Campus Closed
2026-07-03 - 2026-07-04 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States

Farm Barn Cafe CLOSED
2026-07-04

Campus Closed for Wildlife & Ecosystem Recovery
2026-07-05, 2026-07-06, 2026-07-12, 2026-07-13 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
The Duke Farms campus is closed every Sunday & Monday.

Campus Open
2026-07-07 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-08 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-09 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-10 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-11 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-14 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-15 08:30 - 18:00, 2026-07-16 08:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) and 2 more dates
All Trails and the Orchid Range are open.

Farm Barn Cafe Open
2026-07-09 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-10 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-16 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-17 10:00 - 14:00
Nourish yourself with seasonal delights from Chef Lauren

Tick Talk: Let's Talk Ticks
2026-07-09 18:00 - 19:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Learn all about ticks, what’s fact and what’s fiction! Hear all about how to know what makes them tick and how to prevent them.

Based on research from Rutgers Center for Vector Biology and CDC learn about these tiny creatures that plague our summers. Find out what’s fact and what is fiction and what you can do to stay safe outside. The more you know, the safer you can be!

Program Guidelines
Did you know members receive 10% off all programs? To learn more and become a member, visit dukefarms.org/membership.
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Become a Member
Invest in our efforts to protect wildlife, revitalize habitats, and model clean energy solutions by becoming a member. Membership includes discounted classes and access to other members exclusive experiences.
Visit dukefarms.org/membership to learn more.

A Frolic with Fireflies
2026-07-10 20:00 - 22:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Take enchanting walk through the meadows and woods to watch fireflies’ glowing display!

Whether you call them fireflies, lightning bugs, glow worms, or something else, these insects are some of the most beloved ambassadors of summer across the world. Come celebrate our native species of bioluminescent beetle with a wonder-filled walk through the meadows and woods they call home. On the way, we’ll shed light on their fascinating biology and share some bright ideas for welcoming fireflies back to your own green spaces.
We will be meeting first at the Farm Barn Orientation Center before departing for our program!
This class involves traveling about 1 mile on mixed (paved and unpaved) surfaces, with participants moving for the entire duration. Most program routes can be adapted to accommodate mobility needs.

Program Guidelines
Did you know members receive 10% off all programs? To learn more and become a member, visit dukefarms.org/membership.
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Become a Member
Invest in our efforts to protect wildlife, revitalize habitats, and model clean energy solutions by becoming a member. Membership includes discounted classes and access to other members exclusive experiences.
Visit dukefarms.org/membership to learn more.

Saturday Parking Pass Required
2026-07-11, 2026-07-18 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Parking passes are released every Monday at 12:00 PM (ET) for the upcoming Saturday and often reach capacity quickly. If passes display as “Sold Out,” no additional reservations are available for that date. There is no off-site parking within walking distance of the main entrance. If passes are fully reserved, no additional entry options are available. We encourage you to visit on another day.
Entry is always free. There is no paid option once passes are fully reserved.
Duke Farms is more than a nature park, it is a living lab where we develop model strategies for nature restoration, wildlife conservation, and clean energy transition.
Go Further with Membership
Members help advance conservation and climate innovation at Duke Farms while deepening their connection to the campus and its work.
Parking & Reservations

A free parking pass is required for all Saturday visits from April through November
One pass = one vehicle
Vehicles without a valid pass will be turned away*
Passes are free and nontransferable
If your plans change, please cancel your reservation
Buses are not permitted

Your pass is valid for any time during operating hours on your selected Saturday.
Arrival Location
1112 Dukes Parkway West
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Please have your confirmation email ready upon arrival.
Group Visits
Groups larger than 12 must submit a Group Request Form at least two weeks in advance. A staff member will follow up regarding availability.
Visitor Guidelines and FAQs
Duke Farms’ trails are shared, multi-use spaces. You may encounter pedestrians, bicyclists, staff vehicles, programs, and wildlife.

Respect plant life and wildlife; do not pick flowers or approach animals
Stay home if you are feeling unwell
Restrooms are available at the Farm Barn and Orchid Range
Composting toilets are located along Oak Way, West Way, and the Arboretum
Professional photography is not permitted
Large picnics are not allowed
Alcohol, smoking, and vaping are prohibited
Pets are not permitted
Drones, balloons, ball playing, kite flying, and frisbees are not allowed

Maps are available at the Farm Barn Orientation Center. We encourage use of the Digital Guide to reduce paper waste.
Emergency
Call Safety & Security at (908) 722-3700 (press “0”) and reference nearby landmarks. For urgent emergencies, call 911.
Support Duke Farms
Membership supports our work in conservation and climate, helping extend impact beyond the campus.

Summer Book Club: Braiding Sweetgrass
2026-07-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Looking for an engaging summer activity?

Join Duke Farms for a summer book club on Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This book club uniquely blends group discussion, place-based creative practice, and field exploration to gain a close understanding of conservation and stewardship. Together we’ll inquire what it means to live in relation with the natural world.
The club will meet twice to discuss the book: July 11th and August 8th. Please ensure that you can make both dates. Supplementary, optional activities outside of these dates may be organized.
Members will receive a free copy of Braiding Sweetgrass and should pick it up prior to the first session. Non-members should procure their own copy of the book.

About Braiding Sweetgrass: “As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these lenses of knowledge together to show that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings are we capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learning to give our own gifts in return.”

Program Guidelines
Did you know members receive 10% off all programs? To learn more and become a member, visit dukefarms.org/membership.
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Become a Member
Invest in our efforts to protect wildlife, revitalize habitats, and model clean energy solutions by becoming a member. Membership includes discounted classes and access to other members exclusive experiences.
Visit dukefarms.org/membership to learn more.

Farm Barn Cafe Open
2026-07-11 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-18 10:00 - 14:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States

Member Exclusive: Fireflies and S'mores
2026-07-11 20:00 - 22:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Gather ’round the fire to learn all about this quintessential summer bug.

As dusk settles over the landscape, we’ll take a short walk to explore the remarkable life cycle and ecological role of fireflies. These small but mighty insects are indicators of habitat health—and they tell us an important story about restoration. Afterward, gather by the fire to enjoy s’mores and conversation under the evening sky.
Header photograph by Katja Schulz, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license; no changes have been made.

Program Guidelines
This is a member exclusive program. To learn more and become a member, visit dukefarms.org/membership.
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

Accessibility
This class involves traveling about 1 mile on paved (stroller- and wheelchair-accessible) surfaces, with participants both moving and seated throughout. Most program routes can be adapted to accommodate mobility needs.
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; contact us at membership@dukefarms.org.

Native Bee Bootcamp
2026-07-17 09:00 - 2026-07-19 17:30 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Build field ID skills and explore the natural history of Northeast native bees in this 3-day workshop, with the option to stay overnight.

Native bees are an ecologically important and remarkably diverse group of insects. In this 3-day field course, you will learn to observe, recognize, and understand the natural history of native bees of the Northeast.
Coursework will emphasize skills in:

identifying live bees to genus
photographing live bees
netting and curating bee specimens
sharing your observations with others.

Short lectures on bee ecology aim to ground field observations in scientific understanding.

Who Is This Course For?
This course is designed for naturalists, students, researchers, land managers, and gardeners–anyone eager to cultivate their curiosity about pollinators and gain tools to deepen this understanding on their own. The program assumes no prior knowledge of wild bees.
Please note that classes will take place partially outdoors and may require travelling over uneven terrain. Participants should feel comfortable spending several consecutive hours outdoors each day.

Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Your Instructors
Nick Dorian, Ph.D. is an ecologist, educator, and naturalist. Currently, Nick is an Assistant Professor of Biology at City College of New York where he studies the ecology of urban gardens.
Max McCarthy is a Ph.D. candidate at Rutgers University, where he studies populations of the rare Parnassia mining bee and the pollination ecology of their host plant, Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia).
Together, Nick and Max have a decade of experience as environmental educators and are the authors of watchingbees.com, a free online field guide to wild bees of The Northeast.

Program Guidelines
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

What to Bring
We recommend the following supplies:

Insect net (we like these collapsible nets)

Close-focus binoculars (Pentax Papilio 8.5 x 21)

Any pinning boxes and pins you may have (we will have a box and ~50 pins for everyone, but if you have your own supplies, please bring those)

Water bottle

Sun hat

Comfortable walking shoes and long socks that you can tuck pants into

Photography can greatly enrich the field experience. You may already have the following pieces of equipment and, if so, please bring them. If you are interested in our advice for camera equipment to photograph bees, please send us an email and we will be happy to advise.

Digital camera (either digital SLR or smartphone) with macro lens
SD card
Laptop to process photographs

(Having a camera is not required for course participation.)

Lodging and Meals
Duke Farms is excited to offer on-site lodging for participants. Staying on the premises is encouraged to allow for full immersion in course activities, but participants who live locally may commute daily if preferred.
Selecting a ticket “with lodging” will reserve a private room in a cottage shared with fellow course participants. Cottages are recently renovated and include electricity, plumbing, a full kitchen, shared bathrooms, wifi, and electric vehicle
Meals are not provided, but Duke Farms is centrally located, with several grocery stores and a variety of restaurants within a ten-minute drive. On Friday and Saturday, our on-site cafe will be open from 10am to 3pm, as well.
Participants will have ample time to go out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day.

Nighttime Moth Walk
2026-07-17 20:00 - 21:30 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Join Educator Toni on a nighttime walk in search of local moth species with a chance to see them up close!

Moths are appreciated less often than their butterfly relatives, but they are still important to their ecosystems as pollinators and food to other wildlife. Some moths can be seen during the day, but some are more elusive and only active under the cover of night… In turn, this nighttime walk will teach about the local diversity of moth species that can be seen at Duke Farms. We will even be using a blacklight to potentially attract some moths for close, easy observation and identification!

We will be meeting first behind the Farm Barn Orientation Center before departing for our program!
This class involves traveling less than 1 mile on mixed (paved and unpaved) surfaces, with participants moving for the entire duration. Most program routes can be adapted to accommodate mobility needs.

(Photo Credit: Snowberry Clearwing, taken by Sara DiVito)

Program Guidelines
Did you know members receive 10% off all programs? To learn more and become a member, visit dukefarms.org/membership.
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Become a Member
Invest in our efforts to protect wildlife, revitalize habitats, and model clean energy solutions by becoming a member. Membership includes discounted classes and access to other members exclusive experiences.
Visit dukefarms.org/membership to learn more.
