The Apshawa is a brook, a tributary of the Pequannock River; it flows through the preserve and is dammed to form the 40-acre Butler Reservoir within the preserve. The reservoir once served to provide water to Butler.[2] Apshawa Preserve includes a network of hiking trails and a 43-acre reservoir.
Since 2010 part of the preserve is protected by a gated deer fence to protect native plants that otherwise would be decimated by a high density deer population.[2]
In September 2014, 22-year-old student Darsh Patel was mauled by a Шаблон:Convert black bear in the preserve and died. He was the first known person in New Jersey history to be killed by a black bear.[3]
Location and access
The Apshawa Preserve is open year round from dawn to dusk for recreation, and can be accessed from 4 Macopin Road, West Milford.[4] Onsite parking is provided in a gravel parking lot that is located off Northwood Drive (turn off of Macopin), where hikers will find a kiosk with trail maps as well as trailheads. Apshawa Preserve cannot yet be accessed via public transportation.[5]
Hiking
There are about five miles of marked trails including three loop trails (Red 1.6 miles; Green 1.7 miles; Yellow .5 miles). There are five other connector trails which create a variety of possibilities. The red loop trail goes all the way around the Butler Reservoir and is accessible by the 1 mile blue trail from the parking lot.
