Sometimes, natural beauty is not so far away after all. The Forsythe Wildlife Refuge spans over 40 miles from Tuckerton to Absecon, NJ. This national fish and wildlife preserve offers breathtaking water views, a peak at migrant birds resting, piping plowers feeding off the mud flats, eagles nesting, awesome fishing, canoeing, kayaking, the list goes on.  We entered at the southern most point in Galloway. We took the nature drive, an 8-mile loop into the marshes which you can also do by foot. Be sure to stop at the observation tower, use the viewers to take a look around, or snap some pictures. Here is  a quick video of our Nature Drive at Forsythe Fish & Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ

Next, we decided to hit the trails. Our pick was the Songbird trail, a nice and easy hike of about 5 miles through mature woods, fields, marshland and some water views. Beware of bugs, mosquitos, and ticks. Come prepared with repellent! Spray it on your clothing and your shoes. Make sure  your pet is also protected. Poor Baron picked up a few ticks, his review is not so favorable. There are shorter trails but you can do the full Songbird trail or take a shortcut if you get tired. Although no camping is allowed, we chose to take our full backpacks. This was an important test for me because I wasn’t sure I could carry the load. It’s my first time backpacking. We also had to test Baron’s ability to trek along. So far, so good, next is the Appalachian Trail!