Pennington: Historic Crossroads and Nature Trails

Pennington offers several distinct points of interest to help you plan your stay: the borough’s historic crossroads, the Pennington Loop Nature Trail, and nature trails in the surrounding area. You can choose to focus on local history, a route combining trails and residential streets, or the landscape around Curlis Lake. The natural areas outside the borough are separate destinations in the surrounding area and differ from the historic crossroads district. If you’re looking for a hotel in Pennington, these distinctions can help you choose the kind of stay you have in mind.

Historic Crossroads and Pennington Day

The Pennington’s Crossroads Historic District centers on Pennington’s historic crossroads, where North and South Main Street meet East and West Delaware Avenue. The four street names give you a specific reference point for this part of the town’s history.

Pennington Day takes place in downtown Borough of Pennington along South Main Street and East Curlis Avenue. The street festival brings together local businesses, arts and crafts, activities, music, food, and nonprofit organizations. It begins with the YMCA Pennington Day 5k Race, which offers a five-kilometer race and a one-mile run. The event therefore focuses both on the street festival and on two clearly defined race distances. If you’d like to plan your trip around Pennington Day, check the specific event dates before booking.

The Pennington Loop and Kunkel Park

The Pennington Loop Nature Trail itself does not form a closed loop. However, hikers can connect its two ends using residential streets in the Borough of Pennington. The loop is formed only by the street connection; this distinction is useful when planning a route if you’re looking for a trail rather than a continuous circular path.

Kunkel Park is next to the trail’s southeastern end. A trail description updated in 2014 lists a picnic area with tables and children’s play equipment there. If these park amenities are important for your visit, check their current condition in advance.

Nature Trails in the Surrounding Area

Outside Pennington, the Pennington Loop Trails pass through 54 acres of protected open space bordering Baldwin Lake and Stony Brook. South of Pennington, a network of trails runs through the 88-acre Curlis Lake Woods Preserve. The Redwood Trail passes through a stand of large dawn redwoods there. Nearby, trails also run through older woodland with beech trees and rhododendrons and along Curlis Lake.

These details offer different nature themes for planning an outing: protected open space along two bodies of water, a trail network in the preserve, a stand of large dawn redwoods, and trails by the lake. The Howe’s Lane Trail provides access to Curlis Lake Woods from S. Main Street and Oak Street. A short path leads from this trail over a small stream to a network of trails in older woodland.

Walking and Cycling Connections

The Pennington Connection starts at the bridge over Stony Brook on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road. On the bridge, a five-foot-wide sidewalk leads to a pedestrian crossing and a sidewalk on King George Road. Bike lanes begin at Park Avenue on the reconstructed lower section of King George Road. The walking and cycling connections described can therefore be identified by specific streets and crossings. Check the current condition of the walking and cycling connections before setting out on a specific route.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Lawrenceville, Trenton, Robbinsville, Windsor, Hightstown, Princeton, Hamilton Township, Ewing.

For the regional travel overview: Mercer.