The only other review I could find was for the Mountain Lakes House. While I do not doubt that this…read moreis a fabulous event venue for weddings and the like (it's a beautiful house), the rest of the park is not to be ignored. It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful park in Princeton and amongst the most beautiful in Mercer County (Bald Pate Mountain in Hopewell is up there as well). There are about eight miles of nature trails at this park which offer fantastic hiking (not overly technical) and trail running opportunities. I bring my dogs here and they absolutely love it. Volunteers do an amazing job of keeping the trails in tip top shape (mix of dirt, grass, mulch and pebble trails). The lake itself is beautiful. Actually, everything about this place is beautiful. The trails are well marked and it's relatively hard to get lost.

Great hiking trails , for a nice stroll on a beautiful sunny day . See turtles and ducks, while…read moreenjoying nature.

These are beautiful woods, with easily walkable trails. If you stay on the wooded paths, it will…read morebe shady on the brightest of days. Wear light, waterproof hikers if you venture into the Rogers Refuge after a rain. The woods are filled with numerous varieties of trees and shrubs that provide a haven for a wide variety of birds, so bring your field guide! The trails are popular, but you'll encounter fewer humans the closer you get to the Delaware Canal. Parking is also limited, but you can park at the Rogers Refuge entrance, rather than the Battlefield Park lot. That said, here are a couple of notes: Beware of poison ivy if you step off of the actual trail, as it is everywhere. Also, during Autumn and early Winter, be sure to prep your shoes/pants for ticks, as they may be found in the leaf litter that blankets the trails. This is a good idea anytime and anywhere you hike. It's not a huge area, but the trail markings may as well be nonexistent. If you're unfamiliar with the trails, bring a map of the refuge and the institute grounds. They're both easily found and/or printed here: https://rogersrefuge.org/guides/

Lovely spot for a stroll, I find it very relaxing. Trails…read moreare level but tend to get muddy. They are pretty connected so even if you do loops and walk them all, it's not a long hike. If you're lucky, you'll see frogs and deer! If you're not, it's still fun to id trees and any mushrooms you stumble upon. There's a fun swinging bridge by the river's edge trail. I recommend: old sneakers or hiking shoes (for the mud), bug spray (mosquitoes), and a map (you can find one online or just use your phone). Note: I have never found a tick on me and I visit at least once a week, weather permitting! But you should still check for them.

Great short or longer hike in lambertville with good views of river and new hope pa! Be mindful as…read morethere is no trail map in parking area/trailhead. Downloading trails ahead of time might help, as paths do get confusing at times. Either way, can always opt for shorter walk of 0.5 miles each way which is easy!

You park a bit of a distance from the overlook so make sure you have good footwear. Once you get…read morethere, it is very pretty, but I wouldn't say spectacular.. on a nice day, after a big lunch, it will be a nice walk, not too many inclines.

The lake is magnificent. The grounds is well kept. Restrooms are visible and accessible.read more

A very nice park with a boathouse where you can rent out kayaks/pedal boats, bbq area, playground,…read morewalking/biking trails. There is also an ice skating center where you can take lessons. A lot of festivals and summer concerts are hosted during the summer to fall.

X-posting a review from the Wissahickon Park page. This park is so good it deserves two 5-star…read moreratings. Hard to rate an entire park this massive, but all things considered, after 5 years of traversing the trails here, this is an awesome park. Note that I live in U-City, so the fact that such a massive trail system exists in only a ~20 minute drive, depending on which part of the park I start in, is a blessing and keeps my sanity. Friends of Wissahickon does a great job maintaining trails and even expanding the system over the past few years. I don't think I've ever observed an unseemly part of the park. Definitely unseemly times of year like the snow thaw or the time between the trees dying and the snow falling, but otherwise, this park is beautiful all times of year. I've never had a hard time parking, never even had trouble with crowds even around the most popular trails (ex. Forbidden Drive). Even the bikers are friendly and patient here! Would strongly recommend not only visiting but coming back to keep exploring! I'm still finding new gems in this massive trail system.

Today I decided to switch things up and take a trip to Valley Green in Wissahickon Park, Philly…read more I've always heard about Devil's Pool but had never been, so when I saw the trailhead, I figured--why not check it out? What I've known about Devil's Pool is that it's been a popular hangout spot, especially for teens and young adults--swimming, drinking, smoking, etc. But I wasn't prepared for how disappointing the trail would be. At nearly every turn, there was trash--plastic bottles, wrappers, and even entire black garbage bags just left behind. The closer I got to Devil's Pool, the worse it got. There are clear signs asking visitors to take their trash with them, yet so many clearly don't. It's really disheartening to see such a beautiful natural space disrespected like that. Instead of feeling peaceful or connected to nature, it honestly felt a bit unsanitary and neglected. Wissahickon Park deserves better. If you visit, please respect the space and take out everything you bring in.

My family and I had a wonderful weekend camping at Turkey Swamp. This park offers well maintained…read morehiking trails, an archery area, playgrounds, and affordable boat rentals. The campground is quiet and also well maintained. The bathrooms are spacious and clean. There is no camp store, but they do sell firewood and ice at the office. There is a Walmart in town about 10 minutes away if you need any supplies. This may become one of our regular getaways.

This is a very cute place to go fishing!…read more They have a very large dock area for fishing with tons of benches. Even if a good amount of people are here to fish there is still plenty of space to spread out. I also love that there is a large playground area and very clean bathrooms. The park ranger was extremely friendly and had bandaids for us when my 3 year old clipped her finger with a fish hook (ooof). Plenty of parking and overall a fun and easy way to take my little kids fishing for the first time.

A nice, medium sized park. It's perfect for a quiet stroll while observing the wide variety of…read moreplant and birds, walking the dogs or just kicking back on one of the many park benches placed throughout the park and relaxing. The paths are also widely used by joggers and the occasional bicycle rider, although it seems a little short for that to me. The main trail is called the poetry trail, and the name is no lie as poems are spaced along the path at various locations. I've never been able to appreciate poetry as much as I'd like (I'd do much better on the SciFi trail if it's ever built), but I do like how the poems invite you to try to appreciate your experience in the park at an intellectual level rather than just sensorial. Tennis shoes are fine on this hike, although if there's been a rain, they might get a little sloshy when you head off of the paved path and onto the dirt paths--which you should do. Don't forget to walk around the parking lot and head up the trail which leads along the creek. It doesn't offer a loop, but it's worth the short extra distance. The park is also adjacent to the D&R Greenway building. Make certain to take yourself inside if it's opened. The people there are helpful, and they've information on the park and other hikes to be found in the area.

Located off Rosedale Road, the D&R Greenway Land Trust includes Greenway Meadows Park and a 55-acre…read moretract of public open space land that abuts the Johnson Park School, the Hun School, Jasna Polana, and Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science (i.e. the former campus of the  American Boychoir School). There are about 20 miles of paved and dirt trails throughout the tract, including a number through the woods and along the banks of the gurgling Stonybrook stream. The wooded dirt trails, in particular, don't see a lot of foot traffic. Thus, they may occasionally become overgrown with ground cover in the summer. For the most part though, the Princeton Parks Department does a very nice (and prompt) job of keeping these clear and removing fallen trees and debris after bad storms. There is a clearing with soccer fields, a playground, and picnic areas in the middle of Greenway Meadows Park. These are conveniently located adjacent to one of the paved parking lots. Up a gentle slope from the soccer fields sits the Johnson Education Center, which is housed in a circa 1900 barn, and near to that, is a 1-mile looped poetry trail sporting 48 poems. You can also enjoy the Edward T. Cone Grove, the Hartman Garden Path, the Carroll K. and Frederick P. King, Jr. Terrace, the Ellsworth Terrace, and Meredith's Garden for Inspiration, a garden filled with native plants and nature-inspired sculptures. The Education Center offers a number of programs with local experts. Personally, I prefer to explore on my own. The wooded section has proven most interesting so far. This area is great for birdwatching. Along the streams, I'll also routinely encounter turtles, frogs, toads, and my personal favorite, bullfrogs. It's also just a great spot for a relaxing walk or quick trail run. I can typically get in an easy 3-5 miles here without even thinking.

We really enjoyed this trail today, first time there!…read more The trail is relatively flat and very well maintained. There is a big loop around the lake that my dogs and I took, which is nice because it's a good walk without being too long or too short and you don't need to turn around. Lots of winding path areas so you feel pretty secluded. If you have reactive dogs you can easily step aside in many areas to let others pass. I'm excited to bring my dogs back here.

A nice walk in the woods. I enjoyed an early spring walk there. Blue Jays and Robins were…read morenoticeable as were a group of turtles sunning themselves on a rock in the lake. Very glad I found this place

Round Valley has always been a go spot for my family in the summer weather. We are only about 15…read moreminutes away and have been coming here for years for hikes, picnic lunches, letting our pups go for a swim, etc. It's a state park and looked after incredibly well. More so, I've noticed visitors take care to leave the park clean and just as they found it. I went for the first time this year earlier this week and was reminded just how much I love this beautiful space. If you are a senior, go to the office before you head to the park and get a senior pass. It gives you and everyone in your car free entry and it's a lifetime pass! My dad popped in after meaning to for so long and got the whole process done in a few minutes. No pass? It's just $5 per person. The folks in the office and the ticketing both are all friendly, kind and so helpful. They even had treats for our pups waiting in the backseat. There are so many different sections of the park to explore and visit. There's a beach for swimming complete with everything from a dock to a lifeguard, a rockier and more quiet area for fishing. They have a section for those camping. A perfect visit during the summer months. Enjoy!

Site 32 at Round Valley was beautiful! The water here is some of the cleanest and clearest water…read moreI've seen in New Jersey. The view from the campsite was gorgeous, and the fishing was great! The site itself was peaceful and surrounded by beautiful trees. It's roughly 800 feet from the dock to the campsite, but be prepared -- the trail is very rocky with little hills and high rocks, which makes dragging coolers, camping gear, and other supplies to the site pretty challenging. Definitely pack accordingly! There is a designated trash area, which is great, although it's a bit of a walk from the campsite. We also did see people hiking behind our campsite, so I wouldn't say the site is completely private, but it was definitely private enough to feel secluded and peaceful. Cell service was also very limited, which can be a positive or negative depending on what you're looking for. It definitely gave us more of that unplugged camping experience. The biggest downside was the picnic table. It is in pretty rough shape, with several boards cracked, warped, and deteriorating. It really needs some serious repair or replacement. Considering how beautiful the site is, having a decent picnic table would make the experience even better. Overall, we really enjoyed Site 32. Beautiful scenery, unbelievably clear water, great fishing, and a peaceful camping experience. Just be prepared for the rocky walk from the dock, limited cell service, and a picnic table that definitely needs some TLC!

Huge hiking ground with so much to do. One of the highlights is the meditation garden. It is an all…read moreday event. SO MUCH to DO

Duke farms is such a beautiful place to visit. First off parking is free but you must reserve your…read moreparking ahead of time. It was pretty easy and simple to reserve parking ticket. I went to Duke Farms around 2ish and the parking lot was full but I did find a parking spot. There are many different trails to walk and bike. I saw that you can rent a bike and I saw visitors with their own bikes. This is definitely the perfect spot for a cute small picnic with friends or family or even a cute date idea. They also have a cafe on site and public restrooms in the main building. I only had time to go to orchid range which was nice. I brought my kindle with me and sat inside and enjoyed the greenery and read for a little. I have to go back to Duke Farms and have a little picnic one of these days.