Take one of the fiercest military campaigns in the American Revolution, add some wide open spaces, thickets of woodlands and smooth, easy trails create and you have a park with something for everyone. Winding around the edges of Princeton Battlefield State Park are manageable trails where you can jog, hike or, after a good snowfall, do some cross-country skiing.

And you don’t have to be a history geek to appreciate the enormity of what took place here. Coming at the end of what is now known as “Ten Crucial Days” that started when Washington crossed the Delaware River and knocked the stuffing out of the Hessian troops in Trenton, the Battle of Princeton was not only one of the fiercest but also one of the most important, giving Washington and his troops an important victory.

Throughout the Park’s wide open spaces you’ll find landmarks that date back to the 1777 battle, including the gravesites of American and British soldiers who died there. The historic Mercer Oak Tree, named for the Continental Army general who died from battle wounds, still stands. And the 1772 Clark House, where Mercer was treated for his wounds still stands, too. Stop in and check out the artifacts from the Revolutionary War era – old spinning wheels, furnishings, looms and military exhibits and artifacts. There is also a research library of 18th century military and political subjects.