By Tom Ogren, former board trustee at FoHVOS
Tucked away in Hopewell Township, Woolsey Park offers 167 acres of trails that blend quiet natural beauty with layers of local history. Whether you’re out for a peaceful walk or a deeper exploration of the landscape, the park invites you in with shaded groves, historic remnants, and the soothing presence of Woolsey Brook.
The trail network winds through diverse habitats—from rows of planted spruce trees and Osage Orange hedgerows to hardwood forests and marshland boardwalks. Along the way, hikers can discover a 19th-century railroad trestle site, a massive heritage White Oak estimated to be over 250 years old, and a connecting path that leads to the Jacobs Creek Trail.
Just beyond the parking lot, a kiosk and interpretive sign tell the story of the land, first acquired by George Woolsey more than 300 years ago. The Woolsey family lived here for six generations, and in 2016, the park was officially named in their honor. The sign also shares the tale of the Mercer and Somerset Railroad, which cut through this land starting in 1873.
Though the land was preserved in 1998 with help from Green Acres and Mercer County, the trails themselves didn’t take shape until 2014–2015, thanks to volunteers—two of them Eagle Scouts—who helped blaze and mark the loop paths visitors now enjoy.
From the parking lot, hikers follow signs into a shady grove of spruce trees, then cross a grassy lawn into an even larger grove. From here, the trail drops into the ravine carved by Woolsey Brook and leads to a junction. Head straight and you’ll find a short path to a bench overlooking the site of the old railroad trestle. Here, you can stand on the bed where trains once ran and imagine the chuff of a steam engine echoing through the trees.
Back on the trail, a crossing of Woolsey Brook—sometimes under water after heavy rains—leads to rows of Osage Orange trees and another trail junction. You can choose the shorter yellow loop or turn left for the longer red trail.
Take the long loop, and you’ll pass another Osage Orange row, known for their distinctive, grapefruit-sized fruit. These trees, originally planted as living fences in the 19th century, formed dense, thorny hedgerows that helped farmers contain livestock before barbed wire became common. Today, their twisted trunks and hedge-like clusters offer a glimpse into the Valley’s agricultural past. Howell Living History Farm along Valley Road still maintains a living fence of these trees.
The trail then crosses a charming tributary of Woolsey Brook—a stream so quaint it feels like it belongs in a children’s book—and winds into the park’s largest spruce grove. Planted in neat rows, these trees create a tranquil space reminiscent of conservation plantings from another era, with a soft carpet of fallen needles underfoot.
Skirting a former farm field and ridge, the trail eventually brings you to a sign for the Jacobs Creek Trail connector. From here, the landscape shifts again, with marsh boardwalks, hardwood forests, and wide canopies overhead. In spring, look down—tiny ephemeral wildflowers bloom briefly before disappearing for the year.
After passing through an area of denser forest, the trail reconnects with the short loop and leads back toward Woolsey Brook. One final ascent brings you to a high ridge and a quiet highlight of the park.
Here stands the Woolsey White Oak, a designated Heritage Tree and one of the largest white oaks in the Hopewell Valley. Estimated to be more than 250 years old, this majestic tree predates the American Revolution and quietly provides enormous ecological benefits. Large trees like this one can deliver up to 600 times the environmental services of smaller trees—shading the forest floor, anchoring soils, supporting wildlife, and capturing carbon over centuries.
Take a moment beneath its canopy before heading back to the parking lot. It’s a fitting stop near the end of a walk that blends natural beauty, local history, and the quiet richness of Woolsey Park’s wooded trails.
Submitted by Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
