User:JerseyGuy2019/sandbox2
Wickecheoke Creek Preserve
Wickecheoke Creek Preserve is a discontinuous patchwork of protected land that follows along Wickecheoke Creek running from Croton Plateau to Stockton Borough in Hunterdon County NJ, USA. It totals approximately 3,800 acres (as of 2019) throughout the Wickecheoke Creek Greenway and includes numerous hiking trails throughout the preserve. Some trails connect over rural roadways to link disconnected sections of the preserve [1].
Wildlife in the Wickecheoke Creek Preserve includes beaver, mink, great blue heron and endangered species red shouldered hawk, wood turtles and long tailed salamanders among many others[2].
History
Creation of the preserve has been led by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation along with funding from various partners and entities. They began acquiring land in 1984.[3]
In 2007, NJ Conservation Foundation was able to raise funds to purchase the Huey property in Franklin Township, NJ. This property had operated as a fish farm for 35 years by Thomas Huey who decided to sell the property upon his retirement. The farm raised a type of Asian carp known as Amur (aka grass carp). The fish were sold to wholesalers in New York’s china town. [4] In August 2018 an additional 130 acres was added to the preserve. The land was purchased with the help of a variety of organizations including NJ Conservation Foundation, NJ Green Acres, Hunterdon County, Delaware Township, Franklin Township and NJ Water Supply Authority.[5]
Preserve access
Parking and trail access varies depending on the area of the preserve being accessed. There are multiple accessible locations at various points with small pullouts from the road to park (1-2 cars) plus larger parking area at Prallsville Mills. Some areas require roadside parking only (Turnquist Orbach and Huey properties). North trail map and south trail map indicate parking with a "P" (see trail map link below).
Recreation options
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Bird watching
- Photography
- Biking (on roads)
- Picnic Tables (Huey property)
Things to see
- Green Sergeant's covered bridge (north map)
- Wickecheoke creek
- Historic Prallsville Mills ca 1750
- Cascading waterfall
- Shale cliffs
- Meadows
- Beaver
- Seven fishing ponds (Huey property)
- Foundation ruins
- Stone cairn
Hiking
Since the preserve has been acquired in sections over time, it is not one continuous parcel of land. There are four separate trail maps to cover the preserve. Trails are mostly flat with generally easy hiking with the exception of a steep slope located in the north map section. Trails pass through dense forests, meadows and along the Wickecheoke creek. Some trail sections require fording the creek. Note that this could be tricky depending on the water flow so caution is needed. [6] Trail head signs are located where trails cross the roads. [7]
Trail maps
- ^ "Wickecheoke Creek Preserve". New Jersey Conservation Foundation. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- ^ Graziano, Sallie (2016-01-12). "Land near last covered bridge in N.J. is preserved". nj.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- ^ "DELAWARE TWP.: 106-acre farm is preserved". CentralJersey.com. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
- ^ Wright, Terry (2015-06-13). "Franklin farmer raised Chinese fish for 35 years". nj.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- ^ "130 acres preserved along Wickecheoke Creek in Delaware Township". MY CENTRAL JERSEY. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
- ^ Hiker, Philly Day. "Wickecheoke Preserve". Philly Day Hiker. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
- ^ https://www.njconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/WickechokeTrailMap-north-1.pdf