New Jersey is a state full of beautiful nature preserves and parks. Our New Jersey adoption professionals think it’s important to make sure your family spends enough time outdoors appreciating the variety of beautiful nature the Garden State has to offer. Pennypacker Park is a uniquely historical park in Haddonfield, as the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton was discovered here by William Foulke in 1858. Pennypacker Park also has some great hiking trails with some nice views of water, wooded areas, and wildlife.
Dinosaur Skeleton Discovery
William Foulke discovered the nearly complete skeleton of a Hadrosaurus Fooulkii Leidy at Pennypacker Park in 1858. The skeleton was found where a suburban Haddonfield street reaches a dead end in the deep woods of the park. Today, the site is listed on the NJ Register of Historic Places and marked with a commemorative stone. Near the stone, there is a steep ravine, which is where the bones were excavated on the eve of the Civil War.
If you’re visiting Pennypacker Park with your family, you should definitely make sure to visit the site. This excavation was an important part of New Jersey history. Plus, kids usually love learning about dinosaurs and visiting the site where the first skeleton was discovered is always exciting.
Renovations
Pennypacker Park is currently undergoing a $450,000 renovation. The new and improved park is expected to feature better trails, two new footbridges, upgraded signs, interpretive kiosks, and ADA-accessible paved trails and parking.
Additionally, the park’s granite staircase is being rehabbed and timber-rail fencing is being added to the parking areas. Some parts of the park have also been replanted with species native to New Jersey.
The last time we visited the park, construction was still going on at the bridges around the trails.
Hiking
This small park has hiking trails that are suitable for most ages and fitness levels. You can also enjoy a leisurely walk or run around the park if you’re trying to get away from the suburbs or city and into nature for some exercise.
Water
Pennypacker Park has three bodies of water: Cooper River, Hopkins Pond, and Driscoll Pond. If you enjoy outdoor water activities in the summertime, this park has some of the prettiest natural bodies of water in the state. We love bringing our families here for fishing trips and picnics near the water. We’ve found that teaching your kids a new hobby can be a great way to grow closer together. Fishing is a particularly good activity to teach, as many people who learn to fish at a young age carry the hobby with them for the rest of their lives.
