Hike with the park naturalist and enjoy the species of wildlife that call the park home during the winter. Learn how animals survive the winter months and get outside! Meet at the Nature Center. Dress accordingly for the weather and be prepared to walk close to 2-miles. No registration is required. All ages welcome. This is a free program.
Eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls are all active during the winter months throughout the Garden State. Join the park naturalist on a walk searching for the birds of prey that call Washington Crossing State Park home during the winter. We will spend the late morning walking about 2 miles on the more accessible trails of the park. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear. Bring binoculars or a camera if you have them. Binoculars are available on a first come, first serve basis. This is a free program. All ages welcome.
Hike with the park naturalist and enjoy the species of wildlife that call Goat Hill Overlook home during the winter. The Goat Hill Overlook is a scenic overlook along the Delaware River that was rumored to be used by General Washington during the American Revolution. Learn how animals survive the winter months and get outside! We will also talk about the region during the time of the American Revolution. Meet at the Goat Hill Overlook parking lot. Dress accordingly for the weather and be prepared to walk close to 2-miles. No registration is required. All ages welcome. This is a free program.
Join the park naturalist in the park after hours in search of owls! This outing will take place right at dusk and explore areas of the park known for owl activity.
An email will be sent out to those who register with our meeting location at the park. Please note that the main gates will be closed so please look for the email!
Please dress for the weather and bring a flashlight! This outing is set to hike about a mile and a half and last a little over an hour. Registration is limited and required for this event! Please call the Nature Center at (609) 737-0609 if you have any questions. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1978747006563
A 90 minute lecture and demonstration on both Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing, with instruction or hiking outside to follow.
This workshop is a 90 minute lecture and demonstration on both Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing from 1:00pm-2:30pm INSIDE the Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center, followed by an hour on snow instruction OUTSIDE. Hiking maps are available. Learn about the different types of equipment, what to look for in selecting your first pair, how to dress, basic seven skills, your first day on skis/snowshoes, and where to go. Handouts are provided and restrooms are available. Participants must provide their own equipment, only if SNOW.
Rentals of both skis and snowshoes are available at Big Bear Gear on Rt. 29, 1874 River Road Lambertville, NJ (609) 460-4784. www.bigbeargearnj.com.
Workshop co-instructed by Daniel McAuliffe, PSIA, Langhorne, PA and Kevin Kavanaugh, State Park Staff.
CANCELLED FOR SNOW!
Washington Crossing State Park will be a premier destination over the next year. Volunteers are needed on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 19th, starting at 9 AM to help park staff and the Washington Crossing Park Association ready the park for a busy year of events and visitors from across the world. Volunteer options include:
Trash clean up along the Delaware River
Trail Steward Workgroup
Bluebird Box Management
Register at our EventBrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=197840972975
A 90 minute lecture and demonstration on both Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing, with instruction or hiking outside to follow.
This workshop is a 90 minute lecture and demonstration on both Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing from 1:00pm-2:30pm INSIDE the Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center, followed by an hour on snow instruction OUTSIDE. Hiking maps are available. Learn about the different types of equipment, what to look for in selecting your first pair, how to dress, basic seven skills, your first day on skis/snowshoes, and where to go. Handouts are provided and restrooms are available. Participants must provide their own equipment, only if SNOW.
Rentals of both skis and snowshoes are available at Big Bear Gear on Rt. 29, 1874 River Road Lambertville, NJ (609) 460-4784. www.bigbeargearnj.com.
Workshop co-instructed by Daniel McAuliffe, PSIA, Langhorne, PA and Kevin Kavanaugh, State Park Staff.
Join park staff on a 2-mile hike along the park’s Continental Lane trail. This hike will follow one of the supposed paths of Washington and his troops after disembarking from the banks of the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776. Enjoy the natural aspect of the trail as well as hear the history of Washington’s historic crossing. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear. Bring binoculars or a camera if you have them. Binoculars are available on a first come, first serve basis. This is a free program. All ages welcome.
Clear trails with the Senior Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
Washington wasn’t the only brave soul to cross the Delaware River! Join the park naturalist at the Nelson House to learn all about the waterfowl that vacation in New Jersey during the winter months. Please bring binoculars or a camera if you have them, to view ducks in the river. Binoculars are available on a first come, first serve basis.
This outing will involve standing and walking down inclines at times, for about an hour. This is a free program. All ages welcome.
Clear trails with the Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We will work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
Celebrate the New Year on a First Day Hike at Washington Crossing State Park. Meet at the Nature Center at 10 AM for a two-mile hike to kick off the year! No registration required. All ages welcome.
Celebrate the “Christmas Day Crossing Reenactment,” arranged by the Washington Crossing Historic Park of PA, as we commemorate the 249th anniversary of General George Washington’s famous Christmas night crossing of the Delaware. A history narration, hot cider and donuts will be on hand at The Nelson House. An annual tradition not to be missed. Come early and bring your camera! ADA accessible. Free on both sides of the river. Please call 609-737-0623 for more information.
Join the WCPA Conservation Crew for a forest restoration project along the historic Continental Lane trail!
We will use hand tools to remove invasive plants that threaten the forest ecosystem. The more invasive plants we clear now, the more native seedlings we can plant in 2026. Come lend a hand!
Meet us at the small parking lot on the left, just past the State Park’s main entrance. Ages 16+. No experience necessary. Bring work gloves and loppers if you have them. We will provide extra gloves and tools.
Join Von Prueschenk’s Hessian Regiment on the banks of the Delaware River and learn about the German Auxiliary troops’ role in the American Revolution.
11am–3pm: Camp Life, drilling and demonstrations throughout the day.
12pm: Hessian Patrol & First Skirmish
1:30pm: Continental Patrol
2:00pm: Hessian Patrol & Second Skirmish
3pm: Camp Closes
Meet us near the Nelson House on River Drive, near the NJ entrance to the Washington Crossing Bridge. For more information: 609-737-0623. FREE!
Clear trails with the Senior Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
On December 14, from 11 am to 3:30 pm, please join NJ State Park historians, the Washington Crossing Park Association, the First Rhode Island Regiment, and other NJ-based reenactor groups who will give the public an opportunity to experience both the Crossing and the March to Trenton through the eyes of the men and women who lived it.
The title of this event is “Washington’s Landing in New Jersey,” which occurs on the same day as the Pennsylvania Park’s rehearsal crossing of the Delaware. Reenactors who cross with Washington will be met by our General Nathaneal Greene, who will invite them to an encampment in the Lower Park. Near the encampment will be a Haybale Theater where historians will speak on the contributions of New Jersey soldiers and families. Visitors will also be welcomed at the nearby Nelson House, where volunteers from the Garden Club of Trenton will serve free hot cider and donuts in front of a roaring fire. A food truck will be on hand! Free to enter, but a $10/carload donation is requested.
Clear trails with the Senior Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
Winter is the best time to look for woodpeckers and Washington Crossing State Park is full of these three-toed environmental engineers! This program will focus on the various species of woodpecker in the park including Hairy, Red-bellied, and Pileated Woodpeckers. This program will walk about two miles in search of woodpeckers and their allies. Please meet at the Nature Center by 10 AM. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes for walking. No registration is required. All ages welcome.
Clear trails with the Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We will work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
Come celebrate the newly restored Nature Center with the park's new Naturalist, Joe Moore, on Saturday and Sunday, November 29th and 30th!
Enjoy crafts, treats, hands-on activities, and presentations from Joe and the park staff. The Nature Center will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, and 11am to 3pm on Sunday. Don’t miss out – it’s fun for all ages!
Join the WCPA Conservation Crew as we seed a new meadow in Washington Crossing State Park! Meet us in the parking lot by the bridge on River Drive, near the Nelson House. We'll be working along the Delaware and Raritan Feeder Canal, near the Honeyman Spring House and within the viewshed of the new Visitor Museum...it will be BEAUTIFUL. Come help us prep the soil and sow the seeds so that years from now you can say, "I did that!"
Come celebrate the newly restored Nature Center with the park's new Naturalist, Joe Moore, on Saturday and Sunday, November 29th and 30th!
Enjoy crafts, treats, hands-on activities, and presentations from Joe and the park staff. The Nature Center will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, and 11am to 3pm on Sunday. Don’t miss out – it’s fun for all ages!
Join the park naturalist in the park after hours in search of owls! This outing will take place right at dusk and explore areas of the park known for owl activity. Please dress for the weather and bring a flashlight!
This outing will last approximately one hour and involve walking about one mile. Perfect for all ages and interest levels. Registration is required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/owls-of-the-crossing-tickets-1832066874339 and spaces are limited.
Clear trails with the Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We will work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
Join the WCPA and a descendent of a signer of the Declaration of Independence at: John Hart's Needle Creek Farm Brewery, 91 Titus Mill Road in Pennington NJ for a WATCH PARTY of the finale of Ken Burn's American Revolution!
Provisions & Refreshments available for purchase:
8 Farm Fresh Beers crafted at Needle Creek
2 Farm Fresh Hard Seltzers for your enjoyment
Assorted Non-Alcoholic Beverages available
Snacks from the General Store: Pretzels, Cookies, Chips & Cider Doughnuts
WCPA History Committee Members in full Revolutionary War "kit" will be on hand to discuss the show and answer your questions. They will bring items for attendees to examine! All ages are welcome.
Clear trails with the Senior Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
Join the WCPA and a descendent of a signer of the Declaration of Independence for the at: John Hart's Needle Creek Farm Brewery, 91 Titus Mill Road in Pennington NJ for a WATCH PARTY of the premiere of Ken Burn's American Revolution!
Provisions & Refreshments available for purchase:
8 Farm Fresh Beers crafted at Needle Creek
2 Farm Fresh Hard Seltzers for your enjoyment
Assorted Non-Alcoholic Beverages available
Snacks from the General Store: Pretzels, Cookies, Chips & Cider Doughnuts
WCPA History Committee Members in full Revolutionary War "kit" will be on hand to discuss the show and answer your questions. They will bring items for attendees to examine! All ages are welcome.
Topic: Washington Crossing Park of New Jersey – The New Museum
Speaker: Tim West
Venue: SAR Chapter Meeting, Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, FL
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN DANIEL BRAY: FROM WATERMAN TO MILITIA
Daniel Bray was first a Scottish farmer from Baptisttown, NJ who became an experienced Waterman on the Delaware River, rising to Captain of his own Durham boat in 1769 at age 19. Later he joined the 2nd Regiment Hunterdon County NJ Militia, rising to captain in 1775. He earned his position in history when General George Washington charged him with obtaining the boats needed to cross the Delaware River on Christmas Night in 1776. Later he was promoted to general of the militia, and fought in the War of 1812.
Enjoy a first-person interpretation about Daniel Bray — from his boyhood as a farmer, to building Durham boats ,to becoming a waterman on the river, to marriage, to getting the boats for George Washington — then back to farming and finally the War of 1812. There is some audience participation, two costume changes, and a short play. The talk is supported by slides, a River Shanty, and a recited ballad.
The narrator Daniel Nurmi McAuliffe has been a reenactor for 32 years with the 5th PA Regiment, crossing the Delaware numerous times. In 2016 he was asked to portray Captain Daniel Bray to replace his deceased mentor, Dick Bray, a direct descendant.
Come hear how this Scotsman learned how to “Git On Wit It!” in his life.
Peak foliage in central New Jersey hits at around the end of October! Come for one of the best autumn views in the State of New Jersey.
Join park staff at the Goat Hill Preserve in Lambertville for a fall hike starting from the main parking lot of the preserve, at the end of George Washington Road, at 10 am.
This outing will walk about a mile and a half on somewhat uneven trails. Fun for all ages!
Tai Chi by the Delaware
Come and meet historian Stan Saperstein and hear about early American artillery from pre-Revolution to 1840. See the actual procedure for loading and firing of three miniature hand built cannons plus some surprise additions.
Artillery played a very important role in the Revolution. Hear about tactics and how cannons were used in different situations, especially in the Ten Crucial Days Campaign that saved the Revolution!
Join the Washington Crossing Park Association (WCPA) Conservation Crew for a forest restoration project along the historic Continental Lane trail. Participants will briefly learn about how invasive species are impacting New Jersey's forests. Then we'll get to work removing invasive plants to support the restoration of this important ecosystem!
📍 Location: Meet us at the small parking lot on the left, just past the State Park’s main entrance.
No experience necessary. Dress for the weather. Bring work gloves and loppers or a shovel if you have them. We will provide extra gloves and tools.
Clear trails with the Trail Stewards! Tools are provided, although you're encouraged to bring gloves or loppers if you like. Please dress in layers, wear a hat, work gloves, work or hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. We will work in the rain & snow, but not in a downpour, so consider rain gear! Please also bring plenty of water and a snack.
If you've never volunteered with us before, please arrive at 8:30 at the Nature Center to fill out Volunteer Application Forms. Anyone who volunteers for two sessions will receive one of our AWESOME t-shirts! The Stewards meet for lunch afterwards, courtesy of the WCPA.
