If you’re looking for a winter family-friendly activity that’s sweet, celebrates the outdoors, and is educational, why not try maple sugaring in NJ? Luckily, you don’t have to travel far—the Garden State has a bunch of places where you can learn about the process of identifying maple trees, collecting sap, syrup making, as well as tasting the sweet sap (and bringing home the skills to tap your own trees). Scroll down to learn more about maple sugaring in NJ, and for more things to do this season, make sure you check out our guide to winter activities in NJ. (featured photo credit: istock/Marc Bruxelle)

Maple Sugaring In NJ

(Note: It’s always best to check ahead for in-person events)

Tenafly Nature Center
January 18-March 15
Make a day of it at this popular nature center during their annual Sap to Syrup seasonal event, where you can learn how to identify a maple tree, hear about the history of maple sugaring, and get to try it yourself with real tapping tools. 
Cost: Children under 2 are free; members are $8; non-members are $12. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
313 Hudson Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670

Poricy Park Nature Center
January 21
Drill holes, hammer in tappers, and hang buckets, all for a delicious, sweet treat as you learn the steps of making maple syrup at Poricy Park Nature Center. The walk down and back is approximately .5 miles. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: $6 non-resident, $5 resident
345 Oak Hill Road, Red Bank, NJ 07701

Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center
Sundays, January 25-February 22
At this event, you’ll identify and tap maple trees, collect sap, and make real maple syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. The syrup will be available for purchase while supplies last. 
Cost: $7 per person; Pre-registration is required for ages 6 and up.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham, NJ 07928

Howell Living History Farm
February 1, 8, and 22
On this historic farm, you’ll get to see the sugar tapping process up close on Feb 1. Then, on Feb 8 and 22, come back to head to the sugarbush to help collect sap in the woods, make syrup in the sap house, and then taste it on whole wheat pancakes. Take your newfound knowledge home to tap maple sugar in your backyard. 
70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township, NJ 08530

Van Vleck Gardens Winter Celebration
February 7
Bring the whole family to Winter Celebration, a day to learn about sugar maple trees and how maple syrup is produced, plus taste real maple syrup. Meet live animals from Eyes of the Wild that are equipped to survive cold temperatures, and explore the gardens for animal tracks, signs, and birds that overwinter locally. 
Cost: $30 for family (members), $40 for family (non-members). Online registration is required.
21 Van Vleck Street, Montclair, NJ 07042 

Watershed Institute
February 7 and 21
Give your kids a lesson on the history, folklore, and science of maple sugaring. Visit maple trees, find out how they are tapped using drills and spiles, and try a sample of sweet maple sugar. You will have an up-close view of the evaporation process and how sticky sap transforms into sweet maple syrup (dependent on the amount of sap produced).
The cost is $12 per child and $12 per adult. It is for children ages 5 and up, and adult attendance is required.
31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington, NJ 08534

The New Weis Center
February 14, 22, 28, and March 1
Start the season with a Tree Tapping and Foraged Tea event on January 28. Then, on weekends in February, learn about the process of making maple sap into syrup and about maple tree history and ecology. Take a short hike to see how to tap, collect, and evaporate the sap. Finish off the day with a syrup taste test.
Cost: Starting at $21.05
150 Snake Den Road, Ringwood, NJ 07456

Maple Sugaring at the Hermitage
February 21
During this program, you’ll learn how to identify sugar maple trees and tap them. Want to DIY? They can teach you to try maple sugaring in your backyard.
Cost: $35 sold in groups of up to 4 people
335 Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423

Happy Day Farm
February 21, 22, and 28 and March 1, 14, 15, 2,1, and 22
Did you know it takes about 80 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup? Take a tractor ride on the 130-acre farm with over 700 maple trees, where you’ll see the sugar bush and learn the process to collect sap (you may be asked to help out Farmer Tim). There will be an educational tour, animal feedings, and a wooden train too.
Cost: $18 per person 
106 Iron Ore Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726

Rancocas Nature Center
February 22 
Take a self-guided hike with multiple interactive stations along the Rancocas trails, where you will learn about the sugar maple tree and the history of maple sugaring in NJ. At the end, watch a tapping demo and taste the rewards. A campfire will be burning to keep you warm and toasty, too.
Cost: $11 per person, $40 per family (limit 5)
794 Rancocas Road, Westhampton, NJ 08060

Schiff Natural Lands Trust & Schiff Nature Preserve Maple Sugaring Demonstration Day
March 7-8
This educational presentation will explain the history of maple sugaring, the seasonal life cycle of the sugar maple tree, and how syrup is made, starting with identifying a maple tree by tapping the tree. Watch a wood-fired evaporator at work and then sample the sweet stuff. If you’re up for it, there’s also a two-mile field walk to the working maple grove.
Cost: Free for Schiff members, and the non-member fee is $10 per person
339 Pleasant Valley Road (Use 339 Schiff Dr in your GPS), Mendham, NJ 07945

Echo Hill
March 14
Collect sap and start the sugaring process at Echo Hill in Hunterdon County. This program runs every 30 minutes from 10 AM to 3:30 PM (last session begins at 2:30 PM). See an early American Frontiersman tapping his trees, visit a sugar “farmer” at his evaporator, and enjoy a Native American story about the discovery of maple sap.
Cost: Free, no pre-registration required
42 Lilac Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822 US

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