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Change of Colors & Bird Migration Hike

Garret Mountain Reservation Lambert Castle Parking Lot, 3 Valley Rd., Paterson, NJ, United States

Please note the new date October is the perfect time to head outdoors and check out all the vibrant colors of autumn, and Garret Mountain is the place to be. We will also look for migrating birds along this key migration flyway lead with GSWA Director of Land Stewardship, Hazel England. Hazel will take us on a journey through the trails of the Reservation to identify the many varieties of trees and plants as they begin to prepare for a long winter’s nap. Situated 500 feet above sea level, Garret Mountain Reservation offers several overlooks with panoramic views of northern New Jersey and New York City that you can't see from anywhere else in Passaic County. GSWA Members: FREE, Non-members: $10.

Sold Out Free – $40.00

Fairfield Fall Cleanup Day – Nov 19 (11/12 POSTPONED)

Because of Rain Forecast, Cleanup Rescheduled to Friday, Nov 19th The flooding caused by Hurricane Ida affected many natural areas adjacent to our local rivers. They were inundated with the trash carried downstream. While GSWA staff were sampling the water quality along the Passaic River in Fairfield, we observed a large quantity of trash that had been caught up in the trees in the flood plain in this area. GSWA, working together our local NJ AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador, is organizing a cleanup day to ensure that this area gets the needed attention.  We need your help!  Come out and join us in cleaning up this beautiful area of the Passaic River. The cleanup location on Nov 19th is the boat launch site at the end of Camp Ln, in Fairfield.  The cleanup will run from 10 - 12 PM.  We are asking people to wear masks and it will be muddy so you should wear appropriate shoes that can get muddy and maybe even wet.

Free

Post-Thanksgiving Cleanup & Hike @ the CMA

Great Swamp Watershed Association's CMA 1 Tiger Lily Ln, Morristown, NJ, United States

Thanksgiving is a day of giving... giving thanks, and perhaps giving in to all the delicious temptations we smelled long before they ever found our their way to our plates. And more food-filled holidays are right around the corner. This is the right time to head outside and work it off by helping prepare our Conservation Management Area (CMA) for winter with some important trail maintenance. Then we will put away our tools and will hit the trails again, this time for some relaxation and sight seeing. If you haven't already seen all the amazing renovations that took place last November, now is your chance to see what a healthy swamp is supposed to look like! So, let's get together and work and play at the CMA! Can't do the cleanup and the hike? That's okay. Just let us know which works for you. Either way, we're outside and we're burning calories!

Get Tickets Free

Geocaching at the CMA

Great Swamp Watershed Association's CMA 1 Tiger Lily Ln, Morristown, NJ, United States

Charge up your phone or GPS device and join us at the CMA for a unique treasure hunt called Geocaching! Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity where players use their GPS device to find hidden caches (containers that typically hold a logbook to sign and mark your find). These caches will be hidden throughout the area, and you will find them based on coordinates (longitude and latitude) as you explore the beautiful trails of GSWA’s Conservation Management Area. This is a Geocaching 101 event where you will learn all there is to know about this growing sport. It's a fun activity on your own or with the whole family. When you're done, we will treat you to hot cider and donuts to celebrate your accomplishments! GSWA members: FREE, non-member adults: $10, non-member children: $5. This event is held in partnership with Northern New Jersey Cachers.

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

SOLD OUT: Winter Solstice Full Moon Hike

Great Swamp Watershed Association's CMA 1 Tiger Lily Ln, Morristown, NJ, United States

This hike is sold out. If you wish to be added to the waitlist or if you are registered and unable to attend so we can invite the next person on the waitlist, please email nrago@GreatSwamp.org. Bundle up and let's celebrate the first day of winter (winter solstice) together with a full moon hike at the CMA's Green Trail. This is a particularly spectacular full moon that sits above the horizon for a longer period of time. Winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the whole year, making it the shortest day of the year. Good news - the days begin to once again grow longer, so it only gets brighter from here! Be sure to dress for the weather and wear your warm socks for this crisp, invigorating night hike.

Sold Out Free – $40.00

Kids Snow Tracks Hike

Jockey Hollow Visitor Center 600 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ

Hey kids, it's been a busy month. We're betting you and your parents are ready to get outside and breathe in some crisp fresh air. We know just what to do! Let's join Hazel England on a family-friendly adventure through the snowy forest of Jockey Hollow. We will seek out tracks left behind by critters scurrying through the snow in search of food and shelter, and discover where they may lead. We will also talk about their winter-time activities and learn how they endure throughout the coldest months of the year, in anticipation of the spring thaw. When we're done, we will warm up with hot cocoa and candy canes. Fun for all ages. Please remember to dress for the weather. Waterproof boots are strongly encouraged. Bring a snack and water if you like. Registration is required.

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

Hike at Rifle Camp Park, Garret Mountain

Rifle Camp Park 387 Rifle Camp Rd., Woodland Park, NJ, United States

Join us on a winter journey through the trails of this beautiful reservation. Along the way we will check out the 19th-century Lambert Castle, the current home of the Passaic County Museum. We'll also hike through Rifle Camp Park which sits on the ridgeline of Garret Mountain. Situated 500 feet above sea level, this area offers several overlooks with panoramic views of northern New Jersey and New York City that you can't see from anywhere else in Passaic County. You'll also catch a glimpse of American history - this spot served as an excellent location for George Washington’s troops to observe British movements during the Revolutionary War in 1780. Bring your camera and wear weather-appropriate attire for this unique and historic hike. Registration required, limited # of hikers. If the hike is sold out and you wish to be added to the waitlist, please email nrago@GreatSwamp.org. If you are registered and unable to attend please email nrago@GreatSwamp.org so we can invite the next person on the waitlist.    

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

SOLD OUT: Sunset & Full Moon Hike at Primrose Farm

Primrose Farm (Enter from Barrett Field) Barrett Field, 1413-000460000-000020001-00000, Morristown, NJ

This event has reached its max capacity. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, or if you have registered and are unable to attend, please email NRago@GreatSwamp.org.    You've got to witness this! Experience this unique opportunity to enjoy the winter sky... twice in one evening. As the sun sets, we enjoy a leisurely stroll through the restored wildflower meadow and bid goodnight to the day together. The February full moon, known as the "snow moon" will then light the sky and guide us through the remainder of this relaxing winter hike. And, if there happens to be snow on the ground, we can look for tracks and other signs of the critters who call Primrose Farm home. Dress for the weather and be sure to wear appropriate footwear. Directions: Primrose Farm (see below for google map - click the + to zoom in and see details)

Sold Out Free – $40.00

GSWA Source-to-Sea Virtual Challenge: 80-mile Run/Walk/Bike/Roll

Ready for a virtual challenge? Here we go! Register to run/walk/bike/roll 80 miles, the length of the Passaic River, from anywhere in the world. You will have 65 days to complete this challenge at your own pace. To give you an idea of how it works, doing an activity every day of the challenge equates to ~1.2 miles per day for 65 days - piece of crumb cake! (Which you will have earned with your daily activity.) Registration takes place on a website called "RunSignup" where you can follow your progress on an interactive map. Every time you enter your mileage from your recent activity, the system calculates your total mileage and updates your location so you can see "where you are" virtually on your journey along the Passaic River. Every 10-mile milestone you achieve, you will learn interesting facts about your "current location" and the importance of this wonderful resource, the Passaic River.   (RunSignup is a 3rd party website managing registration on behalf of GSWA.)   This fundraising event is open to anyone using anything powered by you to complete the challenge! Remember, this is not a race, it's a challenge to keep you active and help you […]

Signs of Spring Hike @ the Refuge

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - Orange Trailhead approx 77 Meyersville Rd., Green Village (Harding Township), NJ, United States

Step outside for this relaxing, family-friendly, guided tour of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge's Orange Trail. Enjoy a Spring preview in the great outdoors - the red-winged blackbirds and eastern phoebes are the first to get the memo that it's time to return and start nesting, while woodpeckers and spring peepers make their presence known more by sound than by sight. Some of our forest critters will also be scampering about. We will catch witch hazel in bloom, skunk cabbage beginning to emerge, and depending on our winter, the pussy willow may be bursting its buds. Additionally, non-native plants like crocuses and snowdrops will be starting to bloom. These are all indicators that Spring is on the way. This trail can get super wet/muddy, so muck boots/wellies are recommended. The full hike will be under two miles. GSWA members: Free, non-members: donation appreciated.   We will meet at the end of Meyersville Rd, Green Village (83 Meyersville Rd is the closest street address). Click HERE to view the map.  Coordinates: 40.726674, -74.457729

Get Tickets Free – $40.00