Home | Department of Parks and Recreation | Park Guides & Trail Maps | Jugtown Mountain Preserve

ABOUT

LOCATION

HABITAT

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

TRAIL INFORMATION

HUNTING

SUMMARY OF RULES AND REGULATIONS

PRINTABLE BROCHURE

ABOUT JUGTOWN MOUNTAIN

This 237 acre preserve is located on the peak of the Musconetcong Mountain near West Portal. It can trace its name to the rock ledges where moonshiners hid their jugs to avoid government authorities during Prohibition. However, the history of the preserve is in mining. Of the 41 known mines in the county, the Swayze Mine, named after William Swayze, a local landowner and state Assemblyman, was one of the top three producers of magnetite ore. Beginning with the West End Iron Company in 1868, the mine produced 16,000 tons of ore annually before it was closed in 1889.. The deepest shaft had a depth of 75 feet and was reached by a tramway. The mine was briefly reopened for four years in 1939 by West Portal Mines, Inc. The site excavated an estimated 253,000 tons of ore. Today, remnants of mining activities such as rock pits and ore dumps, can still be seen. The county acquired the preserve in 2001.

LOCATION

PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 408 MINE ROAD, ASBURY, NEW JERSEY  08802

Jugtown Mountain is in Bethlehem Township and located on Mine Road. The park is open from sunrise to sunset. There are no restroom facilities available for the public. NOTE: Caution should be used when utilizing some of the trails due to steep terrain.

Directions from the Clinton Area: Take Route 78 west to exit 11. Proceed on Route 173 west for about 2 miles. Turn right onto Mine Road. The entrance to the park is on the left just beyond the Bethlehem Township Building.

Directions from the Hampton Area: Take 635 (also known as Charlestown Road) south to Mine Road. Turn right onto Mine Road and proceed for about 2 1/2 miles. The entrance to the park will be on the right.

Additional Information:

{To Top}

 

TRAIL INFORMATION

• Printable Trail Map (pdf file)

NOTE: Maps should be printed on Legal Size Paper
NOTE: Adobe Acrobat Reader is required for trail map - Click for FREE Plugin

{To Top}

 

HABITAT

The forest canopy of the Jugtown Mountain is dominated by Red Oaks and Tulip Trees. The acorns provide food source for squirrels, turkeys and other wildlife. The understory consists of Sassafras Trees and Spicebrush.

Vernal Pools exist throughout the park and provide an important habitat for amphibian. These pools are bodies of water that dry up periodically. These pools provide a safe refuge for amphibian larvae to develop their adult form without the predation of fish. Spotted salamanders and Wood Frogs are examples of species that have been identified within the preserve.

Stone walls and rock fields dot the landscape of the preserve. These areas provide shelter to rodents as well as the snakes that prey on them. Several species of snakes have been seen within the preserve because jugtown provides a suitable habitat for snakes to create hibernation dens for the winter season.

{To Top}

 

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Jugtown Mountain offers a moderate hiking opportunity and Mountain biking as permitted uses within the preserve. In addition, there are locations where one can be treated to a view overlooking the Musconetcong Watershed .

{To Top}

 

HUNTING

In order to control the deer population, hunting is allowed (by Parks Department permit only) in some sections of this park. Please wear blaze orange during hunting season or confine your visits to Sundays. See additional information on the Hunterdon County Park System Controlled Hunting Program.

Click here to view the hunting map.

{To Top}