10. Liberty State Park’s Caven Point Natural Area is a Hidden Gem
Caven Point natural area is a hidden treasure of the park and of Jersey City. It’s a 23.5 acre restored and reclaimed salt marsh, peninsula, and cove of the Hudson river estuary (where the river meets the sea) and the last of its kind in New York harbor. It’s a scene that would be similar to what Henry Hudson saw upon entering the Harbor over four hundred years ago. Originally spelled Kavans Point, this portion of land was later granted as a land patent to employees of the Dutch West India company to help them set up farms and villages.
Today, it is a fully functioning estuary exhibiting ecologically typical upland and wetland habitats. Even though this area has been disturbed in the past couple hundred years, nature has taken over again. Estuaries are considered to be the nurseries of the sea and second in bio-diversity to rainforests so the amount of wildlife at Caven Point is almost shocking and a clear indicator that the Hudson River estuary is healthy enough to provide food and safe shelter.
Be on the lookout for harbor seals if you visit soon or threatened species as the black skimmer and green crowned night heron in the summer, or the local regulars such as blue crab or even sand sharks! Caven Point is dominated by salt marsh cord grass and contains extensive mudflats providing feeding grounds for numerous wading birds on this stop along the Atlantic Flyway, a route taken by migratory shorebirds along the eastern seaboard of the United States and a paradise for birders and nature seekers.
Public access is from October to March due to nesting and spawning in the spring and summer months but there are plenty of Park-led events here throughout the summer to take advantage of. Horseshoe crabs also use Caven Point as a migratory stop to lay eggs and feed as the Grand Central of their migratory route is just to the south at Cape May, New Jersey. Unfortunately, Caven Point is currently at risk of private development and this beautiful oasis could be lost forever. You can visit the Friends of Liberty State Park webpage to see how the organization is trying to stop it. The Parks Interpretive Center, directed by Lori Garth, have naturalists who provide numerous programs for thousands of people on Caven Point throughout the year for all ages, and most for free!
Whether it is a horseshoe crab walk, seining, bird watching or kayaking, families, school groups, and individuals can sign up for these programs here.
Next, check out The Abandoned (but accessible) Rail Station at Liberty State Park and The Top 10 Secrets of the Statue of Liberty in NYC. This article has been put together by Nicole Saraniero and Mandy Edgecombe.