Things to Do in Fredon, NJ: Parks, Farms and Local Spots

Things to do in Fredon, NJ center on open space and farms, from the 81-acre Lodestar Park on Route 94 to Windy Brow Farms, two nature preserves and a historic 19th-century homestead. Fredon Township sits in central Sussex County between Newton, Andover and Stillwater, and our team pulled every detail below from the township, the farm and the land trust that care for these places.

Many Fredon addresses use a Newton mailing address (07860), so do not be surprised when your map app says Newton. Here is where we would spend a day.

Lodestar Park

Lodestar Park is the township’s main park, at the corner of Route 94 and Stillwater Road across from the municipal complex and Fredon Township School. Its roughly 81 acres of woodland, meadow and wetland hold a multi-purpose field, a youth soccer field, baseball and softball fields, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, a playground and restrooms.

The highlight for visitors is the 1.4-mile nature trail loop, an easy 30 to 60 minute walk with about 88 feet of elevation gain. The trail winds through woods, meadow and a hemlock ravine along a stream, it is open year-round, and kids love the community fairy houses along the way. Dogs are welcome. Portions of the trail are steep, so visitors using mobility equipment should stick to the paved section near the parking area.

Coursen’s Corners and the John Coursen Homestead

The Keepers of Coursen’s Corners, a volunteer group formed in 2001, saved the ancestral John Coursen homestead from demolition when the township acquired the land for Lodestar Park. The main house dates to about 1805, Johannes Coursen bought the original parcel in 1763, and Isaac Coursen ran Fredon’s first post office from the site starting in 1834. The Keepers have restored more than 10 spaces, including an open-hearth kitchen used for colonial cooking demonstrations, a preservation library and period gardens. Group tours and school field trips can be arranged by calling the group’s president, Linda Chirip, at 973-579-9119.

Windy Brow Farms

Windy Brow Farms at 359 Ridge Road has been a family farm since 1946 and is the busiest stop in Fredon. The farm store is open seven days a week from 9 AM to 6 PM in fall, and the bakery turns out bread, pies and cider donuts. The scoop and coffee window serves ice cream and coffee most days of the week. Pick-your-own apples and pumpkins are done for this year, but the farm grows dozens of apple varieties and opens each season from mid March through late December. Leashed dogs are welcome outdoors only.

Springhouse Creamery

Springhouse Creamery is a dairy farm at 85 Phil Hardin Road with a self-serve farm shop that its Google Business Profile lists as open around the clock. Stop in for glass-bottled milk and farmstead cheese to take home.

Muckshaw Ponds Preserve

The Muckshaw Ponds Preserve covers 201 acres in Andover and Fredon and is managed by the Ridge and Valley Conservancy, which took it over from The Nature Conservancy in 2020. The preserve protects three limestone sinkhole ponds, and a marked trail starts from Fredon-Springdale Road, across from the Whittingham parking area. It is a quiet place for birding and a short woods walk.

Whittingham Wildlife Management Area

Right across the road, the Whittingham Wildlife Management Area off Fredon-Springdale Road is state land run by NJ Fish and Wildlife, with fields, forest and wetlands for hiking, birding and fishing. Wildlife management areas are open to hunting in season, so wear bright colors on fall and winter walks and follow the posted rules.

Close to Fredon

Fredon is a few minutes from downtown Newton, so dinner and a show are easy add-ons. Our guide to things to do in Newton, NJ covers the town’s parks, museums and Newton Theatre, and next door, things to do in Andover, NJ rounds out a weekend. For more farm stops like Windy Brow, see our list of Sussex County farms.