MacArthur Boulevard, Haddon Township, NJ
Phone: (856) 869-7372
www.saddlerswoods.org
Haddon Township
From the parking area at Haddon Lake Park, turn Right onto Hillside Avenue. After 0.4 miles, turn Right onto King’s Highway/Route 551. After 1.3 miles turn Left onto Crystal Lake Avenue. At the 2nd traffic light, turn Left onto MacArthur Boulevard. After 0.3 miles, park along the Right side of the road, and use the crosswalk to enter Saddler’s Woods. DIRECTIONS FROM NEAREST HIGHWAY: From I -295, take exit 29 and head West on Route 30/ White Horse Pike. After 2 miles, turn Right onto Cuthbert Boulevard. After 0.6 miles, turn Right onto MacArthur Boulevard. After 0.2 miles park on the Right side of the Road at Saddler?s Woods, near two small locked buildings and a ?Green Acres? sign. Map
New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 450 Cherry Hill Mall/Audubon/Camden stops at Macarthur Boulevard & Briarwood Avenue. Walk 1 block on Macarthur Boulevard. New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 451Camden/Voorhees Town Center/Lindenwold Patco Walk approx. 1 block on Macarthur Blvd. Turn left on Briarwood Ave. Walk approx. 3 blocks on Briarwood Ave. Turn left on West Park Blvd. Walk a short distance on West Park Blvd. Turn right on Chestnut Ave. Walk approx. 2 blocks on Chestnut Ave. New Jersey Transit Bus Lines No. 403 Camden/Lindenwold Patco/Turnersville stops at Route 30 & West Cedar Avenue. Patco Westmont Train Station. Walk 2 blocks on Macarthur Boulevard and turn Left on West Crystal Lake Avenue. Continue 5 blocks on West Crystal Lake Avenue. All walking distances are less than 1 mile.
| | This site harbors wetlands, a meadow, and some very unique old-growth trees in an otherwise suburban setting. The woods are named for Joshua Saddler, who escaped from slavery in the early 1800s and settled here. In 1868, Saddler specified in his will that “no heirs shall cut timber” on this site.
Stop # 9 on the self-guided trail describes a tulip poplar tree with four trunks, where Great Horned Owls have been known to roost and nest.
Beginning in January, listen for Great Horned Owls communicating after dark. Males have a lower-pitched hoot than females. Year-round resident and winter resident birds such as White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco should be active. When snow is present, look for tracks left by raccoon, red fox, rabbit and skunk.
During Spring migration, up to fifteen different warblers have been recorded, including Bay-Breasted, Canada, Chestnut-sided and Wilson’s warblers.
Resident birds include: Acadian Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Screech Owl, and Great Horned Owl; in addition to more common species. Look for butterflies in the meadow and on woodland edges – over 20 species have been recorded here. Ebony jewelwing, a beautiful species of damselfly, can be found near Saddler’s Run and other wet areas in the woods.
Warblers once again stop here on their way south to wintering grounds. By late October, the autumn colors peak and the witch hazel tree sends out its blossoms. Gray squirrels are busy gathering acorns and hickory nuts.
The Doug Hefty Trail is a nice offshoot bordering a seasonal wetland. In 1973, at the age of 15, Doug Hefty wrote an 82 page report on Saddler’s woods (then known as the MacArthur Tract) and gave it to the developer who owned the property. His report ultimately convinced the developer not to build more houses on the site. Download a trail map at www.saddlerswoods.org..
|