Ireland Brook Conservation Area

Easy trail winding through forest near Ireland Brook.

4.5 or 1.5 miles, total round trip. Dirt and roots; plank boardwalks.

• Shorter: 1.5 – Cut the YELLOW loop shorter. Noted below.
• Longer: 6.0 – Also add the Beaver Lodge Loop. Noted below.
• Very Nearby: Forest Brook; Farrington Lake Trail, Davidson’s Mill Pond, Tamarack Hollow; Van Dyke Farm
• Nearby: Thompson Park – Middlesex County; Thompson Park Conservation Area; Plainsboro Preserve.
• Bonus: Kayak Farrington Lake.

Our two cents:

Pleasant and generally well maintained but there are some areas with overgrown grasses – use bug spray and/or wear long pants. Road noise is a bit of an issue.

Good for quick leg-stretchers or to get in some easy miles if you are in the area, probably not something to drive far for.

Updated: 3/2023 – Minor edits; re-hiked; added note where to add in the new Beaver Lodge Loop. Older change log at page bottom.

---

Map:

There may be paper maps in the kiosk but it’s not a bad idea to print one out ahead. Follow along on your smartphone with our Interactive Map link above.

---

Restrooms:

None. Not much in the area, best bet may be to stop by Davidson’s Mill first as there should be a portable toilet in that lot.

---

Parking: N40.41474° W74.47971°

99 Parkview Court, South Brunswick, NJ. Note! Navigation systems might wrongly try to direct down a gated gravel utility access road off of Davidson’s Mill Rd.

Be sure to approach from Riva Ave, turn onto Ireland Brook Drive, and head through the neighborhood to the end, turning onto Parkview Court.

This ends at cul-de-sac, park on the asphalt by a small playground.

---

Hike Directions

Overview: YELLOW (Ireland Brook) – RED (Pseudacris Way) – YELLOW (Ireland Brook)

Markers are generally clear but YELLOW splits in two directions a few times – we basically were keeping left at intersections – plus ignore a couple unmarked trails.

0.0 – Walk across the field to the far corner to a trail kiosk and a map container.

Start following YELLOW (Ireland Brook) from the trail kiosk.

Almost immediately pass YELLOW markers going off to the right… the return of the loop. Might not even notice it.

Cross the pipeline cut. Ireland Brook trail has many plank boardwalks.

The trail is generally well maintained.

0.4 – Turn LEFT at T-intersection. [Unmarked trail on right leads to the pipeline cut – PURPLE on the map].

Adjacent fields come into view along the Ireland Brook trail.

Invasive grasses are sometimes prevalent along the trail.

Plank boardwalk on the Ireland Brook trail.

0.5 – Keep LEFT. [RIGHT is an inner loop of YELLOW].

0.7 – Continue following YELLOW STRAIGHT/LEFT where YELLOW also goes to the right (that’s the return route).

// Shorter option: 1.5 loop: Turn RIGHT instead and take the YELLOW loop back. //

1.3 – At Fresh Ponds Road, cross the road and turn LEFT to walk over the bridge. Turn RIGHT to get back on to the trail.

A few areas of the trail were overgrown when hiked in September 2019.

In January of 2021, this area had a newer section of plank boardwalk (puncheons) with pieces of shingle for grip.

And then more planks and a new bridge. Some sections of boardwalk are quite long.

Pass a LARGE unturned tree with it’s roots exposed.

Walk along the edge of a farm field.

2.0 – Turn LEFT to now follow RED (Pseudacris Way).

RED (Pseudacris Way) is a very short trail that passes a small vernal pond. An interpretive sign explains that males return in March and call for mates, tadpoles hatch in April, and everyone is gone by June.

We were last here in March and were serenaded briefly by frogs before they stopped when they heard us approaching.

RED (Pseudacris Way) branches off at this sign and leads to Beekman Dr. and Beaver Lodge Loop.

RED (Pseudacris Way) soon ends at another pond at the edge of a field. Retrace to the intersection with YELLOW or…

// Optional add-on, +1.4 miles: Instead, turn LEFT and follow RED (Pseudacris Way) across Beekman Dr. to start following GREEN (Beaver Lodge Loop). Turn LEFT when it soon splits and follow this to a pond where there is a beaver lodge. The trail loops around, traverses forest, then finally an open torn up area. Cross Beekman Dr. into a parking area. Start following YELLOW (Ireland Brook) again.

Back at the intersection of RED (Pseudacris Way) and YELLOW (Ireland Brook), turn RIGHT to retrace YELLOW (Ireland Brook) back along the field and all the way to the intersection for the shorter loop.

[YELLOW to the left which leads to the parking area on Beekman Dr. where Beaver Lodge Loop can be picked up as well.]

3.1 – Again at Fresh Ponds Road, turn LEFT over the bridge then cross the road to continue on YELLOW (Ireland Brook).

3.7 – At the loop intersection, turn LEFT to take a different way back. (No biggie if you miss this, you’ll retrace your whole route back.)

Pass the inner loop of YELLOW (Ireland Brook) on the right. Continue through an area mowed through a field.

Eventually rejoin YELLOW (Ireland Brook) near the start. Turn LEFT to be back at the trail head in a moment. Continue across the field to the parking area.

—
Hiked: 3/26/23. Ireland Brook, Pseudacris, Beaver Lodge.
Hiked: 1/24/21. Ireland Brook, Pseudacris.
Hiked: 9/8/19. Trail Blog: “Ireland Brook and Pseudacris“.
Hiked: 3/10/13. Trail Blog: “Ireland Brook and Forest Brook

Updated: 4/2021 – Moved Forest Brook trail to it’s own hike page. 1/2021 – Page refreshed, minor changes. Ireland Brook re-hiked (Forest Brook was not). 9/2019 – Ireland Brook re-hiked (Forest Brook was not), description updated, new photos. Since we first hiked this in 2013, Ireland Brook was extended quite a bit and Pseudacris Trail added.