Become a wilderness adventurer, a lover of flowers, or a world class hiker in the great outdoors of New Jersey

Nature Centers across the state are a fun way to get outside in the fresh air and share in unique experiences with you family. There are quite a few nature centers, watersheds, and hatcheries in New Jersey all with their own unique programs. Of course we didn’t want to leave out the fabulous gardens and arboretums. There is something to be said for running through the fields of Rutgers Gardens on a spring day or spending a few hours at the Camden Children’s Garden at one of their many events.

Why enjoy a New Jersey Nature Center?

Here’s a few of our reasons.

• Get exercise as a family
• Create new memories and maybe even gain a new interest
• Boost brain activities with nature scavenger hunts and map reading skills while trying to navigate the trail
• There is always a new place to explore or adventure to be had
• Events at the nature centers include hikes, story time, crafts, and bird watching just to name a few
• Open all year long, so you will always have something to do and stop a case of  the “I’m boreds” before they start

New Jersey Nature Centers

Please click on any county name for a drop down listing of New Jersey Nature Centers in that county.  Click on a location’s name for more information about that nature center.

Atlantic County Nature Centers

• Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway
• Warren E. Fox Nature Center, Mays Landing, 609-625-1897

Bergen County Nature Centers

• Closter Nature Center, Closter, 201-750-2778
• Demarest Nature Center, Demarest, 201-403-3183
• Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood, 201-567-1265
• Lorrimer Sanctuary, Franklin Lakes, 201-891-2185
• Meadowlands Environmental Center, Lyndhurst, 201-460-8300
• Ridgefield Nature Center, Ridgefield, 201-943-5215
• Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly, 201-568-6093
• James A McFaul Environmental Center, Wyckoff, 201-891-5571

Burlington County Nature Centers

• Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Preserve, Medford, 856-983-3329
• Rancocas Nature Center, Mt Holly, 609-261-2495
• Paws Nature Center, Mt Laurel, 856-778-8795
• Palmyra Cove Nature Center, Palmyra, 856-829-1900

Camden County Nature Centers

• Camden County Environmental Center, Cherry Hill, 856-216-7130

Cape May County Nature Centers

• Cape May Bird Observatory, Cape May Point, 609-884-2736
• Nature Center of Cape May, Cape May, 609-884-2736
• Cape May Point State Park, Cape May, 609-884-2159
• The Wetlands Institute, Stone Harbor, 609-368-1211

Cumberland County Nature Centers

• Albert J. Kolonich Jr. Nature Trail, Bridgeton
• Meadow Wood Environmental Facility, Maurice River
• Maurice River Bluffs Nature Preserve, Millville

Essex County Nature Centers

• Essex County Environmental Center, Roseland, 973-228-8776
• Cora Hartshorn Bird Sanctuary, Short Hills, 973-376-3587

Gloucester County Nature Centers

• Scotland Run Park Nature Center, Clayton, 856-881-0845

Hudson County Nature Centers

• None known

Hunterdon County Nature Centers

• Whittemore — Community, Culture & Conservation, Tewksbury, 908-439-1201

Mercer County Nature Centers

• Lawrence Nature Center, Lawrence, 609-844-7067
• Stonybrook Millstone Watershed, Pennington, 609-737-3735
• Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center, Titusville, 609-737-0609

Middlesex County Nature Centers

• Plainsboro Preserve, Cranbury, 609-897-9400

Monmouth County Nature Centers

• Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, Howell, 732-751-9453
• Huber Woods Environmental Center, Middletown, 732-872-2670
• Poricy Park, Middletown, 732-842-5966
• Allaire State Park Nature Center, Wall, 732-919-3500

Morris County Nature Centers

• Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Boonton, 973-334-3130
• Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, Chatham, 973-635-6629
• Kay Environmental Center, Chester
• Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center, Far Hills
• Schiff Nature Preserve, Mendham, 973-534-6004
• The Raptor Trust, Millington, 908-647-2353

Ocean County Nature Centers

• Jakes Branch County Park, Beachwood, 732-281-2750
• Lighthouse Center for Natural Research, Ocean Twp, 609-698-8003
• Island Beach State Park Nature Center, Seaside Park, 732-793-0506
• Cooper Environmental Center, Toms River, 732-270-6960
• Wells Mills Nature Center, Waretown, 609-971-3085

Passaic County Nature Centers

• Garret Mountain Reservation, Woodland Park, 973-881-4833

Salem County Nature Centers

• Alloway Creek Watershed, Elsinboro, 888-627-7437

Somerset County Nature Centers

• Somerset County Environmental Center, Basking Ridge, 908-766-2489
• Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Bernardsville, 908-766-5787
• Duke Farms,  Hillsborough, 908-722-3700

Sussex County Nature Centers

• Kittatinny Valley State Park, Andover, 973-786-6445

Union County Nature Centers

• Trailside Nature and Science Center, Mountainside, 908-789-3670

Warren County Nature Centers

• Pequest Trout Hatchery, Oxford,
• Merrill Creek Reservoir, Washington, 908-454-1213

Trailside Nature Center, Mountainside