Bulls Island Recreation Area

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Bulls Island Recreation Area

This is the official page for Bulls Island Recreation Area.

06/17/2026

This past weekend, Bulls Island had the pleasure of hosting our Arts in the Park event, a relaxing day of crafting for all who attended! Some of the work by the talented artists who came by is showcased below. Pieces include collages, clay medallions, and painted rocks added to our rock garden. Thank you to everyone who came out to make it another great day in the park! 🎨🌸🌿

06/07/2026

🐢It’s turtle season!🐢

This morning, the picnic area was the place to be for female northern map turtles (Graptemys geographica). Usually map turtles can be spotted basking on rocks and debris in the river and canal. Park staff spotted 8 that came up from the Delaware River to dig out nests and lay their eggs.

Map turtles prefer to nest in sunny areas with sandy soils, meaning the picnic area and fields behind the office are a great spot. Each turtle lays a clutch of 6-20 eggs and uses their back legs to dig out and refill the nests. Like other turtles, the s*x of the offspring is determined by the temperature of the nest. Nests incubating at 77°F produce males while warmer nests around 88°F produce females. The hatchlings will emerge later this summer after 50-70 days.

Map turtles get both their common and scientific name from the patterns on their carapace, or shell. These yellow or tan lines are most visible in young turtles and fade as the animals age. They are also a great example of s*xual dimorphism. Females are larger than their male counterparts, with their carapace usually measuring 7.1-10.6 inches while males measure 3.9-6.3 inches.

We encourage all visitors to our park to look and enjoy the turtles from a distance! When driving in the area along the canal and river from May to July, please use caution as many turtles are crossing roads to reach good nesting sites. Keep an eye out and let us know what other cool animals you see when visiting the park!

04/14/2026

🌻🌳Celebrate Earth Day 2026 at Bulls Island!🌳🌻

Join us for a relaxing day of fun by the river to celebrate all things outdoors in honor of Earth Day! Learn about the world around you from park naturalists and special guests, make some fun nature themed arts & crafts, and learn how to enjoy the outdoors safely. The rain date for this event is April 26th, so keep an eye on the Bulls Island page for any updates. Woodlands Wildlife Refuge will only be available on the original date. This is a family event so feel free to stay and make it a picnic!

Date: Sunday April 19th
Rain Date: Sunday April 26th
Time: 10:00 – 2:00
Cost: Free!

Program Schedule:
Raptor Walk ~ 10:15-11:15
Life of a Bear ~ 11:30-12:30
Nature Walk ~ 12:45-1:45

We hope to see you there!

04/08/2026

Spring is in the air! This past weekend we were lucky enough to see all these native species on our pop-up hike at Horseshoe Bend Park. From some of the beautiful spring ephemeral plants like Virginia springbeauty and yellow trout lily, to critters like garter snakes and pickerel frogs, there is so much the see! Now is a great time of year to explore the local trails of New Jersey and to find your new favorite place to relax outside. Keep an eye out for more fun events we'll be hosting in the future and keep exploring! 🐍

04/02/2026

🐾🌳Pop Up Hike This Weekend!🌳🐾

Join park staff on a fun and easy 1.5 mile hike through beautiful Horseshoe Bend Park! Learn about the world around you as we observe spring emerging. Sections of the trail will likely be muddy so dress for the weather. Things you can bring include binoculars, cameras, snacks, and smiles. All ages are welcome to this free event!

Date: Saturday, April 4th
Time: 12:00 - 2:30
Location: Horseshoe Bend Park, south entrance (signs will be posted to help find the meeting area)
Cost: Free

We hope to see you there!

03/23/2026

Do you love the outdoors and meeting new people? Turn your passion into a summer job! Bulls Island Recreation Area is hiring Visitor Service Assistants to help welcome and assist visitors.

Visitor Service Assistants provide accurate information to visitors at park facilities, report emergencies and assist with directing traffic when needed, perform visual inspections of park facilities and grounds, help ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience and more!

03/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us on our pop-up hike earlier today! We hope everyone had fun and learned something new. Keep an eye out for more of these hikes in the future and take the opportunity to learn about the world around us from our wonderful park staff. Keep exploring! 🦋

03/11/2026

Bulls Island Recreational Area is seeking Seasonal Visitor Service Assistants to support weekend and holiday operations.

Visitor Service Assistants provide accurate information to visitors at park facilities, report emergencies and assist with directing traffic when needed, perform visual inspections of park facilities and grounds, help ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience and more!

Salary: $16.50 per hour.

🔗 Learn more and apply today: https://nj.gov/dep/workinparks

03/10/2026

🐾🌳Pop Up Hikes are back for 2026!🌳🐾

Enjoy a guided hike with friendly park staff and join us on the White Oak Trail. The hike will be approximately 1.7 miles, and we will travel at a slow pace to enjoy all the sights and sounds of nature. This is a free event with no pre-registration required and is open to all ages. We ask that hikers meet at the Bulls Island office where there is an option to leave your phone for the duration of the hike. Staff will have one in case of emergency. Dress for the weather, and in the event that we need to cancel, updates will be posted here. Items you can bring include snacks, a camera, a journal, a sketchbook, and a smile!

Date: Saturday, March 14th

Time: 12:00 – 2:30

Cost: Free!

We hope to see you there!

02/17/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who attended our bird feeder making event this past weekend! Your creativity was impressive and all the feeders turned out great! Keep an eye out for more fun events like this in the future, and we hope to see you there! 🐦

Address

2185 Daniel Bray Highway
Stockton, NJ
08559

Telephone

+16093972949

Website

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/bullsislandrecreationarea.html

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