Home Care In National Park, NJ

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Pre-registration is required for all programs unless specified. Space is limited. For more information or to register for a program, please contact the Nature Center at 201-915-3400 x503 or email [email protected]. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

You may register a maximum of six participants per reservation. Pets are not permitted on programs unless they are service animals. SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Sunday, January 4 11 a.m. - 12 noon Storytime and Craft

Come on out to the Nature Center to hear a seasonal story about the different kinds of wildlife and habitats found in Liberty State Park, and then make a story-related craft to take home with you. We will meet at the Nature Center located at 275 Freedom Way. All ages welcome.

Saturday, January 10 10 a.m. - noon Nature's Canvas

Bring your creative skills to Liberty State Park and get up close and personal with some of nature’s most captivating creations. Express your natural side as we learn about these creations and make a seasonal work of art to take home with you! We will meet at the Nature Center located at 275 Freedom Way. All ages welcome. This program is co-sponsored by the Educational Arts Team at Camp Liberty.

Saturday, January 17 and 31 12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m Winter Wildlife Walk

Ever wonder what wildlife might be active during the winter season? Come on out and join our Park Naturalist on this winter wildlife hike. If we’re lucky, we may even spot some seals! Please dress to be outdoors, wear shoes comfortable for walking, and bring binoculars if you have them. We will meet at the Nature Center located at 275 Freedom Way. Recommended for ages 8 & up.

Saturday, January 24 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Evergreen Walk and Craft

Come on out to Liberty State Park and join us for a close up investigation of evergreen trees. We will learn how to identify different types of evergreens and discuss the valuable roles these trees play in nature. Following the walk, will make pinecone bird feeders to take home and help our feathered friends find some food during the chilly winter months. Bird feeders will contain vegetable shortening, cornmeal, and birdseed. Please dress to be outdoors and wear shoes comfortable for walking. We will meet at the Nature Center located at 275 Freedom Way. All ages welcome.

Ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary, New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has introduced fresh branding and merchandise for its parks, forests and historic sites.

The rebrand, part of the New Jersey State Parks initiative, covers more than 100 locations, including pivotal historical sites such as the Princeton and Monmouth battlefields, according to a community announcement.

“The new branding focuses on the historic, cultural, and natural diversity of our state park system," DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said during a media event.

Among the state parks' nearly 41 parks, 11 forests and 50 historic sites, the parks are visited annually by over 17 million people.

The revamped brand includes a new logo portraying the state's rich diversity, featuring a bird, a pine tree, rolling hills and an ocean wave. Park-specific logos have also been created for 11 distinct locations like Barnegat Lighthouse State Park and Monmouth Battlefield State Park, according to the release.

A new line of merchandise has been launched in tandem with the rebranding to cater to park enthusiasts. The initial collection, which includes a T-shirt, beanie, water bottle and stickers, is available at Wharton State Forest and High Point State Park, according to the DEP release. More items and locations will be added over the next year, and online sales will follow once an online store is developed.

“We’re excited to launch this first collection with our new look and give visitors a way to show their love for New Jersey’s state parks, forests and historic sites,” said Rebecca Fitzgerald, administrator for New Jersey State Parks, according to the release.

Accompanying these changes, a newly updated website highlights accessible park features and amenities. This includes inclusive playgrounds for children with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities at Wawayanda State Park, Cheesequake State Park and Wharton State Forest, according to the release.

The Sensory Awareness Trail at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson Township has also been revitalized to improve accessibility for those with visual and mobility impairments.

The DEP is investing $25 million in enhancements to the state’s Revolutionary War sites, aligning with the upcoming 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. The enhancements involve restoration work, visitor readiness upgrades and include a flagship project at Washington Crossing State Park.

The new state-of-the-art visitor center and museum at Washington Crossing will boast Revolutionary War exhibits, a 4D experience simulating a historical ferry crossing, a theater, a flexible gallery, and a planted rooftop with an observation deck.

Funding for the project stems from constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax revenue, the American Rescue Plan and a grant from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, according to the release.

This story was created by reporter Joe Martino, [email protected], with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process..

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Today, December 8, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced the American Products in Parks Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure all products for sale in National Park Service visitor centers and gift shops are American-made.

Currently, more than 60% of the products in national park shops are made in part, or completely, somewhere else — helping families and businesses in other countries. These are dollars that should be supporting American manufacturers and businesses, creating American jobs, and supporting economic growth for American families.

A large number of items sold at national park gift shops and visitor centers are not actually made in the U.S., including American flags, t-shirts, snow globes, phone cases, maps, calendars, and even pictures and paintings of our national parks.

The American Products in Parks Act will:

Gottheimer is also writing a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on conducting supply chain analysis with the National Park Service to find American-manufactured items to be sold in national parks.

Gottheimer was joined today at Morristown National Historic Park’s Jockey Hollow Visitor Center by NJMEP CEO Peter Connolly, Judith Fleischer of NJMEP, and president of New Jersey manufacturer Unionwear, Mitch Cahn.

American manufacturers could greatly benefit from the bipartisan American Products in Parks Act, as the National Park Service reported a record 331.9 million visitors who spent $29 billion in parks and the communities around them in 2024.

“I’m announcing new bipartisan legislation that says plainly: if it’s sold in our national parks and visitors centers, it’s got to be made in America,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Families who visit our parks, and feel the love of our country that so many of us share, should not have that feeling shattered when they turn over a gift and see ‘made in China’ instead of ‘made in America.’ This bill is about ensuring they don’t have to. It’s not only the patriotic thing to do, but it’s good for our economy — our families and their jobs, our manufacturers and our communities.”

“George Washington would want it that way,” Gottheimer continued.

Video of Gottheimer’s announcement can be found here.

Below: Gottheimer announces new bipartisan legislation to require American-made products in National Parks.

Good morning. It’s great to be with you in Morristown, here at the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center at Morristown National Historical Park. This landmark provided wood and lodging to George Washington’s army during the American Revolution — during the famously harsh winter of 1779. It was so brutal that Washington wrote, “there are certain bounds beyond which it is impossible for human nature to go.” They did, and here we are.

Of course, Jockey Hollow isn’t the only national park that has been dedicated to helping Americans throughout history.

When President Ulysses S. Grant established Yellowstone as the first national park, he did so, quote “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Later, it would be President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who is responsible for establishing one-fourth of all our national parks, who said it best: “There is nothing so American as our national parks…The fundamental idea behind the parks…is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.”

You see, these are more than just landmarks that highlight the rich history and beauty of our nation, where families come to spend time together, enjoy a hike, or get a special souvenir to keep these memories for a lifetime. These parks are specifically dedicated to improving the lives of Americans. We want as many Americans as possible to enjoy them. In fact, we have certain days a year where there are no entrance fees, including July 4th, Veterans Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Just yesterday, President Trump removed free entry on MLK Day and Juneteenth, and, in a shock of audacity, added his own birthday to the list of free days. You can’t make this stuff up.

There’s another thing that will totally surprise you. Beyond entrance fees, so much of the revenue our National Parks and visitor centers generate comes from the merchandise they sell in the gift shops. This will come as a shock — I mean, I couldn’t believe it — a large number of items sold at National Park gift shops and visitor centers aren’t actually made in America. I’m talking about American flags, t-shirts, snow globes, phone cases, maps, calendars, and even pictures and paintings of our national parks. According to the National Parks Service’s most recent data, only thirty-nine percent of products sold at our national parks are totally made in America.

More than 60 percent of the stuff in our park shops is made in part, or completely, somewhere else — helping families and businesses in other countries. These are dollars that aren’t supporting American manufacturers and businesses, creating American jobs, or supporting economic growth for our families. Instead, by buying these products at our national parks, Americans are sending their hard-earned dollars overseas and helping China reap the benefits? Beyond the American flag itself, is there anything more symbolic of America than our national parks? And the shops here are chock full of Chinese and other foreign-made goods? What the hell?

And we’re not just talking about a couple of dollars either. Families come from all over the world to places like this to see all the best our great country has to offer. Last year, a record 331.9 million visitors walked through at least one of our country’s 433 official national parks. In total, visitors spent nearly $30 billion last year in our national parks and the communities right near them. And as we prepare to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of our great country, these numbers could rise even higher.

Beyond the symbolism of it all, these are dollars right out of the pockets of American workers. Given the cost of everything right now, from health care to property taxes to utility bills, our American businesses and workers could use the dollars and jobs it would create if we made the stuff in our park stores here.

We need to do everything possible to support American manufacturers, not to throw the car in reverse and just hope it works out. We can’t just let our economic production grind to a halt, or leave the millions of dollars our national parks generate on the table for other nations like China to snatch up.

That’s why today I’m announcing new bipartisan legislation that says plainly: if it’s sold in our national parks and visitors centers, it’s got to be made in America.

First, I’m proudly introducing the bipartisan American Products in Parks Act with Representative Jeff Hurd from Colorado. This bill does what its name suggests, and what our country needs: requiring National Park Service gift shops and visitor centers to only sell products that are made here in America.

Families who visit our parks, and feel the love of our country that so many of us share, should not have that feeling shattered when they turn over a gift and see “made in China” instead of “made in America.” This bill is about ensuring they don’t have to. It’s not only the patriotic thing to do, but it’s good for our economy — our families and their jobs, our manufacturers and our communities.

And, we know this will support our local economies — every dollar in sales of American-manufactured products generates $1.34 in economic activity in other sectors of the economy. That’s the largest economic multiplier of any sector.

To ensure that American manufacturing can both grow and thrive, we need to take bold action to actually support it, not to just wait on the sidelines and help the other teams by doing nothing.

Also, since the National Park Service can’t solve this problem alone, I’m asking everyone to come to the table to fix this issue. In a letter I’m sending this week, I’m calling on the Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to work with the National Park Service to immediately identify American-made alternatives to sell at our parks. No excuses. Let’s just take a look at our domestic supply chain, and help the Park Service find goods made right here in the U.S., so more gift stores and visitor centers like the one just behind me can put them on the shelves at an affordable price.

I can’t say it enough: our national parks are treasures that showcase just how beautiful this great country is. That’s why I helped pass the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act to address the massive maintenance backlog impacting our National Parks. I also supported the National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act and the Japanese American Confinement Education Act to ensure continued support for the National Park Foundation and to support the preservation of the internment camps that were used to hold Japanese Americans during WWII.

We must work together to preserve these natural treasures for our future generations — there is nothing partisan about it. Our parks aren’t red or blue — they are red, white, and blue — and today’s bipartisan legislation will help ensure that.

The bottom line: This is commonsense legislation that is good for the American worker, American businesses, and the great American products they make. American dollars should stay here with our families and strengthen our communities.

Here in the greatest country in the world, if we do that, I know our best days will always be ahead of us.

God bless you, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

New Jersey delivers a surprising variety in landforms and wildlife, from the rocky ridges of the Highlands to the sandy expanses of the Pine Barrens. Those visiting the state will find parks that offer long shoreline walks, high ridge vistas, deep, clear reservoirs, and historic villages, and each landscape supports a different assemblage of snakes. The Pine Barrens and the Highlands are two ecological regions that influence the distribution of particular species, and both areas are central to any discussion of New Jersey herpetology. The Pine Barrens host specialized, dry sandy habitats favored by species such as the northern pine snake, while the Highlands offer rock outcrops and cooler forests where the timber rattlesnake may persist in isolated populations. State land managers maintain information on park facilities, trail systems, and habitat protections. Statewide conservation programs have highlighted the timber rattlesnake and northern pine snake as species requiring legal protection and focused stewardship. Read on to discover each park's distinctive habitats, the snake species most commonly encountered, and practical safety and conservation tips to help visitors observe these reptiles responsibly.

High Point State Park

High Point State Park crowns New Jersey with panoramic views from the High Point Monument, and its mixed hardwood and conifer forests, lakes, and ledge outcrops support a suite of snakes adapted to cooler, upland conditions. State records indicate that timber rattlesnake populations are rare and receive legal protection across New Jersey. The Highlands is a region where rattlesnakes have historically occurred in scattered pockets. Visitors to the park encounter non-venomous species more commonly than venomous ones. Typical snakes observed around Lake Marcia and along the Appalachian Trail segments include the northern water snake, the black rat snake, and the eastern garter snake.

Hikers should stay on maintained trails and give any encountered snakes space to move away. Anglers fishing the park lakes will occasionally spot water-associated species. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection publishes trail maps and visitor guidance for High Point, and state wildlife information outlines the protected status of timber rattlesnakes and the need to avoid disturbing them.

Cheesequake State Park

Cheesequake State Park is a geographic junction where coastal swamps, upland forest, and freshwater lakes occur within a relatively small footprint. That ecological mixing produces a rich array of reptiles. The park’s nature center and trail network around Hooks Creek Lake expose visitors to species associated with both northern and southern ranges. The timber rattlesnake is a rare, legally protected species in New Jersey. While rattlesnakes are not common in the immediate coastal plain, state wildlife guides emphasize the importance of legal protections and habitat sensitivity wherever populations persist. In Cheesequake, commonly reported snakes include the northern black racer, the eastern ribbon snake, and the northern water snake.

The park’s mosaic of wetlands and woods provides breeding and foraging sites for those species, and interpretive programs highlight how the park’s mixture of habitats supports both amphibians and reptiles. Park managers advise pet owners and families to respect signage at wetland edges, and to handle potential encounters by retreating calmly.

Island Beach State Park

Island Beach State Park occupies a long barrier island between the open Atlantic and Barnegat Bay, and its dunes, maritime forest, and salt marshes form habitat for shore, marsh, and forest snakes. The Pine Barrens physiognomy extends influence here in the form of sandy soils and coastal pine stands in some sections, and the northern pine snake is a species the state lists as threatened where appropriate habitat remains, particularly in southern and central Pine Barrens areas.

Park naturalists and regional conservation organizations have noted the presence of nonvenomous marsh and shoreline snakes, such as the common water snake, the eastern hognose snake, and the rough green snake, which are adapted to foraging along estuarine edges and in maritime woods. Birdwatchers and beachgoers may encounter quieter reptile species at dawn or dusk, and interpretive walks at the park highlight coastal ecology, seasonal nesting closures, and respectful viewing of wildlife in fragile dune and marsh habitats.

Allaire State Park

Allaire State Park centers on the preserved industrial village historically associated with 19th-century iron works, and the park’s surrounding pine and oak woods support snakes that prefer sandy soil and well-drained uplands. The northern pine snake, at the northern extent of its range, is listed as threatened in New Jersey and occurs in Pine Barrens habitat, where protective measures aim to limit nest disturbance and habitat loss. Around Allaire Village and the Pine Trail corridors, visitors are most likely to observe the eastern ratsnake, the northern black racer, and the eastern hognose snake. Those species take advantage of abundant small mammals, brushy edge habitat, and old field openings connected to the historic village landscape.

Park literature offers trail maps, seasonal programming, and safety recommendations for encountering wildlife along multi-use trails. For those interested in herpetofauna, guided programs occasionally discuss the life histories of species present and how cultural landscapes interact with native ecosystems.

Kittatinny Valley State Park

Kittatinny Valley State Park is situated along the western spine of the Kittatinny Ridge and features glacial lakes, limestone outcrops, and upland forest, characteristics that shape reptile communities distinct from those found in coastal woodlands. The timber rattlesnake is among the species that historically used ridge and rocky-slope habitats in the Highlands, and state conservation programs underscore that remaining rattlesnake populations are small and vulnerable. Around Lake Aeroflex and the park’s trail network, commonly encountered snakes include the black rat snake, the northern watersnake, and the smooth greensnake.

Limestone ledges and talus slopes provide basking opportunities, and the park’s wetlands and ponds sustain amphibian prey for many snake species. Park management emphasizes staying on marked trails to protect fragile habitats and to minimize inadvertent encounters with rare species that rely on remote rocky ridgelines.

Round Valley Recreation Area

Round Valley Recreation Area protects deep, calm waters and steep forested slopes around the Round Valley Reservoir, an area that supports snakes using rocky shorelines, forest floors, and riparian corridors. Timber rattlesnakes historically range into some parts of the central New Jersey Highlands and adjacent ridgelines, and legal protections and monitoring have been established to reduce persecution and roadkill where populations persist. Anglers and boaters on Round Valley are most likely to encounter non-venomous species, such as the northern water snake, the eastern milk snake, and the northern black racer, along shoreline ledges and in riverside brush.

The park offers wilderness camping and marked access points, and educational materials advise campers and fishers on proper food storage and how to avoid unintentional habitat disturbance that could harm secretive snakes and their nesting areas.

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

The Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath stretches for miles as a linear green corridor, connecting woodlots, fields, and riverine wetlands. This continuity makes the park important for movement and foraging by snakes and other wildlife. The northern pine snake remains regionally rare and receives protection where suitable upland, sandy fields persist; efforts to conserve grassland and open-canopy habitats also support a suite of reptiles. Along the canal’s towpath and on adjacent islands, common snake species include the northern water snake, the eastern garter snake, and the northern brown snake; these species exploit canal edges, floodplain shrubs, and stonework along old locks.

The canal corridor is also valuable to migrating wildlife and nesting birds. Local conservation groups maintain species inventories and provide trail information for visitors who want to learn more about the park’s natural history. Users of the towpath are encouraged to keep dogs leashed and to report wildlife sightings to help managers track populations over time.

New Jersey’s snakes are part of the state’s living natural heritage, and stewardship efforts aim to conserve rare species while educating park visitors about these unique creatures. The timber rattlesnake is listed as endangered or of high conservation concern in many local jurisdictions, and the northern pine snake is listed as threatened in New Jersey, where it can be found at the northern edge of its range. Both species benefit from habitat protection, reduced persecution, and public outreach. Most snakes encountered in state parks are nonvenomous and play essential roles in controlling pest rodents, supporting food webs, and signaling ecosystem health. Observers should photograph from a safe distance, avoid handling animals unless trained, and consult park staff for information on sensitive nesting sites or seasonal closures. For adventurous travelers and naturalists who want to explore New Jersey’s Highlands and Pine Barrens, parks offer interpretive programming, maps, and guidance to help visitors enjoy the resilient landscapes and the secretive reptiles that inhabit them.

The New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee voted unanimously (5-0) to advance the Liberty State Park Protection Act sponsored by Raj Mukherji (D-32) and John McKeon (D-27) at Monday’s hearing.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Next year, on Flag Day, Liberty State Park will celebrate her 50th birthday. This bill ensures that this crown jewel of the state park system remains free, open, democratic, and protected for the next fifty years and the fifty after that – a living testament to the enduring principle that public parks are held in trust for the people,” Mukherji said in a statement.

“As a national treasure and the keeper of this country’s diverse, rich history with markers that have guided generations of citizens and attracted people from all over the world, future generations deserve to have a say in decisions about this sacred civic space. For a half century, the park has been a repeated target of commercialization or privatization proposals, and it’s time to enshrine protections for Liberty State Park into law.”

Bill S-3042 would establish the Liberty State Park Advisory Committee and impose requirements concerning state Department of Environmental Protection actions related to Liberty State Park.

“This crucial act would codify the need for checks and balances when it comes to making changes to one of the most beloved parks in our State,” added McKeon.

“An advisory committee comprised of experts who understand the importance of Liberty State Park as a retreat for New Jerseyans will help to ensure that any land use decisions are smart and actually work to keep the park sustainable and accessible for all visitors. No significant change to the park should be made in haste, and – when changes are made – they should strictly be to protect and improve.”

Specifically, the legislation would prohibit the DEP from considering any proposal to commercialize, develop, or privatize Liberty State Park with few exceptions.

It would fully prohibit the DEP from conveying, leasing, or otherwise transferring any property rights within the 215-acre natural restoration area and active recreation sports facilities in the interior of Liberty State Park or the 21.5-acre Caven Point Peninsula, which stretches into the Upper New York Bay.

The bill would also create a Liberty State Park Advisory Committee within the DEP. The committee would consist of nine members who would assist the department with conserving, preserving, protecting, and improving Liberty State Park.

The agency would be required to consult the committee for review and recommendations prior to entering into an agreement for a concession, conveyance, lease, or other transfer of property rights of any portion of Liberty State Park, and prior to the extension or renewal of any lease for a term of one year or longer.

The committee would also be required to submit a report of its recommendations to the governor and legislature within one year after its organization meeting and periodically thereafter.

The DEP, in consultation with the committee, would further be directed to hold a public forum to receive input at least once a year and publish information about the committee’s actions on their website.

Finally, the bill would amend the “State Park and Forestry Resources Act” and the “Hackensack Meadowlands Agency Consolidation Act” to limit the authority granted to the DEP and to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, also known as the Meadowlands Regional Commission.

These entities would no longer be able to enter into agreements with private entities for construction, operation, and maintenance on any facility, utility, or device in Liberty State Park for private profit, except as otherwise outlined in the bill.

The bill, which has been introduced several times since 2020 without ever receiving a full vote, is seeing movement at a time when advocates for the park are fighting a proposed marina.