Here is a little gem of a place that not many people hear or know about. Wells Mills County Park is the largest Ocean County municipal park. It features over 900 acres of property.
Some of its features and offerings:
- located in the middle of the Piney woods
- has nature tours, programs and information
- has a three story nature center
- plays host to the Pine Barrens Jamboree every October
- the beautiful Wells Mills Lake is found here
- 18 miles of nature trails
- canoeing
- fishing (license required)
The nature center is the focal point of the park, besides of course the beautiful natural areas you can walk around and see. The center has a floor of displays that feature local wildlife and the environment. There is also a library and on the third floor is the “Elizabeth Meirs Morgan Observation Deck.” The name honors one of Ocean County’s most well known naturalists and conservationists. From there you can look out over the piney woods and a portion of southern New Jersey’s extensive sand plains.
Nature programs are given in a variety of locations, including an eighty-seat lecture room. There are also numerous outdoor locations where a large variety of programs and talks are given.
The park has a large freshwater lake, swamps, streams and slighty higher and dryer forested land. You can see and walk among pine-oak forests, Atlantic white cedar swamps and bogs. The size of the park and the various habitats also means there is a diverse collection of plants and animals found here.
Wells Mill County Park is located at 905 Wells Mills Road (Route 532) in Waretown, NJ. It is open every day from 7 a.m. until dusk, while the nature center is open from 10 a.m through 4 p.m. There is no fee charged for entering the park but there may be charges associated with attending different nature programs. There are also restrictions concerning what you can and cannot do in the park, which includes access and boating in the Wells Mill Lake. Do contact the nature center if you have any questions or concerns.
You can find out more about the park here: Wells Mill or by calling the nature center at 609-971-3085.