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Trail Guides
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Cedar Lake
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8
 
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Route 553, Cedarville, NJ
Lawrence Township
Follow Seabreeze Rd. back out to Back Neck Rd. Turn Right onto CR 601/Back
Neck Rd. and follow for 3.2 miles to CR 553.
Turn Right onto 553 South. Follow 553 and after 3.5 miles, Cedar Lake will be on your Left. Map
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| Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly | Bill Garwood |
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| | Cedar Lake is a small lake, located in a town park setting. At the parking lot there is a small dock for fishing and a boat launch for those who wish to canoe, kayak or boat on the lake. Several Mute Swan and a large contingent of Canada Geese are resident.
A hiking trail beyond the pavilion next to the parking lot will lead visitors through the forest alongside the lake for a few hundred feet, beyond which it may be impassible if it is overgrown. Spending an hour or so here may produce interesting wildlife sights at any time of the year.
Wintering waterfowl may be seen on the lake and Ring-billed and Herring Gulls are abundant. Scan the flock for unusual sightings. On the hiking trail, look for chickadees, sparrows, Northern Cardinal and Blue Jay, in addition to rabbits, squirrels and other small mammals.
Frogs and toads may set up a loud chorus in the early evening and often throughout the day. The hiking trail provides an opportunity to see a variety of songbirds, some migrating through to nesting sites in the north, some newly arrived to nest here, and some that have been here all
winter. Common Loon, grebes and even river otter are spotted here on occasion.
The lake’s geese are busy caring for their goslings, small mammals are doing likewise for their young, and broods of various birds call to their parents for food. Dragonflies are numerous. Look for a type of sunfish called blue-gill, which may be seen guarding its nest in the sand along the edge of the lake. Flies and mosquitoes can make a visit unpleasant if you are not armed with bug spray and long-sleeved shirt. Keep an eye overhead for Bald Eagle, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk and soaring Black and Turkey Vultures.
Many of the summer nesters leave to spend the winter farther south. Flocks of migrating Canada and Snow Geese may be seen overhead. The autumn foliage provides a colorful backdrop for a hike along the lake edge.
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