Trail Building

D&R Greenway Land Trust's preservation vision includes trails and open spaces where people enjoy the natural world. Trail building is a vital part of the mission to carefully steward the lands that are preserved for future generations. D&R Greenway Land Trust builds and maintains trails that provide people with safe and appropriate access to preserved lands.

In the spirit of encouraging people to get outdoors and explore nature, D&R Greenway formed the New Jersey Trails Association. The group, comprised largely of volunteers from various environmental and friends organizations, under the guidance of D&R Greenway, provides a free source of walking and hiking resources, including comprehensive trail guides and maps. All trail guides on the website are researched and created using research tools and techniques, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data.

St. Michaels Farm Preserve
340 Acres in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Preserved by D&R Greenway Land Trust and Partners


On January 19 of this year, the deeds were signed that provide for the permanent preservation of the 340 acre St. Michael' property in Hopewell. It took more than six years to bring the St. Michael's preservation project to a successful conclusion. We are deeply grateful to all our donors, who together with our partners - the State, Mercer County, Hopewell Township and Borough - who worked side-by-side with us, we have saved the historic heritage and natural landscapes that characterize the Hopewell Community. In the coming months we will be planning trails through the non-agricultural portions of the property for walking, horseback riding and nature study. If you would like to help us, please send an e-mail with St. Michael's in the subject line to Jim Amon, Director of Stewardship. Include when you are available to volunteer. You may also download and print out a volunteer form and mail it to D&R Greenway Land Trust, One Preservation Place, Princeton, NJ 08540. Click here for a volunteer form.

Click on map to download and print!

Please click on photo to open and download map of St. Michael's public access areas

Public Funding Partners
New Jersey State Agricultural Development Committee
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program
Mercer County - Hopewell Borough - Hopewell Township
Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
Stony Brook - Millstone Watershed Association
The Willard T.C. Johnson Foundation, The Larson Land Foundation,
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, The Bunbury Company

A Note from D&R Greenway Land Trust

D&R Greenway welcomes the community to our St. Michaels Farm Preserve.  The majority of the property between Princeton Avenue and Aunt Molly Road is protected with a farmland easement.  Wooded areas are preserved for conservation. You may walk on old farm roads and along hedgerows and in the wooded areas.  
Please respect the farm fields.
Please keep your dog on a leash - ground-nesting birds will be disturbed, injured or even killed by dogs off leash.

The Diocese has retained ownership of the 20 acres nearest to town as shown on the map.  This area is not currently open for public access.

Proceeds of WALK THE TRAILS IN AND AROUND PRINCETON supports D&R Greenway's stewardship of preserved lands and promote walking trails

More Volunteer Opportunities

New Jersey Trails Association is a project spearheaded by D&R Greenway Land Trust. The association consists of several active non-profit conservation organizations in central New Jersey and works with local park commissions and counties to create and link trails. People of all ages enjoy the pursuit of trail design and building on weekend days in Mercer and/or Hunterdon Counties. New Jersey Trails Association completed trails throughout the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain with funding from Mercer County and the State of New Jersey. More recently, a large trail project has been completed near Howell Living History Farm. The new Dry Run Creek trail runs north from Howell Living History Farm to Route 518.  There is a small parking area off Wooden's Lane in Lambertville. To become part of the weekend work teams, please send an e-mail to (with trail work in subject line) to Alan Hershey, coordinator for weekend trail activities.

Volunteers from NJ Trails Association worked all winter and spring to complete a walking trail near
Lambertville, New Jersey. Visit the New Jersey Trails Association website to find hikes in Hunterdon County and six other counties throughout central New Jersey

Top left photo: The June 2009 issue of PM Magazine (published by the Packet) highlights WALK THE TRAILS IN AND AROUND PRINCETON. This handy pocket-sized publication features interesting walks and hikes for families and people of all ages. Middle and right photosw: Sophie Glovier with her puppy, is the author of this terrific book, along with photographer Bentley Drezner.

Oliver Street in Bordentown now has a wonderful park for area residents. Photo above shows the group of volunteers who cleared the brush and created a beautiful park.

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