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Trail Guides
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Miquin Woods
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6
 
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Newport Road, Lebanon Township, NJ
Phone: (908) 782-1158
www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/ParkAreas/MiquinWoods/info.htm
Hunterdon County
Turn Left onto Mountain Top Road and after 0.8 miles turn Left at the stop sign onto Hollow Road. Stay to the Left and after 0.5 miles turn Right onto Newport Road. After 0.4 miles turn Left into driveway, proceed a short distance to parking. Map
Open daily from dawn to dusk. This park’s trails are newly established and some areas may still be brushy. Trails are seasonally wet in spring. Private property borders this property; make sure to respect the boundary lines. Deer hunting is allowed from September to February by special permit. Contact the county parks department or visit www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/hunting/instruct.htm for hunting seasons and regulations. Make sure to wear hunter or blaze orange clothing during this season. No hunting is allowed on Sundays.
In the southeast corner of the park, a couple of large boulder fields can be found. Be aware, however, that only about half the boulder area is contained within the park boundary, as the remainder is private property. Bouldering is not permitted in the County Parks.
Take time to explore along the stream and wetland areas for hidden wildlife such as northern water snake, box and snapping turtles, green and wood frogs and two-lined salamander. There is a large boulder along Spruce Run Creek that offers a relaxing and scenic spot for humans, too.
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| Northern Gray Tree Frog | John Parke |
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| | Miquin Woods, a former Boy Scout camp called Camp Watchung, is one of the newest parks administrated by the Hunterdon County Parks Department, and it has only recently opened to the public. The property is bisected by Spruce Run Creek, one of the main water sources for Spruce Run Reservoir. Situated in the New Jersey Highlands, the park offers a diverse range of habitat, from mature hardwood forests to marshy wetlands along the creek corridor. It is home to a wide range of wildlife that is only just being documented.
Although the trails are un-named, one of them follows a small ridge along the creek providing a bird’s-eye view into the treetops.
Try visiting at twilight to listen for the evening call of Eastern Screech Owl and possibly Great Horned Owl. Concentrate on seeking out resident birds such as Blue Jay, American Robin, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco and White-throated Sparrow, along with woodpeckers such as Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Pileated.
The park’s rich habitat makes it a prime location to search for migratory birds. Look for the various warblers such as Magnolia, Prairie and Worm-eating Warblers amongst the trees, and Northern and Louisiana Waterthrushes along the stream. Also, listen for any passing Black-billed or Yellow-billed Cuckoos that may be in the area.
Focus on breeding songbirds and flycatchers. Miquin Woods is home to breeding Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Towhee and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Also, with the large insect population due to the wetland, look and listen for the Empidonax flycatchers such as Acadian, Willow or Least, in addition to Eastern Wood-Pewee and Eastern Phoebe.
A Black Vulture roost is nearby and they can be seen overhead most days. Look for large black birds with silvery-tipped wings and extremely short tails. Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk will remain all winter. The other bird with a large wing-span that makes its home here is the brightly plumaged Pileated Woodpecker.
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