Duke Farms, Nature reserve in Hillsborough, New Jersey, United States
Duke Farms is a nature reserve in Hillsborough, New Jersey, made up of forests, grasslands and several interconnected lakes. The paths cross through different habitats, from tall trees to wide wetlands where waterfowl nest and deer graze at the edge of the water.
James Buchanan Duke acquired the land in the 1890s along the Raritan River and shaped it after the farms of his native North Carolina. After the family's passing, the estate was refounded as a nonprofit conservation area and opened to visitors.
The name recalls the Duke family, who shaped the estate for over a century before transforming it into a public nature area. Today the open meadows and quiet waters draw families who walk the paths or picnic along the shores.
The grounds are open Tuesday through Saturday and offer wide paths suitable for cycling or wheelchairs. Saturdays between April and November require advance registration, but weekday access is unrestricted.
Four of New Jersey's ten oldest trees grow here, including a centuries-old Northern Red Oak and an Amur Cork Tree with rough, yellow bark. These ancient specimens stand quietly among younger plantings, forming living records of the region's climate across generations.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
