Well… apparently, everyone but me knew.
Yes, I’ve heard people talk about Kunkel Park all my life, but living at the very northeast corner of the Township, I just never made it there — until this week.
But before we get to the park, let’s take a moment to talk about the man it’s named after: Colonel John A. Kunkel. A Civil War veteran, Kunkel first visited Pennington in 1894 with his wife, and they decided to build a home here. They called it “Stony Brook Lodge.” Located on East Delaware Avenue, it was the largest house in town at the time. Kunkel became one of Pennington’s most prominent developers, alongside William Howe. So, naturally, I stopped by the Lodge before heading to the park that bears his name.
Kunkel Park truly has something for everyone. After checking out the large pavilion, the basketball court, and the playground — where a little girl was joyfully digging and dumping sand — I hit the trails.
I’m a stream girl myself, so after walking through the beautiful archway (built in 2015 by Jack Patterson of Troop 44 as his Eagle Scout project), I wandered along the trail that follows the babbling brook. So many tiny waterfalls to discover! And if you look closely, you’ll spot spring flowers, like Spring Beauty, just beginning to poke through the soil along the creek.
The coolest thing I found on my hike? A series of carvings in fallen logs created by the Emerald Ash Borer. It is unfortunate that all the ash trees are dying because of these insects, but these intricate patterns look like nature’s version of woodcut prints. I think they’re beautiful enough to hang in galleries. (My husband disagrees, so I make a habit of sneaking any firewood with their art out of our pile and hiding it away before he gets to it.)
But the most surprising find? My very first geocache! I wasn’t even looking for it. I took a photo but left it right where it was — geocacher’s code, right?
I debated waiting a week or two to write this piece, but spring is beginning to show — or at least trying to. Now’s a great time to visit.
If you’re up for a challenge, there are several ways to cross the stream. I first attempted the rock-to-rock hop — results: fair to middlin’. Then I tried the “log bridge” — three logs laid side by side. I wasn’t a fan, preemptively added 911 to speed dial, but somehow made it across.
And here’s a fun little trick, especially for kids (or kids at heart): find a spot where tree branches hang over the water. Wait for something to ripple the surface (or make the ripple yourself), then watch the reflections shift and swirl. Even better? Take photos — they look like abstract paintings.
So get out to Kunkel Park. Walk a log. Meet our nature artists. Wander the trails. Who knew? Well… now you do.
