Looking for a lazy afternoon activity? Hop aboard the Mercer County Park Commission’s pontoon boat for an informative nature tour of Mercer Lake. The family-friendly tours will gain you unprecedented access to rarely seen areas of this 365-acre ecosystem.
Mercer Lake is home to many native plants and wildlife that are seldom seen in Central Jersey. Situated at the extreme northern reaches of New Jersey’s coastal plain, Mercer County Park is in an area of transition between inland and coastal forests.
Its sandy soils are host to an array of specialist plant species, and many types of wildlife can be seen at the lake’s edge. Home to painted turtles, beavers, a multitude of songbirds and fish, Mercer Lake is alive with more than Olympic rowing teams and paddle boats. With shores lined with native wildflowers, rose mallow in bloom and bald eagles frequenting the lake for lunch, these Pontoon Boat Nature Tours are sure to please.
Tours will be held on Thursday, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, Aug. 4, 11 and 25, and Sept. 1. There are two tours each day, noon to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Tour tickets are sold at the Mercer County Marina on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 11:30 a.m. on the day of the tour. Children must be at least 6 years old. The boat seats 15 people. Tour rates for in-county residents are $10 per person for adults and $8 per person for children and seniors. Out-of-county rates are $12 per person for adults and $10 per person for children and seniors.
For more information, please call (609) 448-4004 or visit mercercountyparks.org.
