“Institute Woods.” Perhaps a somewhat sterile-sounding name—but don’t be fooled. These woods in Princeton are anything but dull. Officially known as the Institute for Advanced Study Woods, the area was purchased over time between 1936 and 1945, with initial funding gifted to the Institute. Today, the land is open to the public and protected under the New Jersey Green Acres program.
Don’t ask me for directions—or how we got there. With limited online information about the exact location, we used the good old hunt-and-peck method. Let’s just say it took a while. Fortunately, we pulled into the Clarke House Museum at the Princeton Battlefield (500 Mercer Road), and sure enough—right behind Clarke House is an entrance to the Institute Woods! No matter how you get there or where you park, this place is a gem.
With many interconnected trails, you won’t get bored. One route leads to the Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge, a 45-acre sanctuary with observation platforms and over 90 species of birds. You can even connect to the D&R Canal Towpath. And there’s no shortage of wildlife. Just five minutes into our walk, we spotted a fox running along the path ahead of us. (Sadly, I hadn’t taken my phone out of my bag yet—and he looked a bit camera-shy anyway.)
The woods themselves are incredibly varied, with over 45 species of trees. You’ll find oak, hickory, and birch alongside dogwood, aspen, sweet gum, beech, and red maple. Babbling right through it all is Stony Brook.
One of the main trails leads straight to the Woods’ most famous feature—the swinging bridge. It’s a hit with adults and kids alike. (I crossed it multiple times myself, even though I didn’t really need to!) There were plenty of people enjoying the park, snapping photos as they crossed. If you bring young children, just keep a close eye—there are gaps on the sides of the bridge.
Some of the trees here are just gargantuan.
A few more sights and scenes from around the preserve…
Fun fact: Both Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer were known to walk these trails.
(Source: https://www.njhiking.com/institute-woods-rogers-refuge-princeton-battlefield/)
We even spotted shelf mushrooms!
Toward the end of our walk, it started to rain—and we happened to be in the perfect spot to capture some gorgeous, moody pictures courtesy of Mother Nature.
As the day grew long and the rain let up, it was time to head home.
Trail map: Institute Woods map (PDF)
