Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve

1,227 Acres Woodland Township Burlington County

This preserve in the heart of the New Jersey Pine Barrens is named for the late Michael Huber, a dedicated conservationist who served on the Board of Trustees of New Jersey Conservation Foundation until his death in January 2009. Its pitch pine/scrub oak forests are prime breeding habitat for the Prairie Warbler, a migratory songbird that winters in the islands of the West Indies.

The preserve contains the Four Mile Spring, one of several tributaries of the Rancocas Creek that spring from the headwaters swamps of this 1,227-acre forested preserve. Approximately five miles of footpaths and sand roads wind through the preserve’s pitch pine forests and along ancient Atlantic White Cedar forests, and are open for foot travel, mountain biking and horse riding. Multiple loop routes are available for hiking and biking. Horse traffic is limited to the main trail.

One the preserve’s most interesting features is a spung located on the red trail. A spung is a hydrologically isolated wetland that relies entirely on rain and snowfall to maintain its water level. In this case, the spung at the Michael Huber Preserve is located on top of a layer of dense clay that prevents exchange with the groundwater. Because of this isolation, the spungs conditions are very dependent on varying precipitation throughout the year.

Click here for general location map.

From the NJ Turnpike, take exit 7 and follow SR-206 south to SR-38 (CR-530) east toward Pemberton. At the second traffic light, turn right onto Magnolia Road (CR-644). Follow Magnolia Road until you come to the Four-Mile traffic circle. From the circle take SR-72 east for about 3.5 miles. Turn right on CR-563 south. After 0.8 miles, turn right onto Sooy Place Road. Proceed 3.6 miles to the narrow sand entrance on the right.

From GS Parkway Northbound, take exit 58 to CR-539 north for 10.3 miles. Turn left onto SR-72/CR-532 for 5.5 miles. Turn left onto CR-532/Chatsworth-Barnegat Road for 4 miles. Turn right onto CR-563 for 3 miles. Turn left onto Sooy Place Road for 3.2 miles. Entrance is on the right hand side, a narrow sand road.

From GS Parkway Southbound, take exit 88 SR-70 west for 7.8 miles. Turn left onto CR-539 for 1.8 miles. Make slight right onto McMahon Ave for 0.4 miles. McMahon Ave becomes Lincoln Blvd. Turn right onto Pasadena Road for 3.1 miles. Pasadena Road becomes Pasadena-Woodmansee Road, at the abandoned railroad crossing, turn left after crossing, the abandoned railroad and can continue to Route 72. Cross straight over Route 72 onto Savoy Blvd and continue to the center of Chatsworth. Turn right onto 563 for 3 miles. Turn left onto Sooy Place Road for 3.2 miles. Entrance is on the right hand side, a narrow sand road.

From West, take SR-70 east for 3.0 miles past the intersection with SR-206 at Red Lion Circle. Turn right toward Sooy Place Road. Follow this road 4.3 miles to the entrance on the left, a narrow sand road.