Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge At A Glance...

• It is a twelve square mile wetland twenty-six miles from Times Square.
• The eastern half is designated Wilderness - a federal designation, and unusual this close to New York.
• Declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1966, six years after the refuge was established.
• Pleasant Plains Road is one of the few places in New Jersey the managing agency actively recommends watching wildlife from your car.
• Todays Sunrise: ,   Sunset:  
• New Jersey Skylands Region Morris County Somerset County

• Activities:

  • Hiking
  • Jogging / Running
  • Walking

  Amenities:

  • Restrooms/Bathrooms
  • Nature / Environmental Center

  Trails:

  • Boardwalks
  • Flat / Easy
  • Natural Surface (Dirt/Roots/Rocks)

  Park Type:

  • National Park
  • Preserve
  • Recreation
  • Wildlife Management Area (WMA)
  • Scenic Areas (overlooks/waterfalls)

  Rules/Regulations:

  • Fishing Not Permitted
  • Dogs Not Permitted

Contact / Location

Trail & Path Info

There are close to eleven and a half miles of foot access trails, of varying difficulty, plus three wildlife observation blinds and one wildlife overlook.

Trails are open to foot traffic only - no bikes, no horses. That is a refuge regulation, not a preference.

The Wildlife Observation Center off Long Hill Road is the easiest introduction: roughly a mile and a half of boardwalk and trail, with blinds for watching wildlife and restrooms on site. The Wildlife Observation Center trails run 0.76 miles north and 0.53 miles south.

In the Wilderness area the longest single run is the Blue Trail at 2.25 miles, followed by the Orange at 1.63 and the White Oak at 0.91 - the White Oak is an easy loop and the refuge marks it kid friendly. Shorter connectors include the Ivory (0.81), Green (0.71), White (0.70), Red (0.52), Beige (0.38), Bockoven (0.34), Silver (0.32) and the Nature Detective Trail at 0.13 miles. The Yellow Trail rounds out the network.

Ground here is wet by definition. Expect mud away from the boardwalks, and boots rather than trainers after rain.

Things to See & Do

The Wildlife Observation Center at 220 Long Hill Road is where most first visits should start. It has about a mile and a half of boardwalks and trails, an information kiosk, blinds for watching wildlife without disturbing it, and restrooms. The refuge singles it out as particularly good for photography.

The Helen Fenske Visitor Center holds the exhibits and refuge staff, and is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

The Overlook Parking Area on Pleasant Plains Road has two mounted viewing scopes and is a reliable spot for birds without walking far.

Pleasant Plains Road itself is worth driving slowly - the refuge recommends it as a place to watch wildlife from the car, which makes this a genuinely workable stop for anyone who cannot manage the trails.

Admission & Guidelines

Visitors are permitted only in designated areas, during daylight hours, unless posted otherwise.

Trails are open to foot traffic only.

Pets are not allowed on refuge trails, on the boardwalks, or in the visitor center. They are permitted only along Pleasant Plains Road and in the parking areas, on a leash no longer than ten feet at all times. Service animals, individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, are welcome everywhere the public may go - parking lots, roads, trails and visitor centers.

Camping and fishing are not permitted anywhere on the refuge. Drones may not be launched or landed on the refuge, or used to disturb wildlife. Collecting, disturbing, destroying or releasing plants or animals is prohibited without a special use permit. Vehicles must stay in designated parking areas.

Groups of ten or more should contact the refuge before visiting, as a Special Use Permit may be required. Anyone charging a fee for a program on the refuge needs one regardless of group size.

Hours / Season of Operation

The refuge grounds and trails are open during daylight hours, year round, unless an area is posted otherwise.

The Helen Fenske Visitor Center keeps shorter hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm. It is closed Mondays and Wednesdays.

One seasonal thing to know: the refuge runs prescribed burns from late winter through early fall, on fields and woods along Pleasant Plains, Whitebridge, Meyersville, New Vernon-Long Hill and Carlton Roads. Trails and facilities can close temporarily while burning is underway, and smoke may be visible from a distance.

Facilities

Restrooms are at the Wildlife Observation Center and at the Helen Fenske Visitor Center. The visitor center holds the refuge's exhibits and is staffed; refuge law enforcement officers work the property.

Out on the refuge there are three wildlife observation blinds, one overlook, and two mounted viewing scopes at the Overlook Parking Area. There is no camping, no food service and no fishing.

Parking

There is no single entrance. The refuge has several parking areas spread across twelve square miles, and which one you want depends on what you came for.

For a first visit, the Wildlife Observation Center on Long Hill Road is the one to aim at - boardwalks, blinds and restrooms straight from the lot. The Helen Fenske Visitor Center has its own parking on the western side. The Overlook Parking Area on Pleasant Plains Road is the quickest stop of the three, with viewing scopes at the lot itself.

Vehicles must be parked only in designated areas.