3 Places To Hike, Watch Hawks And Camp Near Bedminster

BEDMINSTER, NJ — Look up, lace up or pack for the night: A free hawkwatch Friday, five miles of preserve trails and a boat-or-backpack wilderness campground offer Bedminster nature lovers three very different outdoor escapes.

Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve at 2121 Larger Cross Road in Far Hills offers five miles of hiking trails through fields and woods. The preserve also features a scenic pond with a fishing dock, a colorful bird and butterfly garden, two rain gardens and a restored 1800s barn complex. For seasoned hikers and families alike, the preserve offers several ways to spend time outdoors. Raritan Headwaters Association says the 170-acre preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk, year-round, with no admission fee. If you want to bring your four-legged friend along with you, leashed dogs are welcome.

Birdwatchers can head to New Jersey Audubon’s Bernardsville Hawkwatch at Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, 11 Hardscrabble Road, from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Sept. 18 and 25. A naturalist will scan for migrating raptors and passerines from the observation deck. NJ Audubon calls the event “a bird’s eye view of fall migration.” Loaner binoculars are available, and the program is free. Heads up: the hawkwatch will be canceled in the event of rain, snow or weather warnings. Bedminster residents ready to look skyward can reserve a spot for the Bernardsville Hawkwatch.

For those seeking a more demanding outdoor adventure, Round Valley Recreation Area in Lebanon offers wilderness campsites accessible only by boat or by carrying gear three to six miles along the steep, rugged Cushetunk Trail. The state reservation portal calls wilderness camping “a wonderful way to connect with nature,” but recommends it for experienced campers, backpackers and boaters. Campers can check availability and reserve a wilderness campsite through the New Jersey Outdoors portal. Campers must check in at the park office by 4 p.m.

Whether they prefer hitting the trail, watching the skies or sleeping under the stars, Bedminster residents have several ways to answer the call of the outdoors.

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