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Location: Crystal Springs Section is located in Lebanon Township on Pleasant Grove Road and off of Califon Road in Washington Township, Morris County. The park is open from sunrise to sunset. No restroom facilities are available.
Directions from the East/Clinton Area: Proceed north on Route 31 for 1.7 miles to Route 513 north. Turn right and follow Route 513 through High Bridge toward Califon for about 6.5 miles. Just past the A&P, turn left onto Sliker Road and proceed about 1.8 miles to Pleasant Grove Road. Turn right onto Pleasant Grove Road and continue into Washington Township, Morris County. Make the first left in Morris County (look for a small green sign on the left that reads “47-51”) and proceed to the end of the road. This is the park entrance. A grass parking area is on the right about 500 feet down the driveway.
The Crystal Springs Section of the Teetertown Preserve is comprised of 233 acres of mature forest, active farmland, meadows, ponds, and the headwaters of the Spruce Run Creek in Hunterdon County. An additional 58 acres of this property exists in Washington Township, Morris County and is maintained by the Washington Township Land Trust. The 233 acres in Hunterdon County increases the total park acreage maintained by the County for the Teetertown Preserve to 539 acres.
Crystal Springs was named after its former owner, Adam Roth (1897-1976) and his children discovered natural mountain springs on their farm and created seven man-made ponds from them within sight of the headwaters of the Spruce Run.
The property was acquired through multi-agency partnership in 2004 that involved NJ Water Authority, Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, Washington Township Land Trust Alliance, Township of Lebanon, NJ –DEP, and Hunterdon County.
Agricultural Use:
The County contracts much of the land to a local farmer. In accepting the contract, the farmer has agreed to farm the property while complying with a management plan. Please be considerate. Stay on the trails and do not pick or damage any crops .
Habitat of Crystal Springs Section:
Crystal Springs Section surrounds the headwaters of the Spruce Run Creek. This creek is one of three waterways that flow into the Spruce Run Reservoir, which is a vital source of drinking water for the county and state.
These headwaters are also important to wildlife. The five ponds located within the park serve as a resting point for migratory waterfowl and herons. The ponds and creek are also home to a variety of amphibians and reptiles. Frogs can be heard calling from the edge of the ponds and turtles can be seen swimming around or basking along the pond edge.
The 40-acre meadow located to the south of the pond is dedicated to grassland bird habitat. It was planted in warm season grass in 2005 and is managed on a multi-year schedule to prevent field to forest succession. It is hoped that grassland birds such as Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark and other grassland dependant birds will establish themselves in this meadow.
Additional Information:
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The Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources, providing safe parks and facilities, and offering educational and recreational opportunities, all contributing to an enhanced quality of life for present and future generations.
TRAIL & GUIDE INFORMATION
NOTES: Trail Guides are set up as foldable brochures. Please print and fold in half vertically to view in proper order. Additionally, you may have to rearrange pages. Maps should be printed on Legal Size Paper.
Crystal Springs offers easy to moderate hiking opportunities. Much of the trail system is composed of pathways along the edge of the fields. A connector trail links up with the rest of the Teetertown Preserve. Five ponds are located on the property and are the headwaters of the Spruce Run Creek. Anglers can fish for a variety of species which include bass, catfish and sunfish. The three ponds which are open to fishing are designated for catch and release and State Fish and Wildlife rules apply.
The County contracts much of the land to a local farmer. In accepting the agreement, the farmer has agreed to farm the property while complying with a management plan.
Please be considerate. Stay on the trails and do not pick or damage any crops.
In order to control the population of deer on park property, hunting is permitted. Hunters must obtain a special permit issued by the Department to hunt in the park. Visitors during hunting season are strongly encouraged to wear blaze orange or confine visits to Sundays . See additional information on the Hunterdon County Park System Controlled Hunting Program.
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