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Trail Guides
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Daretown Lake
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6
 
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CR 635/Daretown Road, Upper Pittsgrove, NJ
Phone: (856) 935-3218
www.njparksandforests.org
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Turn Right out of Camp Crockett
onto Avis Mill Rd. After 1/2 mile, turn Left onto Daretown Rd. When the road dead ends, turn
Left again onto CR 635/Woodstown-Daretown Rd. After 1/2 mile, turn Left onto Fox’s Mill Rd., and then turn Left into the parking area for Daretown Lake. Map
Open daily from dawn to dusk. Pull off the road parking.
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| Green Frog | Paul Taylor |
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| | Daretown Lake is bordered by farmland to the east and a thick deciduous forest to the west. It is a favorite spot for roosting Great Blue Heron, which can be seen catching fish in the lake. Turtle heads break the water’s surface while small fish swim along the edges. Follow the trail from the parking lot along the lake’s spill-over and continue along the freshwater stream. The water is clear enough to see aquatic creatures, such as musk turtles. Ferns fill in the wet and cool spaces, and you will hear the songs of many species throughout your visit.
Follow the stream into an ideal habitat for Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Look and listen among the many old trees that surround a freshwater wetland.
Look for evidence of nocturnal animals and learn to identify them by their tracks. Skunks, raccoons, deer, fox and rabbits frequent the area. Vibrant orange bracket fungi (mushrooms) forms disks along fallen trees. Great Horned and Screech Owls may be heard calling in the evening.
Wildlife and its evidence are everywhere. Animal tracks, streamside life, and songbirds are often best observed on an early morning walk.
Cool off with a walk through the forest, but don’t forget your insect repellent. Once among the old trees, look for woodpecker holes and you may find an active nest. Purple Martins line up on the telephone wires above the lake, scanning for insects. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds zoom around the forest searching out blooms from which to nectar.
Acorns, pignuts and beechnuts litter the forest floor, providing a staple of existence for many species. Acorns attract white-tailed deer and Wild Turkeys into the forest. Gray squirrels and chipmunks collect and cache their seeds. Don’t forget to scan the lake for migrating waterfowl.
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