Hiking and Botany at Woosamonsa Ridge Preserve

Story and photos by WTGC Member Jeff Tryon

In mid-April, Elle Belcheff and I visited the 146-acre Woosamonsa Ridge Preserve, just off Woosamonsa Road in Pennington. The approximately three miles of trails lead through exceptional habitats — a mature hardwood forest of American beech, shagbark hickory, red maple, various oaks, and towering tulip trees (Liriodendron). A series of steep ridges funnel the headwaters of Jacobs Creek through the gorges and the water flows out to the Delaware River. Groundwater seeps feed several streams and provide early spring habitat for amphibians like salamanders and wood frogs, and the nymphs of certain dragonfly species.

Along the ascent of the ridge, we discovered many spring wildflowers, including the large white-flowered bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), with its strange undulating leaf shapes, the diminutive spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), my favorite — the yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum), cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides), early saxifrage (Micranthes virginiensis), and even a surprising patch of delicious ramps (Allium tricoccum). Many of the flowers noted are white.

On the way back down the ridge, we were startled by a loud hissing snake under a bush. I wanted to identify it, but Elle wisely said “no!” It was probably a black rat snake, which is a large nonvenomous snake common in the area.

The ridge trail has interesting topography and offers a relatively easy hike, even without trekking poles or a walking stick. The overall elevation gain from this trail is 260 feet. The views from the summit are quite nice, and you can often catch a refreshing breeze. The area is delightful in spring, and in fall the foliage is especially vibrant — particularly the gold and copper tones of American beech, the red and yellow maple leaves, and golden oak leaves.

The preserve was acquired in 2018 by Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space. For more information on the preserve, visit https://www.fohvos.info/fohvos-nature-preserves/woosamonsa-ridge.