Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

Sometimes called Princeton’s Central Park, this picturesque 75-acre preserve has an 8-mile network of well-maintained trails that are great for hiking, trail running, and birding. The preserve is located in the middle of 400 acres of Princeton Open Space that include the boulder fields in Witherspoon Woods, Mountain Lakes North, Tusculum Meadows, and Coventry Farm’s boardwalk and pastures. With two lakes, numerous rocky creeks, wooded wetlands, and upland forests, this park has something for anyone looking for a little casual outdoors diversion. It’s my favorite park locally!

The best times of year to explore are early spring, when the snow melt turns even minor streams into beautiful rivers and late spring when flowers and ground cover are in full bloom.