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Trail Guides
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Wheelabrator Wildlife Refuge
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2
 
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600 Route 130 North, Westville, NJ
Phone: (856) 742-1484
www.wheelabratortechnologies.com/index.cfm/plants/waste-to-energy/wheelabrator-gloucester-company-lp/
Wheelabrator Gloucester Company L.P.
From the parking area at Red Bank Battlefield Park, turn Right onto Hessian Avenue. After 1.8 miles turn Left onto Crown Point Road, just after passing over I-295. Follow signs to merge onto Route 130 North. After 0.8 miles turn Left into the entrance for Wheelabrator Inc. After 0.2 miles, turn Right into the parking area for the Wildlife Refuge. DIRECTIONS FROM NEAREST HIGHWAY: From the intersection of Route 130 and Route 47 at the traffic circle in Brooklawn, follow signs to continue South on Route 130. After 0.7 miles, turn Right into the entrance for Wheelabrator Inc. After 0.2 miles, turn Right into the parking area for the Wildlife Refuge. Map
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 410 Bridgeton/Philadelphia
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 401 Salem/Philadelphia
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 408 Millville/Philadelphia
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 410 Bridgeton/Philadelphia
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 412 Sewell/Glassboro/Philadelphia
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 402 Pennsville/Philadelphia
Walking distances are less than 1 mile.
A large picnic pavilion is situated beside the parking area. A Butterfly garden is a short walk from the parking lot on the right side of the trail. Several elevated viewing platforms are located throughout the refuge.
At the mouth of the river, the rustic path marked ‘Tie-Off Point Trail’ leads onto a rocky spit between the river and the creek. The spit is a great spot from which to view birds unnoticed both on the open water of the river and the protected water of the creek.
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| Northern Bobwhite | Scott Elowitz |
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Wheelabrator Wildlife Refuge is 75 acres of undeveloped land between the Delaware River and Big Timber Creek being managed and maintained by Wheelabrator Gloucester. A 15 minute wooded walk from the parking area around the plant brings visitors to flat, scenic trails through grassy fields, wetlands and wooded areas. Waterfowl are easily observed from elevated waterside trails behind woodland edge habitat. Viewing is excellent from several elevated observation platforms. Meadows, swampy wooded areas and small shaded rivulets are good places to spot birds. From 1895 to 1913 the ‘Washington Park’ amusement park was located at this site. Wheelabrator Wildlife Refuge will be re-named to Big Timber Creek Wildlife Refuge in the near future.
Go early in the day any time of year and view the bird activity along the river edge habitat and out on the open water.
Interesting winter ducks such as Canvasback and Common Goldeneye can be seen on the Delaware River from several platforms and other viewpoints along the trails. Waterfowl gather in the mouth of the Big Timber Creek and can be seen from several elevated locations as well. The lucky hiker may flush an occasional American Woodcock from the woodland edges in late February. The trails within the wooded areas have good wind protection.
Early spring mornings offer good birding for grassland species and waterbirds on the river and in the creek. American Redstart, Northern Parula, Northern Waterthrush, Black-throated Blue, and Blue-winged Warblers are among woodland bird migrants that follow the river stop to rest and feed at this site. Listen for the signature whistle of Bobwhite near the grasslands. Raptors are also frequently soaring in the skies on sunny and breezy days.
Mammals such as woodchuck, cottontail rabbit, and gray squirrel are active and can be observed in the early mornings. Raptors nest in the area and can be seen perched in trees or on poles. Check the butterfly garden for spicebush and tiger swallowtails, red-spotted purple, monarch, viceroy, red admiral, painted lady, and various hairstreaks and skippers. White-tailed deer are prominent and easily seen feeding on the understory. Beware of deer ticks in the summer.
This is a good fall-out area amid the urban landscape for migrating songbirds, especially in September. Species such as Warbling Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, and Cedar Waxwing can be spotted both in the wooded and grassland areas and on the open water in the river and creek. Raptors such as Bald Eagles follow the Delaware River on their South-bound journey.
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