Boonton Ironworks. Some of the buildings in the photo were served by the Morris Canal which ran to the lower right. See the remains of the ironworks, a Morris Canal Inclined Plane, the bases of two anthracite blast furnaces and the oldest worker houses in town on a guided walk this Sunday, May 17.

Boonton was no exception to the rule of industrial expansion in the iron-ore-rich New Jersey Highlands, following the paths of river, canal and railroad. The first forge appeared along the Rockaway in the mid 1700s, and the Boonton Iron Works began operation around 1770, providing products throughout the Revolutionary War and into the early nineteenth century. The mighty splendor of the Rockaway River gorge through Boonton’s Grace Lord Park traces a forgotten industrial past.

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Flings of Spring

May 7- 15

Earth Angels

Retired from a career as a chemist at M&M Mars, Inc., in Hackettstown, Debra Natzak and her sons Oscada, keep Valley Fall Farm productive with fresh garlic, honey and garden vegetables. Debra uses her dad’s old DeLaval bucket milker, the one he employed at the farm where he and his wife arrived in 1930. Debra’s parents were second-generation Ukrainians, where it seems “every family had to have a cow,” she explains.

Express your appreciation with exuberance this Mother’s Day. The New Jersey Skylands offers countless ways to celebrate—from scenic outings to memorable local events. This week, we highlight women whose lives are rooted in the land—farmers, educators, and stewards of the natural world.

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Bringing it all back home

Smadar English, Judy von Handorf, Hannah Hobbs, McKenna Oettinger, Sister Miriam MacGillis, and Linda Keirnan at Genesis Farm in Blairstown

Women make up twenty-two percent of New Jersey's 15,936-plus farmers, and their rate is steadily increasing (USDA Census). They come with ideals and energy to make the world a better place. They earn a living outdoors doing what they love, while educating others and strengthening their communities. They all come with grit, knowledge and spirit.

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Cold Frames, Hot Beds

For inspiration and ideas, Well-Sweep remains unmatched. Nestled in the scenic hills of Warren County, the farm's pride and joy is its breathtaking formal half-acre display garden. The brick-pathed garden boasts a wide array of herbs and perennials. And, admidst the scenic gardens you'll find thirty-six types of basils, sixty different lavenders, eighty varieties of thyme and over one hundred scented-leaved geraniums.

For 57 years, Louise Hyde has helped shape Well-Sweep Herb Farm—first alongside her late husband Cyrus, and now with her son David. Author of the cookbook Favorite Recipes From Well-Sweep, and a mother of three, Hyde continues to guide the farm’s vibrant calendar of events, curate its gift shop, and help design its stone-bordered gardens. Widely regarded as one of the premier herb farms in the country, Well-Sweep inspires visitors to explore a tradition of plant knowledge that stretches back to ancient times.

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Cows Outside

At Bobolink, one can also buy pasture-raised beef and aged cheeses. The animals enjoy good, clean living outdoors without feed—just grass.

Nina Stein-White, daughter of two New York City schoolteachers, recalls her favorite childhood book: If You Lived in Colonial Times. By age eight, she was already baking bread . Years later, she met fellow bread—and yogurt—maker Jonathan White in Greenwich Village. Their shared passion led to marriage and, since 2002, a thriving family venture: Bobolink Dairy and Bakeyard in Milford (Hunterdon County), where they bake bread in a large wood-fired oven they built themselves.

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Respect Your Elders

Lindsay and Johann won the 2023 Hugh Hammond Bennett Producer Award for Conservation Excellence in the Northeast.

Lindsay Napolitano and Johann Rinkens, co-owners of Fields Without Fences near Frenchtown, are redefining what a farm can be. Their certified organic operation blends fruits, nuts, medicinal herbs, and wild edibles into a landscape inspired by natural ecosystems. “Flowers play a critical role,” says Napolitano. “They draw pollinators—native bees, wasps, even hornets. Don’t go barefoot. When the clover blooms, the ground is buzzing.” The signature plant is Elderberry which thrives in the farm’s layered perennial system. Elderflower has a unique, deep and aromatic flavor and aroma, lending itself well to sipping cordials among other things.

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Colonial Roots to Springtime Bloom

Riamede Farm is an old-fashioned apple farm, dedicated to preserving our agricultural heritage, the tradition of the harvest, and the unique charm of our vintage apple trees. Simple, authentic, and without the carnival.

With agricultural roots as old as the country itself, Riamede Farm celebrates 250 Years of America with its annual Spring Blossom Festival, rescheduled for Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, due to a threatening forecast for Saturday.
One of New Jersey’s first pick-your-own apple orchards, Riamede first opened its orchards to the public during harvest season in 1974. Today, the farm is owned and operated by Chester native, Ashley Asdal. After serving eleven years on active-duty in the Navy, Asdal no applies her leadership and problem-solving skills to caring for 3,000 trees across the farm’s historic 80-year-old orchards. When she's not helping customers, you can find her on the farm's 72-inch mower with her young son.
The festival offers something for the entire family, including hayride orchard tours, over forty artisan vendors, live music, food trucks, a beer garden, a beekeeping demo, a 4-H raffle and animals, and spring plants and flowers. 10am - 3pm.
Admission (includes a hayride) is $5 in advance, $7 at the gate. Get your online discount here! Riamede is located at 122 Oakdale Road in Chester.

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May 1- 7

Sentimental Journeys

Of course, it wasn't always all fun and games on the water. From the earliest timber rafts on the Delaware River, to the sophisticated technology of the Morris Canal, inland watercraft have played an important part in Northwest New Jersey's commercial history.

The month of May invokes a certain emotional and sensual liberty, summoning waves of Spring Fever and the happy feeling that this most stirring season still lies largely before us. But, it doesn't last forever, so take advantage of a schedule budding with intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. Or choose among dozens of natural attractions or outdoor activities. Float your boat!

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Karamac Candy

You’re likely to be watched as you saunter down this old railbed.

A former railbed just north of the Delaware Water Gap provides a short but satisfying taste of days past in a beautiful setting. This short route is also perfect for those who are not inclined to hike longer, more difficult trails. A perfect spring warm up!

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A Silk Purse

The four-story plant built by Pelgram and Meyer on Monroe and Lincoln Streets in Boonton employed 500 people until it shut in 1927. It is now home to Packard Lofts Apartments.

We are constantly reminded of the unending procession of economic change in our world. But, from these challenges come opportunities, and it is comforting to remember the resilience of Boonton, Dover, and Wharton one hundred years ago.

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Lake Art

Winona Parkway entrance to White Deer Plaza looks much the same way as on this old postcard.

To walk along the Boardwalk at Lake Mohawk in Sussex County is to step back into another time, a time when the pace of life was a tad slower and less complicated. While the Lake, Boardwalk, and adjacent White Deer Plaza are old, they are not ancient. The Lake is, in fact, man-made, dating from the mid-1920s. More...

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Clinton and the Red Mill

The Red Mill in spring. Photo by Dan Bacon.

Perhaps no symbol of western New Jersey is better known than the landmark Red Mill at Clinton. Located just below the confluence of Spruce Run and the South Branch of the Raritan, on the west end of Main Street, the mill and its surroundings have played host to a succession of industries and activities spawned by the region's remarkably rich agriculture. The best may be yet to come!

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Home Waters

I’ve fished the stream through the chill of March and the dark skies of April. By the time May has arrived I’ve worked out the kinks developed over the long, dark months of winter. Muscle memory has been restored, my rhythm returned.

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April 22 - 29

Artemis of the Deal

Artemis—the Greek goddess of the moon—now joins her twin brother Apollo in NASA’s story, with striking images of Earth slipping beneath a stark lunar horizon. Echoing the iconic “Blue Marble” photographs of the Apollo missions, these new “Earthset” views recapture the planet’s vitality: a fragile, dynamic world alive with wonder against the vastness of space. They also recall how those earlier images helped spark the modern environmental movement and inspired the first Earth Day proclamation in 1970.
In the decades since, climate change has reshaped the planet in profound ways—yet it’s difficult to imagine a deal today that would rally Congress to such a unifying declaration. The depths to which we must reach to bring about the restoration and regeneration of our planet are daunting. Political change must occur at national levels, but we must also work to regenerate and restore one watershed at a time.
To celebrate the planet from whence you sprouted, choose among dozens of natural attractions, outdoor activities, day trips, or Earth Day events.

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Beauty, Peace and Power

Joan Case

The Black River is only about twelve miles long from beginning to end, but on the way it slices through the lives of tens of thousands of New Jerseyans. It hits them where they live, work and play. The river highlights the natural beauty of this corner of the state, and it flows through many of its major controversies about how land and water should be used. In its middle, as it roars through the hemlock groves of Hacklebarney State Park in Morris County, the Black River puts on a show of beauty, peace and power that can make a visitor forget where he is or why he came ­and cease to care.

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The Hills Are Alive

Get lost in the other world of Hunterdon County, an almost a divine experience. Idyllic farms, narrow roads curving by fast rocky streams, gorgeous residences that seem tucked in a distant land and old movie-set towns blur time and geography. The Hill and Dale Preserve in Tewksbury is an acquisition of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF), an organization dedicated to saving and protecting New Jersey's important lands and natural resources for all to enjoy.

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Restless Natives

A native mountain laurel allee at The Cross Estate Gardens in Morristown.

Native plants (those that lived here before the colonists arrived) make outstanding gardens because they are strong growers, ornamental, require less maintenance than many exotics, and are particularly attractive to birds and butterflies. Some are even rumored to be deer-resistant!

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Pollinator Paradise

This pelecinid wasp resting on ticktrefoil is about 2.5” long. But she parasitizes white grubs in the soil (June beetle grubs). She is a beneficial insect who is entirely unaggressive and ignores humans completely.

Insects are critical components of any natural area. Gardeners have become increasingly aware that, if you want wildlife in our gardens, you must support all life stages, year ‘round. With the fragmented state of our natural areas, wildlife relies on our gardens, yards, fields, hedgerows, and woodlots to survive.
You can play a crucial role in enhancing the local environment and supporting wildlife conservation efforts by qualifying your own green space as a Certified Wildlife Habitat!

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Earthly Delights

April 15 - 22

Balance Due

A natural perch with an eye toward the future.

You’ve submitted your tax return to the government and cleared your desk of all pending matters. Do not let Spring depreciate further; time to dig yourself back into Mother Earth! And what finer place to dig than the New Jersey’s Great Northwest Skylands? Take advantage of a calendar budding with intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. Or use the Outdoor Directory for links to all sorts of tax-free hikes and outdoor fun!

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Happy Returns

Get ready for a boot-stompin' good time at Boots in the Borough, Washington Borough's country music and line dancing festival this Saturday, April 18! Live music, food, shopping & fun for the whole family makes for a sweet spring Saturday. The event is one of many planned this year to invite you to explore the pleasures of Little Washington, in beautiful Warren County at Routes 31 and 57.

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Household Income

Rutherfurd Hall

When Winthrop Rutherfurd built his Allamuchy home in 1902, there was no income tax. However, for the eighteen-thousand square foot Tudor "country house" we know today as Rutherfurd Hall, he likely faced a hefty property tax bill, hundreds of times that of the average farmer. With thirty-eight rooms, elegant interior woodwork, fireplaces, ceilings and original furnishings is now on both NJ and National Registers of Historic Places. Opened to the public in April of 2012 as venue for public lectures, concerts, fairs and festivals, house tours, and private events, Rutherfurd Hall is a living archive of the family legacy. Plan on a visit this Saturday evening for a Roaring Twenties benefit including food, drinks, dancing, and music. Proceeds will enable repairs to the Warren County Historical & Genealogical Society museum in Belvidere. 1686 Route 517, Allamuchy.

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Qualified Dividend

NJ Brigade field

If one journeys down to the northwest corner of Bernardsville, there lies an area where visitors can walk through time, to a road named Hardscrabble, and the field where the New Jersey Brigade arrived in December 17, 1779 to begin the Jockey Hollow Encampment. Trails crisscross wooded knolls, open meadows, and streams through, not only Morristown National Historical Park, but the neighboring Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, the historic Cross Estate, and mysterious hillsides full of legends.
If you take the walk this weekend, your journey may be enhanced by the Grand Encampment at Jockey Hollow (April 18 & 19), another celebration of this year's 250th anniversary of American Independence along the Crossroads of the American Revolution. You'll enjoy activities for the whole family include firing demonstrations and drills, children’s drills, walking tours, hikes and more, all free. Morristown National Historical Park; 973/539-2016 x210.

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Operating Loss

The sheer volume of towns and municipalities in New Jersey is often cited as our state's major burden. But each of our 566 "domains" has a history that never fails to fascinate. Driving down the Mountain Lakes Boulevard through one of America's most expensive zip codes, 07046, is certainly dazzling. But for those who choose to explore, there is a story waiting -- one of plain old human fragility. More...

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Liquid Assets

The Lamington River draws families, nature lovers, pet owners, and picnickers to its banks. Children splash through the rocky riverbeds. Birders amble along the shores. Fishermen enjoy hours of solitude on a precious stretch of public river frontage.

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Accrued Interest

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April 8 - 15

Creek Madness

The Paulins Kill, Flatbrook and the wild trout streams of Northwest New Jersey are ripe!

For many, the first day of fishing season is also Opening Day of Spring. Early April water is cold, high, and fast, but even the most severe conditions cannot deny dedicated fishers their place streamside early Saturday morning (April 11), when a fresh and feisty generation of stocked rainbow trout become fair game. Find your fish!

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Big Bucks

This aerial view looking east from Pennsylvania shows Labar Island in the Delaware River and Sunfish Pond at the top of the Kittatinny Ridge. The Worthington State Park headquarters are visible on the river bank.

If you like to hike in New Jersey, chances are you know Worthington State Forest. But few of the hikers, campers, canoeists, and nature lovers that visit Worthington realize that industrial pumps are responsible for the preserved wilderness and natural wonders that they enjoy there. Charles C. Worthington, a prominent and very wealthy New York socialite, sportsman, fisherman, and skilled rifleman, assembled this park in the late nineteenth century. He called it Buckwood Park. More...

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Great Stories

Convivial Hall and the Battle of Bound Brook, April 13, 1777. This painting by John Clymer was commissioned by American Cyanamid. The company once used the Van Horne House for offices and restored the property in the 1940s.

This year's 250th anniversary of American Independence invites deeper understanding of the many sites that made New Jersey the Crossroads of the American Revolution, hosting General George Washington and the Continental Army for nearly half of the war. Among the battles and skirmishes to take place, the Battle of Bound Brook was an early, though not crushing, defeat on the record of the Continental Army near what is recognized as the first Middlebrook Encampment. This weekend (April 11-12), American and British soldiers again do battle in street and field in Bound Brook, recreating the events of 249 years ago. Colonial crafters, encampment, children's activities, special programs and tours and more round out the event. Please check the website for details and to confirm times.

17 Von Steuben Ln, South Bound Brook.

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Digging Deep

Picatinny Peak rises above Picatinny Lake, once known as Clifford Pond.

The Cultural Resource Program at Picatinny Arsenal has documented dozens of historic and Native American archaeological sites that tell a story that spans centuries in the New Jersey Highlands. More...

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Planet Jersey

The wood frog is among the amphibians that depend on fish-free vernal pool breeding habitat for their survival. Others include the eastern tiger salamander (endangered), marbled salamander (special concern), spotted salamander, Jefferson salamander (special concern), blue-spotted salamander (endangered), and the eastern spadefoot toad.

A vernal pool in early spring feels like a place that’s only half awake, yet there’s a sense of urgency to everything there, quietly bursting with life. Because the pool will dry up by late spring or summer, every creature is on a tight schedule—breeding, laying and hatching gelatinous clusters of eggs—pulsing with amphibian calls before the water disappears. This spring, head for the woods on a special type of hunt. You won't find explicit directions, but if you log any appreciable trail time in the spring, you'll eventually come across one of these magical, temporary worlds. Or trek up to Lusscroft Farm this Sunday (April 12, 2pm) for a special guided vernal pool hike. (email to register)

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Great Stories

Visit Morristown National Historical Park, and learn about the life of a common soldier during the encampment at Jockey Hollow, where General Washington and the Continental Army survived through what would be the coldest winter on record. During the army's second winter at Morristown, General Washington lived and made his headquarters in a relatively new two-story house on the outskirts of town built by Jacob Ford, Jr. (above).

The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of America's first crisis. New Jersey lay at the heart of the American Revolution, hosting General George Washington and the Continental Army for nearly half of the war. Strategically positioned between the Continental Congress in Philadelphia and the British Army in New York—and midway between New England and the American South—the state became the crossroads where Patriots, Loyalists, British forces, and Hessians maneuvered for control. Here, decisive American victories at Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth shifted the course of the war. Here, the Continental Army endured the hardest winter of the century. At Nassau Hall at Princeton University, the Continental Congress convened in 1783. And in New Jersey, General George Washington issued his farewell orders to the Continental Army.
For many, winter is a season for reflection. The challenge of the season strips away pretense and invites deeper understanding. Prepare for a year filled with powerful stories from the Crossroads of the American Revolution.

 

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