Winter in the Pines

Hiking in the Pines a treat. I didn’t start hiking there regularly until, when the pandemic forced us all into more outdoor pastimes, I wanted to branch out into new walking destinations. The Pinelands are quiet, unlike the big popular hiking destinations of North Jersey (I’m looking at you, Mt. Tammany.) The landscape is unique too; sugar-sand soils and heavy pine foresting make one of the more rare ecosystems in the East Coast. We used to call it the “Pine Barrens” but barren it is absolutely not-- lots of plants you won’t see anywhere else! Birders love the area’s diversity. The area also has some of the lowest light pollution we have in New Jersey; it’s a great place for stargazing.

Winter is the ideal time to hike in the Pinelands of South Jersey. Trails are quite flat and less treacherous in snow, the air smells beautiful-- what those tree-shaped car air fresheners only wish they could replicate! -- and the threat of finding ticks, always a concern when hiking in New Jersey, is greatly reduced.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, borrow Pinelands: New Jersey’s Suburban Wilderness by Albert D. Horner from the library and flip open to any page. The photography is stunning. Horner asks a great question in his preface: “Morning after brilliant morning, while setting up my equipment, I would say to myself, “Why am I the only one here to see this?”” This beautiful book reminds us what we’re missing. He shouldn’t be the only one; we need to go ourselves! 

Other great Mercer County Library resources to start you on your winter hike journey include Hiking New Jersey. With detailed maps, written hiking descriptions, and important information about trailheads and locations (you want to know where there are bathrooms!), this is a very popular hiking guide and a great place to begin. You might want to bring along A Field Guide to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey by Howard P. Boyd. This a smart compact resource to identify the special wildlife and plants you’ll see.

Know before you go: Deer hunting is permitted in much of the Pinelands in the winter. During deer season it’s important to check the dates & locations where hunting is permitted, wear bright orange, and stick to marked trails. More information can be found on the State of NJ’s Department of Environmental Protection Deer Seasons and Regulations page. 

- by Sharon GR, Hickory Corner Branch