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Trail Guides
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Veterans Memorial Park
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4
 
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Pond Brook Road, Stillwater Township, NJ
Phone: (973) 383-9484
www.stillwaternj.us
Stillwater Township
Return to CR 622 West from Junction Road by turning Right. After 1.5 miles turn Left onto CR 619 South. After 2.4 miles turn Right onto CR 612 West. After 0.2 miles turn Left into parking lot. There is no sign, but flagpoles and a statue mark the spot. Map
Open daily from dawn to dusk. There is a spacious gravel parking lot; however, it may not be accessible during inclement weather. Some trails are handicapped accessible. Black bear is common here, please admire from a distance. Deer ticks are common, please take the appropriate precautions.
Two trails are easily accessible from the parking area. The first begins by the bridge and follows the brook downstream, then follows the Paulinskill River back upstream to the parking lot. The second trail begins on the other side of the bridge and follows the brook downstream, turns Right following along the far fields and then turns Right and leads back to bridge.
| | Walk along Trout Brook, gaze out over the meadow or survey the woodlands’ edge in this 42-acre park. Warm season grass restoration is taking place in the upper fields west of the ball fields, which will improve wildlife viewing at this rural gem.
the scenic view of the brook from the bridge adjacent to the parking area. Consider dropping a fishing line as the brook is stocked from this spot with rainbow, brook and brown trout.
Once the trees lose their leaves is a great time to locate bird nests that are normally hard to find. Look especially for the oblong hole of the Pileated Woodpecker. Snow-laden trails also reveal the tracks of mammals such as bear, fox and coyote. At times, these tracks can reveal the scuffle that occurs between predator and prey. Keep checking skywards; Pond Brook is known as a foraging area for Bald Eagles that nest at Little Swartswood Lake.
Pond Brook’s diversified habitat makes it a prime location for birds of the field and forest. The stream running through the middle of the park is sure to be a magnet for those birds passing through and those looking to stay for the summer. Warbling and Yellow-throated Vireos, American Redstart, Indigo Bunting, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Cedar Waxwing have all been spotted at this location.
The meadow during the warm months is chock full of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and make sure to look for the stunning Halloween Pennant dragonfly as it perches atop the tall, soft-leaved mullein plant. The edge of the forest is a good spot to look for nesting Baltimore and Orchard Orioles and to listen for the Indigo Bunting, whose diligent singing can hardly be ignored. Looking like miniature mockingbirds, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher will most likely be attracted to the black walnut trees that dot the property. The abundance of thistle in the meadow attracts American Goldfinch, the New Jersey state bird. The riparian corridor running through the property makes this a prime spot for state-threatened wood turtle and the N.J.-endangered bog turtle.
Raptor migration is at its height, and the meadow provides passers-by a venue for small prey. Warblers will be moving through as well; Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Black-and-white and Bay-breasted are all possibilities. Black bears may be active, preparing for their winter hibernation; make sure to watch them from a distance. Fall foliage is at its peak in mid-October.
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