Mountain Lakes is one of Princeton township’s most beautiful nature preserves, and serves as the home base for FOPOS. The park’s 75 acres are located in the middle of some 400 acres of preserved land that include the boulder fields in Witherspoon Woods, Mountain Lakes North, the boardwalk and pastures of Coventry Farm, and the recently preserved meadows of Tusculum.

Though many Princetonians come frequently to walk the woods and lakeshore trails, others have yet to discover this park, which is close enough to downtown to sometimes be called “Princeton’s Central Park.” Across 206 from Community Park, just past the Pettoranello Gardens, a long paved driveway extends back into Mountain Lakes from the gate at 57 Mountain Avenue.

The FOPOS office is located at the end of this long driveway, in Mountain Lakes House. The driveway itself is a popular walk for those wishing to stay on pavement. Large maps at the Community Park North parking lot, and in the kiosk halfway up the driveway, show the many trails to explore.

Having officially adopted the Mountain Lakes preserve, FOPOS helps the township maintain its trails, and is managing portions of the preserve for native species.

Trail maps and descriptions of the preserve can be downloaded from www.njtrails.org and www.princetontwp.org/parks_main.html.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

AT MOUNTAIN LAKES

Due to the restoration work on the dams, which began in July 2010, the public is encouraged to use alternative trails through Mountain Lakes and Community Park North. Volunteers with FOPOS have cut a new trail that heads into the preserve about 100 feet to the left of the gateway entrance at 57 Mountain Avenue.