Sunfish Pond
| Sunfish Pond | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Worthington State Forest, Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 41°00′11″N 75°04′23″W / 41.003043°N 75.073099°WCoordinates: 41°00′11″N 75°04′23″W / 41.003043°N 75.073099°W |
| Type | Glacial |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 44 acres (18 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 1,379 ft (420 m) |
| Designated | January 1970 |
Sunfish Pond is a 44-acre (18 ha) glacial lake surrounded by a 258-acre (104 ha) hardwood forest located on the Kittatinny Ridge within Worthington State Forest, adjacent to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Warren County, New Jersey. The Appalachian Trail runs alongside the western and northern edges of the lake. It was created by the Wisconsin Glacier during the last ice age. The lake was declared a National Natural Landmark in January 1970.
The land was purchased by Charles C. Worthington who used the forest as a deer hunting preserve; the lake supplied water to his mansion.
In 1965, there was which would have covered the lake. Casey Kayes, 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.Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas mentioned the lake in his dissenting opinion in the Sierra Club v. Morton case.
The lake is surrounded by stands of mountain laurel, sheep laurel, and Cunila origanoides. Nearby are fields of Symphoricarpos orbiculatus. The lake itself also has Drosera rotundifolia growing near the edge.
Sunfish pond is a popular hiking destination. Several trails reach the lake, including the Appalachian Trail which runs alongside the western and northern edges of the lake. It is the southernmost glacial tarn along that trail.
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Wikipedia