Adult and Family Nature Programs

Register Online Here!


Morning Bird Walks

  • Date: Thursdaysgreat blue heron
  • Ages: 12 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free, (pre-registration is required)
  • Instructor: Tom Sheppard, Chief Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 14 participants

Join Tom as he looks for fall migrants and local breeding birds around the county. We will use both eyes and ears to determine which birds are around us, as well as to observe other signs of the fall season. This is a great chance to brush up on your songbird identification skills. Binoculars are available to borrow.

7:00 AM to 8:30 AM            

    • September 21: Hunterdon County Arboretum  

    • September 28: Stanton Station                 

    • October 5: Deer Path – Soccer Lot           

7:15 AM to 8:45 AM             

    • October 12: Wings Section of South Branch

    • October 19: Uplands

    • October 26: Sunnyside

7:30 AM to 9:00 AM            

    • November 2: Echo Hill

Tree ID Walks with Dennis Skillman *New

  • Dates: Mondays
  • Time: 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
  • Ages: adults
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required) 
  • Class size: 12 participants
  • Instructor: Dennis Skillman, Volunteer & Liz Braidwood-Fulmer, Recreation Program Coordinator 

Retired arborist and New Jersey Certified tree expert, volunteer Dennis Skillman has agreed to share his knowledge and love for trees. Dennis has a college degree in Ornamental Horticulture and worked many years in the tree business. He might even share a few stories about the many miles of day-hiking and extended overnight backpacking trips throughout the United States. Join us as he points out various trees and shrubs and helps you with tips on how you can learn to identify trees.

October 23: Cushetunk Mountain Preserve

November 20: Musconetcong Gorge Preserve


Mindfulness Tree WalkFall Trees

  • Date: Thursday, September 21
  • Time: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
  • Location: Sourland Mountain Preserve, 233 Rileyville Road, Ringoes         
  • Ages: 12 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Debra Reed, Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 10 participants

Stressed? Come breathe, relax, smell, and listen to the forest around you. Join Debra on a tranquil, relaxing, guided walk through the trees and let go of the stress created by our busy lifestyles. Part of the program will involve sitting and experiencing nature; if you are uncomfortable sitting on the ground, feel free to bring a folding chair or indicate on your registration form that you would like to borrow one.  

Musconetcong Nature Walk – Animal Evidence

  • Date: Friday, September 22
  • Time: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Location: Musconetcong Gorge Preserve, 182 Dennis Road, Bloomsbury 
  • Ages: 12 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: $10 (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Tom Sheppard, Chief Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 8 participants

Musconetcong Gorge is located on the northern slope of the Musconetcong Ridge. The property has a long history with the region’s former Paper Mill. Join Tom as he walks the loop out to Gas Line Road looking for signs of animal activity. The group will do some tree identification and cover anything else we find. The hike is moderate to difficult with about 150’ elevation climb at the end of the hike. 

Autumn Equinox Hike

  • Date: Saturday, September 23
  • Time: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
  • Location: Hunterdon County Arboretum
  • Ages: all (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Laura Bush, Principal Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 25 participants

The word “equinox” comes from the Latin aequus, which means “equal,” and nox, which means “night.” It is the two days of the year where we have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. The Autumn Equinox means that shorter days are ahead and is also the first day of fall. Join naturalist Laura Bush for an afternoon walk to see what is happening in nature during this transition from summer to autumn. 

Birding Cold Brook Reserve 

  • Date: Saturday, October 14
  • Time: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Location: Cold Brook, 65 Old Turnpike Road, Oldwick
  • Ages: adults
  • Cost: $10 (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Tom Sheppard, Chief Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 12 participants

Autumn is the time for fall migration and Cold Brook is a good location to investigate for the fall sparrow movement. Join Tom for a bird walk as we look for sparrows, birds of prey, and other species moving about during this year’s fall migration.

Fall Foliage Hike at HoffmanFall Foliage Hoffman

  • Date: Saturday, October 21
  • Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
  • Location: Hoffman Park, 26 Baptist Church Road, Union Township.
  • Ages: 10 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Laura Bush, Principal Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 25 participants

Hoffman Park is beautiful in any season, but especially in the fall! We will enjoy the view of colorful trees from the parking lot, and hike down to identify some up close. We will also enjoy goldenrod and other fall wildflowers in the meadows. Be prepared to walk up to 3 miles on relatively flat trails with gradual elevation gain on the return trip. Don’t forget your camera! Meet at the main parking lot, 26 Baptist Church Road, Union Township. A porta potty is available at this location. 

Twilight Hunter Moon Hike full moon hike

  • Date: Friday, October 27
  • Time: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
  • Location: Hunterdon County Arboretum
  • Ages: 5 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Debra Reed, Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 15 participants

Fall is one of the best times of the year! Come out and watch the sunset while going for a walk in the park. Take some time to celebrate the beautiful colors that surround you in nature and experience the spooky things that start coming out at night. Join Park Naturalist Debra Reed to see what is happening in nature during this transition from daylight to darkness. 

Beaver Walk

  • Date: Friday, November 3beaver walk
  • Time: 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM
  • Location: Crystal Springs
  • Ages: 5 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Laura Bush, Principal Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 15 participants

Beavers are busy animals! They work with their sharp teeth, powerful tails, and big webbed feet to create wetlands. They live in family groups and build their own homes. Come explore their habitat, learn what they eat, how they raise their young, and much more. Bring binoculars for easier viewing (also available to borrow). Meet at Crystal Springs, Washington Township, Morris County Land Trust section, located off Califon Road. When you enter Morris County, look for a small street sign on the left that reads “51-55,” make a left into a development, and proceed to the end of the road to the cul-de-sac. The road becomes gravel and is the park entrance. A grass parking area is on the right about 500 feet down the driveway. Please note there are no restrooms at this location.

Jupiter at Opposition, Plus Saturn

  • Date: Friday, November 3 
  • Time: 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM
  • Location: Hoffman Park, 26 Baptist Church Road, Hampton
  • Ages: 12 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Tom Sheppard, Chief Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 15 participants

Join Tom for an evening to view the system’s two biggest planets. Let’s first view Saturn and its rings. We will then observe the “King of Planets”—Jupiter. On this night Jupiter is at opposition, meaning it is at its closest approach to the earth. We should be able to view the planets bands and its four largest moons which will be at their brightest.  Then we will view other seasonal features of the night sky. 

Kids Hike for Fun 

  • Date: Sunday, November 12
  • Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
  • Location: Stanton Station Section of the South Branch Reservation, 30 Stanton Station Road, Flemington
  • Ages: 5 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult) 
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Debra Reed, Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 15 people

Crisp fall walks are one of the best things to do at this time of year! Come out and explore. Celebrate nature near the river. Join Park Naturalist Debra Reed to see what is happening outside during this transition from fall to winter. Double the fun and bring a friend, while we flip rocks, gather leaves, and play in the dirt. 

Over the Bridge Hike

  • Date: Saturday, November 18Prescott Bridge
  • Time: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
  • Location: Hunterdon County Arboretum
  • Ages: 8 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: free (pre-registration required)
  • Instructor: Laura Bush, Principal Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 20 participants

Did you know that a tunnel under the highway and a brand-new bridge connect the Arboretum to Echo Hill Park? We will meet at the Arboretum and hike the Outer Loop Trail, winding through the display gardens, along the wetland boardwalk, and through the pine grove on the far side of the property. Then we will take the tunnel under the highway and the bridge over the Prescott Brook to Echo Hill. We will hike a second loop around Echo Hill, which will pass through fields and hardwood forests. The total distance of this hike will be about 2 ½ miles. Enjoy a day out with a naturalist visiting two of our most popular parks!

Build a Flying Squirrel Box Workshop

  • Date: Thursday, November 30
  • Time: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
  • Location: Assembly Room, Building 1, 314 State Route 12, Flemington NJ 08822, in the same complex as the Hunterdon County Library Headquarters
  • Ages: 8 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult)
  • Cost: $15 per box (limit one box per family)      
  • Instructor: Tom Sheppard, Chief Park Naturalist
  • Class size: 10 boxes  

These nocturnal creatures are seldom seen, but often leave telltale marks of their activities. They range across a variety of woodland habitats. While it may not be necessary to put up a specific box for the squirrel because they will use any available cavity or nesting box, this box does promote them and can also be used by House Wrens, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Chickadees. During this program, we will learn a little bit about these creatures and their behaviors. The rest of our time will be used to assemble our boxes. Wood will be pre-cut, and screws are provided. Please bring your own Phillips #2 screwdrivers.