Johnson Trolley Line north

Denow Road, Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey

Directions:

NJ Turnpike to exit 7A for US 195 west; take US 295 north to US 95 heading toward Pennsylvania; get off at Exit 7 for Route 206 north; in a short distance turn left onto Franklin Corner Road (Route 546); take the first left turn onto Denow Road; drive 0.3 of a mile; the obscure southern entrance for the trail is on the right just before reaching Melvina Drive.  You can park on Melvina Drive and walk back to the path opening set amidst woods edge making it somewhat hidden.

For the northern entrance;  from Route 206 north; turn left onto Gordon Road; parking is on the right around James Street on the left  (I don't know exactly where it is.)

Trails:

5/05/2005.  Compared to other rail-trails, canal trails, this trail is through a much more built-up area.  There are house backyards on both sides of the trail with some of the backyards coming straight back flush with the trail (without any intervening hedges).  There are also quite a few streets to cross, one of them very busy.   There are also a lot of horticultural species on both sides of the trail. In other words, it is far from a natural area.  Dr. Patrick L. Cooney.  

PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney

* = blooming on date of field trip, 5/05/2005

Trees:
Acer negundo (box elder maple)
Acer platanoides (Norway maple)
Acer pseudoplatanoides (sycamore maple)
Acer rubrum (red maple)
Acer saccharinum (silver maple)
Acer spp. (Japanese maple)
Betula lenta (black birch)
Betula nigra (river birch)
Betula populifolia (gray birch)
Carya tomentosa (mockernut hickory)
Cercis canadensis (red bud)  *
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)  *
Ilex opaca (American holly)
Picea abies (Norway spruce)
Pinus sp. (pine)
Magnolia sp. (magnolia)
Magnolia x soulangiana (saucer magnolia)  *
Morus alba (white mulberry)
Nyssa sylvatica (tupelo)
Phellodendron sp. (cork tree)  ?
Picea abies (Norway spruce)
Pinus strobus (white pine)
Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine)
Prunus sp. "Kwanzan" ? (Kwanzan cherry)  ?  *
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Pyrus spp. (apple) *
Quercus palustris (pin oak)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras)
Thuja occidentalis (arbor-vitae)
Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock)
Ulmus americana (American elm) 
Ulmus rubra (slippery elm)

Shrubs:
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry) 
Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus)
Forsythia sp. (golden bells)  *
Ligustrum sp. (privet)
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)  *
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose)
Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)
Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)
Rubus phoenicolasius (wineberry)
Rubus sp. (blackberry)
Spiraea sp. (spiraea)
Syringa vulgaris (common lilac)  *
Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum) 
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw viburnum)  *
Vinca minor (periwinkle)  *

Vines:
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Hedera helix (English ivy)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
Vitis sp. (grape)
Wisteria sp. (wisteria)  *

Herbs:
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) *
Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort) 
Barbarea vulgaris (common wintercress)  *
Callitriche sp. (water starwort)
Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)
Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane)  *
Glechoma hederacea (gill-over-the-ground) *
Impatiens sp. (jewelweed)
Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)
Plantago lanceolata (English plantain)
Podophyllum peltatum (may apple)  *
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed)
Rumex obtusifolius (broad dock)
Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion)  *
Veronica officinalis (common speedwell)
Veronica serpyllifolia (thyme-leaved speedwell)  * 
Viola sororia (common blue violet) *

Grasses:
(bamboo) 
Poa annua (annual bluegrass)  *

Ferns:
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)