Outdoor Events

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT  Our Downstream Adventures series continues with this glacial wetlands edition! Join us in visiting Great Swamp’s “sister-swamp” -- Troy Meadows is a 3,100 acre nature preserve in Parsippany-Troy Hills. Along with Great Swamp, it makes up a large remnant of Glacial Lake Passaic. Troy Meadows was once the largest freshwater marsh and highest quality inland wetland in New Jersey and but is now under threat of development. There is just so much abundant and unique plant and animal life here to explore!  Your guide, GSWA Education Associate, Dan Ross, leads an adventure through the wetlands in search of the flora and fauna that call this treasure home! Your organizer will contact you with exact parking information. Also, please wear knee boots if you have them or otherwise long pants- some areas are overgrown with prickly vegetation. Registration required. Register here or call (973) 538-3500.

Grab your kayak or canoe and join GSWA for an immersive river journey as we paddle downstream on the Passaic River. During your trip, you will explore the calm waters of the Passaic and learn about riverine habitat, the plants and animals specialized to this environment as well as some local history. You must bring your own boat, paddles, and personal flotation device (PFD). You will not be able to join the guided paddle without a PFD, which will be inspected before we leave. You should be dressed to get wet (including your shoes) and bring your own water. You will be asked to sign a waiver prior to participation. Registration is required. We have a limited space available. Register for this event through this page or by calling 973-538- 3500.

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. Experience our trails in a new light - moonlight! Join Education Director, Hazel England, on a warm summer's moonlit night through our conservation management area and learn to identify owls, bats, and other creatures of the night by their sounds and habits. Note: This hike will take place over dark, uneven and sometimes slippery terrain - please dress according to the weather and wear sturdy hiking boots. Registration required. Register now or by calling 973-358-3500

Witness breathtaking views of New York City from one of the largest tracts of preserved land in New Jersey. Continue your exploration of the Watchung Mountains with our education associate, Dan Ross, and take the opportunity to explore this gorgeous Passaic County Park. On this hike, you will explore new trail systems and find native wildlife in their preparation for the long cold months to follow. You truly won’t want to miss this third installment of our downstream adventures series! Please note: This is a difficult hike of considerable elevation. Registration required.  Register online at GreatSwamp.org or call (973) 538-3500. Please note: Newspaper listings for our event are out-of-date. The start time has changed to 4:00 pm. Please plan accordingly. 

We team up with Madison Mud: A Clay Studio, to bring nature right into your own home. Sandra LaVigne, GSWA Director of Water Quality, will lead a hike at our Conservation Management Area. As we discuss fall foliage, get inspired to create our own bit of nature! Participants will have the opportunity along the hike to collect samples of leaves that inspire them and press them into an artistic clay tile. Melanie, of Madison Mud, will glaze your tiles with your choice of color. Tiles must be picked up at Madison Mud, Main St, Madison, date to be determined (approximately 10 days after the hike). Madison Mud has generously offered GSWA an additional fundraising opportunity! When you pick up your tile at the studio, if you chose to create another building project with Madison MUD, half the studio fee for your additional project will be donated to GSWA  (the cost of this optional additional project is $30). This opportunity will be available from the appointed pick up date through December 1, 2017. You create a beautiful handmade piece of pottery and help to support GSWA at the same time! Further details available at the hike. Space is limited and registration […]

November’s full moon is known as the “Beaver Moon.” According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, Algonquin Native Americans and American colonists called the November moon the “Beaver Moon” because “this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs.” Join Great Swamp Watershed Association as we hike the moonlit trails, and listen for nighttime creatures. The open canopy cover and bright moonlight provide the perfect backdrop to hear and spot owls, as they become more active for the mating season. Registration required.  Register online or call (973) 538-3500.   Please note this address is approximate: Barrett Field contains the parking lot. Please use this lot for parking.

Walk off that Thanksgiving meal with a family-friendly hike through wetland fields and meadows alongside the meandering Passaic River and Cory's Brook. Birders, grab your binoculars and some friends, and come take advantage of this highly acclaimed birding location! Led by GSWA Education Associate, Dan Ross, this is generally a wet location so guests are encouraged to wear boots and clothing that may get muddy. Please dress for the weather and feel free to bring a snack and some water. Registration is required.

Grab your camera, or your art journal for a walk on the wild side- Wildlife Refuge side, that is! We will focus on looking at nature through the lens of art- whether that is a physical lens of a camera, or a metaphorical lens.  Let nature be your muse on on this natural history exploration through the Management Area of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. We will help spark your imagination to get those creative juices flowing as you practice your art journaling, sketching, and 5-minute inspirations. With your permission, we will display the finished artworks on our website. This is a great way to get in the right mindset for the winter season. We will meet at the Bluebird Parking Lot (midway between the Refuge Headquarters and the Helen Fenske Visitor center on the right hand side if heading North.) Registration required.

Join us on this special GSWA "Members Only" hike at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.  This will be an exciting opportunity for us to seek out wildlife as it prepares for the coming winter. Come see the beautiful winter stalks of a variety of plants that call the refuge home. Many different species of wildfowl will be found making their winter homes in the impoundments of the Great Swamp Refuge, along with mammals such as coyote and fox. Resident birds will also be busy searching for seeds and berries throughout the area. We will be on the lookout for all of this, as we take in the beauty of the amazing lands that form part of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Management area. Dress warmly, and enjoy the cusp of winter. Registration required. We will meet at the Bluebird Parking Lot on Pleasant Plains Road. The bluebird lot is approx. 1.5 miles down Pleasant Plains Rd past the Helen C. Fenske Visitors Center. If you have any questions, you may call our hike leader, Dan Ross, at 908-892-7253