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Mercer Meadows
4.8 ★★★★★ 370 Google reviews · Running trail in Lawrence Township, New Jersey · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mercer Meadows' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Scenic park with biking routes through 1600+ acres of meadows & woodlands, plus bodies of water.
What runners say about Mercer Meadows
“All the paths are very well maintained, even the grass paths that aren’t as traveled.”
“The attached video here , this view is from viewing deck captured on Aug 10- 7:45pm This entire walk is beautiful, the wildlife, the view and just everything.”
“The trails are well marked and groomed, the meadows are full of yellow flowers in autumn, and there are plenty of birds, ranging from falcons to finches.”
A great place for walking, biking, or taking photos of wildlife (mainly birds). The wide open meadows get very windy. Both times I was there the winds were steady at 15-20 mph. There are woods that you can walk or bike through to minimize the wind.
I love coming to Mercer meadows for wildlife photography. Stumbled upon it while looking up places to go birding and it certainly hasn’t disappointed! Still trying to get pics of short eared owls but there’s an abundance of wildlife to photograph. Trails are well marked and maintained.
We took our dogs for a walk here - flat, easy but charming walk. Mix of shade and open spaces, so suggest planning accordingly with plenty of water on hot, sunny days
Great park with options to connect to Rosedale Park, the Lawrenceville Hopewell trail, the Mercer county equestrian center and more! Pathways are paved, covered in pea gravel, crushed stone, or grass. Lots of options. Benches are throughout the park as well as bird blinds and an observation tower.
Trail conditions & character
“The attached video here , this view is from viewing deck captured on Aug 10- 7:45pm This entire walk is beautiful, the wildlife, the view and just everything.”
“Mercer Meadows is a nice mostly flat stretch of land to walk around, get some exercise and observe nature.”
“Pathways are paved, covered in pea gravel, crushed stone, or grass.”
“There are public restrooms at Mercer Meadows and a few picnic tables with a Pavillion for cover.”
“The trails are well marked and groomed, the meadows are full of yellow flowers in autumn, and there are plenty of birds, ranging from falcons to finches.”
Plan your run at Mercer Meadows
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websitemercercounty.org
- Phone+1 609-303-0700
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–8:30 pm |
Running trails near Lawrence Township
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Rosedale Park
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Village Park
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Curlis Lakes Wood Trail | Oak St Trailhead
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Carson Road Woods
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Lawrence Hopewell Trail
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