# Sunfish Pond

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Lake along the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey

Sunfish Pond Sunfish Pond Show map of Warren County, New Jersey Sunfish Pond Show map of New Jersey Sunfish Pond Show map of the United States Location Worthington State Forest, Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey Coordinates 41°0′10″N 75°4′23″W / 41.00278°N 75.07306°W / 41.00278; -75.07306[1] Type Glacial Basin countries United States Surface area 44 acres (18 ha) Surface elevation 1,379 ft (420 m) U.S. National Natural Landmark Designated January 1970

**Sunfish Pond** is a 44-acre (18 ha) [glacial lake](/source/Glacial_lake) surrounded by a 258-acre (104 ha) hardwood forest located on the [Kittatinny Ridge](/source/Kittatinny_Ridge) within [Worthington State Forest](/source/Worthington_State_Forest), adjacent to the [Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area](/source/Delaware_Water_Gap_National_Recreation_Area) in [Warren County](/source/Warren_County%2C_New_Jersey), [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey). The [Appalachian Trail](/source/Appalachian_Trail) runs alongside the western and northern edges of the lake. It was created by the [Wisconsin Glacier](/source/Wisconsin_Glacier) during the last ice age. The lake was declared a [National Natural Landmark](/source/National_Natural_Landmark) in January 1970.[2]

## History

The land was purchased by [Charles C. Worthington](/source/Charles_Campbell_Worthington) who used the forest as a deer hunting preserve; the lake supplied water to his mansion.[3]

In 1965, there was [a plan to create a reservoir](/source/Tocks_Island_Dam_controversy) which would have covered the lake. Casey Kays, a local custodian, led 655 people on a hike to protest the plan. Further hikes and letter campaigns caused the power companies that owned the land to donate it to the state in 1966.[4] [Supreme Court Justice](/source/Supreme_Court_Justice) [William O. Douglas](/source/William_O._Douglas) mentioned the lake in his dissenting opinion in the *[Sierra Club v. Morton](/source/Sierra_Club_v._Morton)* case.[5] On a hike in 1967, Douglas accompanied more than a thousand people to Sunfish Pond.[6] He said: "It's a vital element in the need to save some of our wilderness from the encroachment of civilization."[7]

## Flora and fauna

The lake is surrounded by stands of [mountain laurel](/source/Kalmia_latifolia), [sheep laurel](/source/Sheep_laurel), and [Cunila origanoides](/source/Cunila_origanoides). Nearby are fields of [Symphoricarpos orbiculatus](/source/Symphoricarpos_orbiculatus). The lake itself also has [Drosera rotundifolia](/source/Drosera_rotundifolia) growing near the edge.[3]

## Visiting

Sunfish pond is a popular hiking destination. Several trails reach the lake, including the [Appalachian Trail](/source/Appalachian_Trail) which runs alongside the western and northern edges of the lake.[8] It is the southernmost [glacial tarn](/source/Tarn_(lake)) along that trail.

The shortest distance to the lake is 1.2 miles from the Douglas trailhead on [Old Mine Road](/source/Old_Mine_Road) via the Garvey Springs Trail. The Douglas Trail, named after Justice Douglas, can be taken to the Appalachian Trail and then Sunfish Pond.[6] The trails are steep and rocky in places. There is no swimming in the lake. There is a [Leave No Trace](/source/Leave_No_Trace) campground a quarter mile away, but proper food precautions must be followed since black bears are active in the area.

There is a collection of ad hoc primitive rock artworks ([cairns](/source/Cairn)) along the northwestern shore.[9]

## Gallery

		- [National Natural Landmark](/source/National_Natural_Landmark) plaque

		- Douglas Trail plaque

		- [Cairn](/source/Cairn) artwork along the shore

## See also

- [List of National Natural Landmarks in New Jersey](/source/List_of_National_Natural_Landmarks_in_New_Jersey)

- [Tocks Island Dam controversy](/source/Tocks_Island_Dam_controversy)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-GNIS_1-0)** ["Sunfish Pond"](https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names/880998). *[Geographic Names Information System](/source/Geographic_Names_Information_System)*. [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey), [United States Department of the Interior](/source/United_States_Department_of_the_Interior).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["National Natural Landmark Summary"](https://web.archive.org/web/20061007064006/http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/Registry/USA_Map/States/NewJersey/NNL/SP/index.cfm). [NPS](/source/National_Park_Service). Feb 5, 2004. Archived from [the original](http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/Registry/USA_Map/States/NewJersey/NNL/SP/index.cfm) on October 7, 2006. Retrieved 2009-03-19.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-botany_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-botany_3-1) ["Hiking Sunfish Pond"](https://web.archive.org/web/20030430235559/http://nynjctbotany.org/njkttofc/sunfish.html). NYNJCTBotany.org. Archived from the original on April 30, 2003. Retrieved 2009-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Brill, Douglas B. (February 1, 2009). ["Casey Kays, considered founder of environmental movement in New Jersey, is dead at 85"](http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1233464812156720.xml&coll=3). lehighvalleylive.com. Retrieved 2009-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["SIERRA CLUB v. MORTON 405 U.S. 727 (1972)"](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/sierraclub.html). [Supreme Court of the United States](/source/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States). 1972. Retrieved 2009-03-19.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Douglas_trail_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Douglas_trail_6-1) ["Douglas Trail"](https://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/douglas-trail.htm). [National Park Service](/source/National_Park_Service).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The Ecologist Plea: 'Save Sunfish Pond'"](https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/14/archives/the-ecologist-plea-save-sunfish-pond.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. May 14, 1972.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Appalachian Trail: Sunfish Pond & Mount Mohican"](http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGN129-026). Retrieved 2009-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Sunfish pond"](http://webbox.lafayette.edu/~reiterc/hikes/sunfish/home/index.html). Retrieved 2016-09-24.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Sunfish Pond (New Jersey)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sunfish_Pond_(New_Jersey)).

- [New Jersey Worthington Forest](http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/worthington.html#sun)

- [Hiking the AT/Sunfish Pond in New Jersey](https://web.archive.org/web/20071130173958/http://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/hikes-at-sunfish-nj.htm)

- Koppenhaver, Bob. ["Wonder Walks: Douglas Trail to Sunfish Pond"](https://www.njskylands.com/odhikewarren#douglas). *Skylands Visitor*.

v t e National Natural Landmarks in New Jersey Great Falls of Paterson-Garret Mountain Great Swamp Manahawkin Bottomland Hardwood Forest Moggy Hollow Natural Area Palisades of the Hudson Pigeon Swamp Riker Hill Fossil Site Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary Sunfish Pond Troy Meadows William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest List of National Natural Landmarks in New Jersey

v t e Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Points of interest Delaware Water Gap Delaware River Appalachian Trail Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge Dingman's Ferry Bridge Milford–Montague Toll Bridge Minisink Minisink Archaeological Site Waterfalls New Jersey Bevans Foster–Armstrong House Kittatinny Mountain Mount Tammany Military Road Millbrook Old Mine Road Historic District Cornelius Gunn House Old Mine Road Pahaquarry Copper Mine Van Campen's Inn Wallpack Ridge Brau Kettle Wallpack Valley Flat Brook Flatbrookville Wallpack Center Worthington State Forest Mount Tammany Fire Road Sunfish Pond Pennsylvania Big Bushkill Creek Blue Mountain Mount Minsi Brodhead Creek Brodhead Farm Bushkill Callahan House Capt. Jacob Shoemaker House Conashaugh Cold Spring Farm Springhouse Delaware Water Gap station Eshback Fort Hyndshaw John Michael Farm John Turn Farm Marie Zimmermann Farm Metz Ice Plant Nyce Farm Schoonover Mountain House Zion Lutheran Church Dingmans Ferry Dingmans Falls Dingman's Ferry Dutch Reformed Church George W. Childs Recreation Site History Tocks Island Dam controversy

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sunfish Pond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunfish_Pond) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunfish_Pond?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.