Hemlock Ridge and Ravine Preserve
Blairstown
165 acres
hiking at Hemlock Ridge and ravine
Public access is provided via a hiking trail on the preserve, accessible on Frog Pond Road. Users can parallel park on Frog Pond Road at the pull-off just beyond the start of the trail.
unique features
The 165 acres of Hemlock Ridge and Ravine are predominantly dense, mixed-deciduous hardwood forest containing large stands of Eastern hemlock - a species that has been in steep decline due to the woolly adelgid aphid and other pathogens, but that is showing an encouraging capacity for regeneration at this preserve. Rocky limestone outcrops on Hemlock Ridge provide a dramatic view of the Paulinskill Valley, and in the steep ravine a dramatic stretch of Yards Creek - a New Jersey State Category One stream feeding the Paulinskill Kill - runs north to south. Three feeder tributaries, two entering from the west and one from the east, feed Yards Creek at various points, creating beautiful confluences overlooked by steep banks. In the spring, a bounty of lovely native ephemerals can bee seen in flower along these banks.
history
Hemlock Ridge was acquired by purchase in 2009 using grants from the Warren County Open Space Trust Fund, the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT), and Blairstown Township. Hemlock Ravine was added to the preserve in 2018, with funding assistance from the GSPT and Blairstown Township.