Group Hike at the Plainsboro Preserve

Our Group Hike at

The Plainsboro Preserve

There were mixed emotions as we began our hike but everyone had a great time in the end.  

What better way to enjoy a hike than by inviting some friends to come with us! We had a great group of happy lil' hikers geared up and ready to hit the trails at Plainsboro Preserve in Cranbury NJ. It really was the perfect way to kick off the summer. 

Our group of young hikers came equipped with binoculars and magnifying glasses. They really didn't want to miss a thing. They also liked the idea of a scavenger hunt and tried to find all the things on this checklist. Turns out there were lots of things to add to the bottom portion. For example, while on a  trail through the woods, the boys leading the way spotted a deer pretty close to the path! She darted off deeper into the woods but some of us caught a glimpse of her as she went. 

These are some of our young hikers heading off and leading the way. On this first stretch alone we spotted wildflowers, animal tracks, bird feeders and nesting boxes, a variety of bugs and insects, including beautiful shiny blue dragon flies. And I would be amiss if I didn't also mention the occasional and very captivating mud puddle. Definitely a big draw to our little ones. :) 

There was lots to see and discover. The kiddies had their eyes wide open and didn't miss any of it. Whenever one little hiker discovered something amazing, they would call all their fellow hikers to come over and investigate. All the grown ups helped point things out and explain the discoveries. 

Our hike began on a fairly open and flat path but we did head into the trails that led into the woods. The little ones kept their eyes peeled for neat things to point out to each other. They also did a great job of looking for trail markers to keep us on the right path, too. We found these cut logs in a clearing along our trail and got to snap a couple of fun pictures like this one. 

One happy little hiker needed to hitch a ride with her mom. Not a bad deal if you can get it.  Her mom made the funniest observation: her littlest one had the cleanest shoes in the lot. Completely true!

There was something to see at every turn. After a vote at the end of the hike, the highlight of everyone's adventure today was finding the tadpoles. Everyone huddled around to see them. All the little hikers were so excited to see them swimming around. It was so cute to watch.

After a close to two mile hike, we found a shady spot to refuel, rehydrate and relax. It was such a fun day and we are so glad we got to share it with our friends!

I hope we see you out there on the trails. Thank you so much for reading!