New Jersey invests US$1.2M to add 473 acres and dozen new trails to existing 9,200-acre Allamuchy Mountain State Park; Nature Conservancy and Land Conservancy of New Jersey conserve 454 acres across three Sussex and Warren County sites

May 2, 2025 (New Jersey Herald) –

For those who thought they had seen all of Allamuchy Mountain State Park , there is now another 473 acres, with a dozen new trails, to explore.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has purchased part of the Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation , which includes about five miles of hiking trails through forested areas with scenic views, wetlands and streams, the agency said.

The expansion of the park at the convergence of Morris , Sussex and Warren counties was one of two major conservation announcements in April that will add almost 1,000 acres to the list of protected areas in northwest New Jersey .

The purchase price was $1.15 million , officials said.

The Nature Conservancy , an environmental nonprofit, also announced its own preservation efforts at three sites totaling 454 acres in Sussex and Warren counties. The locations add three new links to " Bobcat Alley ," a planned 96,000-acre corridor to protect habitat for the cats, wood turtles and other native Garden State species.

“We are building Bobcat Alley piece by piece in a state where the land parcel sizes are modest, but cost is at a premium,” said Barbara Brummer , TNC’s New Jersey state director. “The project takes patience, commitment and teamwork, and we truly appreciate the partners that stepped up to help us protect these beautiful and critical natural areas for wildlife and people.”

More: See a map of the Allamuchy Mountain State Park expansion

Allamuchy State Park expansion

The Allamuchy addition would fill in most of a doughnut hole occupied by the scout reservation in the middle of the state park, which already covers about 9,200 acres.

Allamuchy Mountain inherited its name from the first indigenous inhabitants of the area, the Lenape . The leader of one local settlement was a Chief Allamuchahokkingen, whose name means “place within the hills," according to a history on the DEP website.

The majority of the land that comprises the state park was part of estates owned by the Rutherford and Stuyvesant families, direct descendants of Peter Stuyvesant , the last governor of New Amsterdam. In the early 1970s, the state purchased the property with Green Acres bond funds.

Growing NJ's Bobcat Alley

The "alley" the Nature Conservancy is building, meanwhile, runs along Kittatinny Ridge to the west and into the New Jersey Highlands to the east. The goal is to preserve the mature forests, cold-water streams and rock outcrops, which provide ideal conditions for state-endangered bobcats as well as other wildlife.

That area also includes drinking water supplies for residents of northern New Jersey . Conservationists also note northwestern New Jersey is a vital link in the 2,000-mile Appalachian Mountain range, an area among the most resilient and species-rich landscapes in the world, according to the Nature Conservancy .

Working with the Land Conservancy of New Jersey , based in Montville , the Nature Conservancy secured $2.9 million in public and private funds toward the total cost of $3.25 million to secure the three parcels of land. The Big G Charitable Foundation , a private group based in Basking Ridge , supplied the remaining $321,400 . Other partners included the Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund — a joint initiative of the William Penn Foundation of Philadelphia and the Open Space Institute of New York City — as well as the state-funded Green Acres Program, Warren County and Knowlton Township.

Among the preserved areas is 189 acres of fields and forests in the Mount Pleasant section of Knowlton. The area offers a link between wildlife habitats in the Kittatinny Ridge and the Paulins Kill valley, including Yards Creek and Paulins Kill Category One streams, the Nature Conservancy said. The new preserve will be managed by Warren County .

Permanently safeguarding the second site, 248 hilly and wooded acres in Hampton Township , has been a goal of the Land Conservancy of New Jersey for two decades, the conservation groups said. With the purchase in hand, the Conservancy will complete "crucial restoration work" and then donate the property to New Jersey Natural Lands Trust .

Working together, the Nature Conservancy and Land Conservancy also bought 17 acres of limestone forest in Frelinghuysen, adjacent to property conserved last year. The two properties flank the Paulins Kill and contain hemlock forest habitat, which is becoming increasingly rare in New Jersey 's part of the Appalachians, according to the announcement. The parcels will now be held by Warren County as part of the White Lake Natural Area.

More: NJ advocates want 'Wild and Scenic' status for Paulinskill River . What does that mean?

"These two open space projects demonstrate our commitment to preserving the natural beauty and ecological value of Warren County,” said Jason J. Sarnoski , director of the Warren County Board of Commissioners . “We’re proud to be part of these efforts and are grateful to all the collaborators."

The land along the Paulins Kill will "enhance our parklands and provide new opportunities for conservation, recreation, and environmental stewardship throughout the Warren County community," Sarnoskli said. 

The Nature Conservancy has conserved more than 60,000 acres in New Jersey with the goal of doubling the total in the next five years to include 10,000 acres in Bobcat Alley and 50,000 in other areas around the state.

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This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald : 1,000 acres to be preserved in northwest NJ, including expansion at state park