Woodsville Preserve protects a mosaic of habitats—mature upland forest, young forest, meadow, and a portion of Woodsville Brook and its floodplain. A 1.6 mile loop trail traverses through each habitat. It is co-owned with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
This 1.6 mile trail is located on the Woodsville Preserve in Hopewell Township. It is a long narrow loop trail through open woods and one field. It borders on a pretty section of Woodsville Brook and winds through a mature grove of American beech trees. Parts of the trail, especially near the brook can be muddy in the spring and after heavy rains.
The first section of the trail follows an old road as it passes the site of a former house on the west side of the trail. The woods here are very open with red maple, white ash, some large black cherry trees, sassafras, tulip poplar and hickory. There are scattered stands of dying red cedar indicating that this was once an open field. Listen for towhee and thrush song in high summer. Look for standing dead trees (den trees) with signs of woodpecker holes that have been enlarged by the inhabitants such as grey or flying squirrels.
As the trail continues down a gradual slope you enter a mature forest dominated by American beech, oak and hickory. At the bottom of the slope the trail swings to the west at the end of a meadow. For a short while, it follows along the meandering Woodsville Brook, skirts a slough filled with skunk cabbage and then begins to climb back toward the south uphill through the large stand of climax forest dominated by American beech, oak and hickory.
For many years, this was a farm with a house, animal sheds and a greenhouse. The property was purchased in partnership with the State of New Jersey in 2007. The entrance to the trail is marked by a FoHVOS “Nature Preserve” sign.
Click here to read the stewardship plan for more detailed ecological information.
The preserve is accessed through a young forest woodland comprised of flowering dogwood, ash, red maple, black cherry, sassafras, spicebush , autumn olive, multifloral rose, garlic mustard, and sca ttered horticultural plantings. The drought of the summer of 2010 caused spicebush dieback of about 50%. The preserve contains mid-successional forest comprised of red cedar, ash, blackhaw, multifloral rose, and Japanese stiltgrass. It also contains forest featuring mature American beech, black oak, and white oak. Notable forest herb species are Preanathes sp., wood sorrel, and doll’s eyes. The preserve is also home to wildflowers including goldenrod, Indian grass, and mountain mint.
The forest patch found on the Preserve and surrounding area is an important stop – over habitat (spring and fall resting and feeding) for migratory species. Red – shouldered hawk was identified by call on the preserve during spring migration.
The presence of fields adjacent to forest provides a habitat mosaic. Fields containing cool season grasses, native warm season grasses, and some native wildflowers provide habitat and forage for pollinators. Eastern comma (or Question mark butterflies) were observed in previous springs.
The preserve has been impacted by deer browse, with understory and herb layers absent in the mature forest.
Click Click here for Google Maps directions. Use the address “39 Harbourton Woodsville Road, Hopewell, NJ” if using a GPS or the coordinates 40.3646, -74.8226. The Woodsville Preserve has a looped dirt/gravel parking area with room for 4-5 cars. The parking area is accessible from the road. Look for the big “FoHVOS Nature Preserve” wooden sign so you don’t miss it!