The Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is open! The Friends Bookstore & Gift Shop, now called the Friends' Nature Shop is located in the visitor center. Visitor center and Nature Shop hours will be:
Thursday & Friday: Noon to 4:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The North Gate Bridge on Pleasant Plains Road will also be open during these same hours.
From Interstate 78 (westbound)
From New Vernon Road
To get to Refuge Headquarters
- Travel on New Vernon Road for about one mile to the first intersection which is White Bridge Road.
- Turn left onto White Bridge Road and continue approximately one mile to the intersection with Pleasant Plains Road.
- Turn right onto Pleasant Plains Road and travel half a mile to the driveway for Refuge Headquarters, on the right at 241 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township.
To get to the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center & the Friends' Nature Shop (when North Gate is open - check for posted hours)
- Travel on New Vernon Road for approximately one mile to the first intersection which is White Bridge Road.
- Turn left onto White Bridge Road and continue approximately one mile to the intersection with Pleasant Plains Road.
- Turn right onto Pleasant Plains Road and continue for approximately 2.5 miles. The visitor center is on your left at 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township.
Note: you will pass the driveway for Refuge Headquarters and pass through North Gate.
To get to the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center & the Friends' Nature Shop (when North Gate is closed)
To get to the Wildlife Observation Center (W.O.C.) (boardwalks and blinds):
- Travel straight on New Vernon/Long Hill Road for approximately 4 miles.
- Turn left on Lee's Hill Road.
- Continue approximately 1.7 miles.
- Turn left onto the Refuge Access Road.
- Travel straight on New Vernon/Long Hill Road for approximately 1.8 miles.
- The Wildlife Observation Center is on your left
From Interstate 78 (eastbound)
From Interstate 287 (southbound and northbound)
To get to the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township
Note: there is no access to the visitor center from Pleasant Plains Road - use the Refuge Access Road as described below.
- Take exit 30A (Basking Ridge/North Maple Avenue) and bear right onto North Maple Avenue.
- At the first traffic light, turn left onto Madisonville Road.
- Follow Madisonville Road for approximately ½ mile when the name changes to Lee's Hill Road (at the reservoir). Continue on Lee's Hill Road for approximately .3 miles further to the Refuge Access Road.
To get to Refuge Headquarters
- Take exit 30A (Basking Ridge/North Maple Avenue) and bear right onto North Maple Avenue.
- At the first traffic light continue straight on North Maple Avenue.
- After one mile North Maple will bear left and become South Maple Avenue.
- Continue on South Maple Avenue for one mile and turn left on Lord Stirling Road.
- Continue 1.3 miles (last part is a dirt road) and pass over a bridge on the Passaic River (the road name changes to White Bridge Road).
- Continue straight on White Bridge Road for one mile and turn left onto Pleasant Plains Road. The driveway for Refuge Headquarters is on the right at 241 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township.
To get to the Wildlife Observation Center (W.O.C. (boardwalk and blinds)
- Take exit 30A (Basking Ridge/North Maple Avenue) and bear right onto North Maple Avenue.
- At the first traffic light continue straight on North Maple Avenue.
- After one mile North Maple will bear left and become South Maple Avenue.
- Continue on South Maple Avenue for one mile and turn left on Lord Stirling Road.
- Continue 1.3 miles (last part is a dirt road) and pass over a bridge on the Passaic River (the road name changes to White Bridge Road).
- Continue straight on White Bridge Road for one mile to the stop sign.
- Turn left onto New Vernon / Long Hill Road and continue 0.9 miles.
- The Wildlife Observation Center is on the left.