Summer Camps
Summer Camp 2026
Three Day Program – June 30th to July 2nd (Tuesday to Thursday)
Registration starts 9:00 AM on March 7 for residents of Union County
Registration starts 9:00 AM on March 9 for Out-of-County residents
The Union County Board of County Commissioners invites you to take part in outdoor, educational summer programs offered in the scenic Watchung Reservation. Children ages 6-12 can enroll in a morning session, afternoon session or a full day. Programs are designed to foster an awareness & appreciation of the natural world.
Please read all general and cancellation policies before registering.
- Children must be age appropriate by the first day of their program.
- Children will not be permitted to repeat camps.
- In order to accommodate everyone, please let us know in advance if you or a member of your family has special needs.
- Parents must list an additional emergency contact
General Policies for Summer Programs
- Program spaces are non-exchangeable and non-transferable.
- You may register your family members in your household only.
- In developing programs, Trailside keeps in mind the abilities of different aged children. Please pay attention to age guidelines when registering. If an inappropriately aged child attends a program, the child will be removed and no credit or refund will be issued.
- Children must be age appropriate by the first day of the program.
- Children will not be permitted to repeat camps.
Cancellation Policies for Summer Programs
- Credits will not be given at any time for summer programs.
- Refunds will be given from March 9th to June 12th with a non-refundable registration fee of $35 charged for each half-day session. No refunds will be given after June 12th.
- Trailside is unable to process refunds for summer programs directly to your credit cards. Call Trailside at 908-789-3670 for refund procedures
Cancellation Policies for Evening Family Programs
- Refunds will not be given at any time for Evening Family Programs.
- Credits will only be issued for Evening Family Programs cancelled by Trailside due to inclement weather.
Program Chart for Children Ages 6-12
2026 Trailside Summer Camp Programs for Children Ages 6-7
- Wanishi, Wigwams & Wampum – Use your imagination to see what it was like to live as a Native American child. Touch real tools and animal skins, visit a wigwam and play games like corn darts. Listen to stories, work with clay and learn how the Lenape Native Americans survived in the wilderness.
- Nature’s Olympians – Discover who is the fastest flier, strongest swimmer, highest jumper and quickest sprinter as we explore nature’s most extreme athletes. Through active games, hikes & experiments, campers will find out who are our nature’s champions.
- Nature Discovery Club – Take an in-depth look at the world of 6-legged creatures (insects). Visit a different habitat each day and use collecting equipment to discover a variety of critters, from ants to whirlygig beetles.
- Mythical Creatures of Field & Forest – Use your imagination to explore nearby forests, meadows, lakes and streams in search of mythical creatures, such as fairies, elves and gnomes. Through art projects, stories and hikes, participants will enjoy a world of make-believe set within the natural world.
- Around the World – Become a world explorer and use your imagination to travel to different continents each day. Learn about amazing animals that live in the Rocky Mountains, creep through the Amazon rainforest, run in the African deserts and investigate the outback “down under.”
- Feather, Fur & Scales – Enjoy learning about birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians as we explore the fascinating world of the animal kingdom. Take a walk each day in search of our many animal neighbors, their homes and their hideouts. Meet live snakes and turtles from Trailside’s reptile collection.
- Seasonally Artistic – There are many ways nature can influence art. Find out which season inspires you the most! Use your creativity to make tools from natural objects. Have fun turning pine needles into a paintbrush to paint a winter scene, let flowers be your inspiration for a springtime watercolor painting and harness the sun’s rays for a summertime solar printing.
- Nature’s Music – Join us in this new camp as we investigate the infinite symphony of sounds in nature from chirping birds and croaking frogs to rustling leaves and whistling winds. Through fun and engaging activities, crafts and outdoor explorations, campers will have fun identifying backyard birds by the songs they sing, learn how animals communicate with sound and find out which animals make nighttime noises. Enjoy listening to the babbling brook and find out which animals live there. Create the sounds of gentle summer rain with your own rain stick and make your own instrument out of recycled materials to play in the “Nature’s Music Band.”
2026 Trailside Summer Camp Programs for Children Ages 8-9
- Aquatic Avengers – Learn about the plants and animals living in and around water; develop a heightened awareness about the importance of conserving and preventing pollution of this natural resource. Use special nets to collect, identify and release aquatic insects, fish, frogs, toads, crayfish and salamanders. Find out how these animals indicate the health of the environment.
- Magical & Natural Marvels – Prepare to have fun in this entertaining camp based on ideas from the ever popular Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling. Campers will enjoy learning about medicinal and useful plants (herbology), practicing chemistry experiments (potions), learning about transfiguration (metamorphosis) and exploring the solar system (astronomy). Investigate habitats suitable for natural creatures, such as snakes and salamanders, and use your imagination to discover which magical animals may inhabit these different environments.
- Bugs & Beyond – Did you know that insects represent over 90% of all living things on the Earth or that a honeybee can travel up to 60 miles in one day to collect food? Build a spider web, play the monarch migration game and discover why bugs are important to people and the environment. Use sweep nets and magnifiers to investigate the diversity of insect life found in the gardens and meadows around Trailside. Visit stream, pond, meadow and forest habitats to learn about the adaptations and lifecycles of these amazing creatures.
- Life in Cold Blood – Take an in-depth look into the world of reptiles and amphibians. Find out important facts about these fascinating creatures. Search each day at different sites in the reservation to find out where they live. Discover what adaptations help these cold blooded animals survive. Meet live snakes and turtles from Trailside’s reptile collection.
- Birds of a Feather – Explore the diverse world of birds and discover what makes them unique in the animal kingdom. Find out about different bird groups and the characteristics that make them different from one another. Explore some of the finer points of bird identification and start your own life list of bird sightings.
- Eco-Explorers – Join us in this new camp where curiosity evolves and scientific skills are learned while having fun as an Eco-Explorer. Inspired by the popular Pokémon games and animated series, children will discover how the world of Pokémon connects to real-life plants, animals and ecosystems. Use field guides, similar to a Pokédex, to identify plants and animals of the Watchung Reservation. Participate in elemental “Trailside Trainer” challenges, and explore forest, pond, stream and meadow habitats in search of animals that inspired the creation of many Pokémon.
- Solar System Surfers – Join the Space Team and discover Trailside’s new Solar System Walk. Learn about the planets in our solar system, the sun, stars, comets and asteroids. Each day will be a fun-filled adventure in the Milky Way. Activities include playing the weightlessness race and navigating the astronaut obstacle course.
- Trailside Treks – Join a Trailside Naturalist for a series of challenging excursions to various sites in the Watchung Reservation. Each day, we will hike a different trail with a new destination. Wear sturdy shoes, bring a backpack with a water bottle and snack.
2026 Trailside Summer Camp Programs for Children Ages 10-12
- Nature Treks – There’s a lot happening in nature during these hot summer months. Take a hike on a different trail each day and investigate the natural world around you. Look under rocks and logs for nature’s recyclers, try to catch a frog, fish or tadpole at Lake Surprise, explore the river for salamanders and find out how all living things are connected.
- All About Animals – Take an in-depth look into the animal kingdom. Find out interesting facts about mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish and insects. Meet live snakes and turtles from Trailside’s reptile collection. Hike to different habitats to learn about the variety of wildlife inhabiting the Watchung Reservation.
- Nature Watch – Calling all future scientists! Citizen science provides the opportunities for people of all ages to make important contributions that help scientists understand how the natural world around us works. Using free downloadable apps such as Seek and iNaturalist, we will visit different habitats and work together to observe and identify plants, trees, insects, mammals, birds and all things nature. Bring: your mobile device if you have one.
- Junior Naturalist – Go behind the scenes and step into the role of a Naturalist. Meet live snakes, turtles and fish that reside at Trailside and learn how to care for them. Improve your observation skills through nature journaling, learn how to tell water quality by sampling macroinvertebrates in a near-by stream and discover fun facts about your favorite trees, flowers, insects, birds and mammals. Gain knowledge and appreciation of the natural world while having fun with hands-on, engaging activities.
- Lenape Life Hacks – No smartphones, no internet, no television…no problem! Travel back over 10,000 years and discover what life was like for the Lenape Native Americans who inhabited New Jersey and surrounding areas. Work together to create a model 3-D village that includes single dwelling wigwams and multi-family/communal longhouses. Try your hand at making tools and pots from clay and stone, and have fun playing games that taught youngsters how to hunt, forage and survive in the wild. Find out how they tracked animals and learn how to identify plants and trees used by the Lenape to make rope, tea, canoes, medicine and more.
2026 Family Evening Programs
- Evening Pond Search – Join us at Seeley’s Pond as we search for aquatic life as the sun goes down. Use dip nets and strainers to catch, identify and release frogs, fish, insect larvae and tadpoles. Wear: Shoes that can get wet and muddy. Meet at: Seeley’s Pond upper paved parking lot.
- Benefit of Bats – Bats are one of the most misunderstood animals. They have a reputation as being spooky or even fearsome, but they are extremely beneficial for people. Learn about these amazing, insect-eating mammals & find out what you can do to help them.
- Buck Moon Hike – The sun is setting earlier as the weeks of summer fly by. Tonight, the sun sets around 8:16 and a full moon will illuminate this evening’s night sky. July’s full moon is known as the Buck Moon. Find out how the moon got its name and enjoy a walk with the setting sun. Search for crepuscular animals, those that are active at dawn and dusk, and learn about our nocturnal neighbors such as bats, raccoons and opossums, that come out at night.
Children
Toddler Time – Fall 2026
Toddler Time – Fall 2026
For Adults with children ages 3 & younger (no older siblings please).
Meets: Thursdays or Saturdays from 10:00 – 11:00 AM.
Please register for this class using the adult’s name.
Meets: Thursdays or Saturdays 10:00 – 11:00 AM.
- Snakes & Turtles – Slither like a snake, crawl like a turtle and hide in a “shell” as you learn all about reptiles. Discover what snakes and turtles have in common. Have fun meeting live snakes and turtles from Trailside’s reptile collection.
- Bear Basics – New Jersey has only one bear, the black bear. Bring your teddy bear (or favorite stuffed animal) on a walk to look for black bear snacks and hiding places. Compare your foot to a bear track and find out how bears prepare for winter.
- Autumn Scavenger Hunt – Take a walk on a nearby trail in search of red cardinals, orange rocks, yellow flowers and green pine trees. Search high and low for all the seasonal colors on a fun, fall scavenger hunt.
- Fall Fun – The woods are a colorful place in the fall. Walk outside in search of bright, seasonal fruits and fungi. Collect leaves and practice sorting them by color, size and shape.
- Halloween Hike – Celebrate bats, spiders, snakes and other creepy crawly critters that make Halloween fantastically fun! Discover fun facts about these creatures while exploring the Watchung Reservation.
- Fabulous Foxes – Discover fun facts about one of the Reservation’s most secretive animals, the fox. Feel fox fur and learn the differences between the red and gray fox. Practice walking like a fox, sniffing for food and pouncing on prey.
- Naturally Artistic – Everything in nature has a unique color, shape and pattern. Discover the beauty of nature in autumn as we search for mitten-shaped leaves, “popcorn” berries, camouflaged tree bark, fun colored fungi and much more. Make leaf rubbings & create your own fall masterpiece to take home using materials we collect on our walk.
- Wigwam Ways – The Lenape Native Americans of this area were part of a clan known as the Turtle (Unami) Clan. Visit a life-sized wigwam, play corn darts, look at artifacts, listen to stories and take a walk outside to look for natural items the Lenape used to survive.
Adults
Space is Limited
Teachers
Teacher Training – Project Learning Tree
Project Learning Tree “PLT” is a nationally recognized activity guide that provides educators with tools for increasing student environmental awareness. Whether you are a formal or informal educator, PLT activities will engage your students in inter-disciplinary, hands-on experiences that develop skills in problem solving, evaluation and research.
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Participants receive six (6) NJDOE professional development credits.
- Fee: $25 which includes activity guide with over 100 lessons.
- Bring: Lunch
- Morning refreshments will be provided.
- Dress for outdoors.
Seniors
Senior Walks – Fall 2026
For Adults ages 55 & up
Meets: Fridays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Programs may be canceled due to inclement weather
- Master Gardeners Garden Tour – Join members of the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County to tour the demonstration garden located down the hill from the Trailside Visitor Center. From vegetables to themed gardens, volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year to prepare and cultivate vegetables, flowers and plants. They educate the community on the proper do’s and don’ts of gardening and are available to answer any questions you may have.
- Watchung Stable Tour – Step back in time with a special look at Union County’s Watchung Stable as it celebrates over 100 years of history. Watchung Stable has been a fixture in Union County since it opened in 1925. It has been owned and operated by the county since 1933. Originally located in Summit, the stable was relocated in 1985 to its current location to allow the completion of Route 78. Enjoy a tour of the grounds, meet the horses and discover how this beautiful, unique facility has changed & grown since its opening over a century ago.*** This class meets from 11 AM – 12 PM ** **Meet at Watchung Stable. 1160 Summit Lane. Mountainside **
- Forest Bathing & Tea Ceremony – Join Park Naturalist and Forest Therapy certified guide Delaney Fay for an autumn walk in the Watchung Reservation. Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” this process of relaxation relies on trained guides, who set a deliberately slow pace and invite people to connect with nature through all of their senses. Quiet your mind and immerse yourself in the forest’s sights, sounds and smells. Reduce stress and experience the proven health benefits of the natural world. The walk will end with a tea ceremony, a simple, grounding ritual that traditionally concludes a forest bathing experience.
- Fall Foliage Walk – Take a closer look at the science and spectacle behind New Jersey’s fall foliage. Explore why leaves change color, what influences the timing and intensity of foliage, and learn to identify some of the most vibrant trees in autumn.
- Geology of the Watchung Reservation -Explore the fascinating geological history beneath our feet in the Watchung Reservation. We’ll learn how the Watchung Mountains formed, what makes their geology unique, and how the rocks and landscape we see today tell the story of millions of years of change.
- Beavers in New Jersey – Discover the remarkable world of New Jersey’s beavers and the important role they play in shaping wetlands and waterways. We’ll explore the history and ecology of beavers at Lake Surprise and look for signs of their activity along the way. **Park at Lake Surprise parking lot.**
- Wild Turkeys 101 – Learn about these impressive and surprisingly adaptable birds, from their behavior and biology to their history and return to New Jersey’s forests.