Outdoor Events

Join Blaine Rothauser, senior project manager and natural resource specialist at Fairfield-based GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., for a fascinating introduction to moth ecology at the Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) located at 568 Tempe Wick Road in Morristown, NJ. For this hands-on, outdoor workshop, Blaine will set up a sodium vapor lamp in the parking area. After a few minutes, an astounding array of moths will appear for you to observe, identify, and photograph. What you see will surprise and amaze you! Click here to view/download the flyer. Giant Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia). Copyright Blaine RothauserThis event is recommended for adults and older children, but is suitable for all ages and skill levels. Attendance is limited to 15 individuals, so advance registration is strongly recommended. Note: Although the the event is scheduled to end at 10:00 p.m., Blaine may remain past this time to continue his studies. Please feel free to stay until he has finished. What to Bring: Conditions may be hot, cold, muddy, or wet, so please dress appropriately for the weather. Flashlights are welcome, but please turn them off as directed. Cameras are welcome. Please feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks (preferably in reusable bottles). […]

It’s easy to connect with the Refuge’s many natural wonders during the day, but to experience them at night, with a full moon rising over the horizon and animal activity at its peak, is something casual visitors rarely get to see. You, your family, and friends are invited to join naturalist Hazel England for a special full-moon hike at the Refuge’s Wildlife Observation Center off Long Hill Road in Harding Township. Hazel will re-acquaint you with your night senses so you can hear, smell, and even see things that escape you attention during the day. You’ll also learn more about nocturnal wildlife and the sounds they make as the sun goes down.  

On Sunday, September 27, New Jersey will be in prime position to witness a stellar late night show. A supermoon–when the moon is as close to the earth as possible, appearing very large–will be fully eclipsed by the Earth’s shadow. We’ll hike back into the fields of Primrose Farm to gain an unobstructed view.        

On Sunday, October 4, parents can hang back and let the sprouts lead the way during this kid-centric day hike at GSWA’s Conservation Management Area. Recommended for kids four to eight years old. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult (18+). Space is very limited.          

On Saturday, January 30, Join GSWA’s Dan Ross to explore the Conservation Management Area (CMA). He’ll teach you how to spot signs of wildlife during winter months, including tracks and scat. He’ll also guide you in identifying different trees and shrubs without their summer foliage.          

Enjoy a spring hike with Great Swamp Watershed Association’s (GSWA) Dan Ross & Jockey Hollow’s Park Ranger Eric Olsen. The duo will guide you through all of the important landscape features that soldiers in George Washington’s Continental Army would have experienced during the brutal winter of 1779-80. You will learn both the natural and national history of this park. Interested adults and families with children are encouraged attend.      

Discover a new kind of night life! The forests and wetlands of New Jersey’s Great Swamp are bound to be hopping during this spring hike at the Great Swamp Watershed Association’s Conservation Management Area (CMA).  After all, this is the time of year when spring peepers, wood frogs, chorus frogs, and other chatty amphibians make their way to woodland pools to mate and reproduce.  As twilight explodes into song, learn how critically important these shallow puddles (known as vernal pools) and their adorable denizens are for the health of our water resources and the local environment.      

Calling all would-be explorers, adventurers, and buccaneers! The Great Swamp Scavenger Hunt is back for another year of outdoor fun! Think you know a thing or two about New Jersey’s Great Swamp? Then it’s time to test your powers of navigation and observation to find out.