Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
From World travel guide
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, about 26 miles west of Manhattan's Times Square.
Contents |
Understand
The Great Swamp Refuge is one of more than 544 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System that is administered by the Department of Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of lands and waters managed specifically for the protection of wildlife and its habitat. It represents the most comprehensive wildlife management program in the world.
History
The refuge was established by an act of Congress on November 3, 1960. It consists of 7,600 acres of varied habitats and over the years,
Landscape
Flora and fauna
The refuge has become a resting and feeding area for more than 244 species of birds. Fox, deer, muskrat, turtles, fish, frogs and a wide variety of wildflowers and plants also call the refuge "home".
Climate
Get In
A map of the Great Swamp Refuge is available from the Fish and Wildlife Service website.
The refuge is open from sunrise to sunset.
Fees/Permits
There are no fees for visiting the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Get around
There are trails within the refuge, which are open only to foot traffic. (Pack in and pack out, there is no camping within the boundaries of the refuge.)
See
There are many photo opportunities (animals, landscapes, and plants) throughout the Great Swamp Refuge. Best times to photgraph plants are usually on misty, overcast days to keep the bright, direct sunlight (and shadows) to a minimum. Landscape and wildlife photos can be taken with many different types of light in the swamp.
There is a wildlife observation center, off of New Vernon Road. The refuge headquarters is on Pleasant Plains Road.
Do
There are several hiking trails, and many photo opportunites. This refuge is an excellent place for bird watching.
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Lodging
Camping
There is no camping allowed within the bounds of the refuge. The refuge closes at dark.
Backcountry
Stay safe
This is largely wetland, so be prepared for soggy conditions and stay on the trails where possible.
Get out
The same way you got in, just take your trash out with you and get out before dark.
There is an organization named The Raptor Trust which operates just outside of the Great Swamp on White Bridge Road in Millington, NJ. If you are in the area for the wildlife, stop in and see these good folks and the animals that they are saving.
Contact
- Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
- 241 Pleasant Plains Road
- Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
- Phone: (973) 425-1222
- Fax: (973) 425-7309
- Office Email: greatswamp@fws.gov
External links
- Great Swamp - National Fish and Wildlife Service
- Friends of the Great Swamp (an independent, non-profit organization)
(Most of the information on this page is from the US Fish and Wildlife Service web site for the Great Swamp Refuge.)
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