Hiking Trails in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge has two wildlife observation blinds and about eight miles of marked trails. The going is flat and easy except in spring and after rains when knee high rubber boots are advisable. Yes, there are bugs during the summer. The parking areas are well-maintained. There is a rest room at the main refuge facility on Long Hill Road. Be very careful driving any local road near the Refuge — deer leap out at you without warning. Watch for the pure white one people have been seeing this year. A map is available.
Blue Trail
2.4 miles long, plus a half-mile optional red loop and a 0.9 mile alternate yellow branch; two trailheads, one at each end of the trail.
One trailhead is at the end of Woodland Rd.: take Green Village Rd. to Green Village, turn at the triangle onto Meyersville Rd., half mile to right turn onto Woodland Rd., go a little over a mile to end (be brave, 4WD is nice in the mud season), arrive at a pleasant & well-maintained parking area with a sign & trail map.
The other trailhead is on Long Hill Rd. at north boundary of Refuge near Pleasantville Rd. If you're in Green Village, continue west on Green Village Rd. about a mile from the triangle, turn left on Pleasantville Rd., go 1.5 mi. to end and turn left onto Woodland Rd. Watch for sign on left in about a half mile.
Features: watch for patches of cardinal flower along the river & near the plank bridges.
Orange Trail
1.6 miles long plus a 0.4 mi. silver side trail; a trailhead at each end. This used to be Meyersville Rd. through the town dump before they closed the road.
A trailhead is at the end of the current Meyersville Rd. at the Green Village end. At the triangle in Green Village turn onto Meyersville Rd. & go to end to parking area.
Another trailhead is at the end of White Bridge Rd. past the Raptor Trust. Go past the triangle in Green Village, left in a mile onto Pleasantville Rd., go 1.5 mi. to end, left onto Long Hill Rd., 2.5 mi. to White Bridge Rd., left onto the dead end portion of White Bridge Rd., then 1/2 mi. to parking area.
Features: birds.
Green Trail
A circular trail off the Orange Trail near the north end — watch for markers. There is an optional 0.5 mi. beige side trail.
Features: the Green Trail skirts a beautiful pond where you have a chance of seeing rare wildflowers.
Laurel Trail
A 0.7 mile circular hike.
Park where the power line easement crosses Southern Blvd. in Chatham Township. Walk south past the gazebo along the right side of the easement, a nice walk by itself; in a mile see one entrance to the Laurel Trail on your right. If you continue along the easement you come to the other entrance in less than a half mile.
Features: deer trails & possibly deer.
Boardwalks
There are about 3/4 mile of boardwalks and two observation blinds.
Watch for Refuge signs on Long Hill Rd. (see directions for the second trailhead for the Orange Trail; don't go all the way to White Bridge Rd.) The main Refuge entrance is on the right side of Long Hill Rd. coming from Green Village.
Features: here’s where you see muskrats. There are usually deer grazing picturesquely on the meadow in the distance. You’ll see wood duck houses & sometimes even wood ducks. Kids love the boardwalks. There are restrooms here.
Pleasant Plains Road
Unpaved, great for biking or walking. Bridge is closed — it’s not a through road. Road is gated, open dawn to dusk, with those spikes that only let your car drive through the gate one way. Great blue herons fish in little ponds next to the road.
There are also trails at the two environmental centers (see Things to See and Do). There are trail maps online for the Somerset County Environmental Education Center and the Morris County Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center.