Duke Farms is Open

Duke Farms in Somerset County has opened to the public. Admission is free, and the property will be open six days a week, in all seasons. Three times the size of Central Park, visitors are be able to explore roughly 20 miles of trails spread out over 1,000 acres of walkable area, greeted by the waterfalls, lakes and rolling hills of the Somerset County estate where Doris Duke lived until her death in 1993. Duke Farms officials want the property to be a serene oasis for walkers, bikers, artists and photographers. They want the experience to be peaceful. That means no wedding photos, film crews or music. Dogs are also not allowed.

With a $45 million face-lift that includes a fence to keep out the deer that had overrun the property, Duke Farms has become a haven for wildlife, including 30 endangered species and 230 varieties of birds, the bald eagle and the great blue heron among them. It will offer plots of land for what foundation officials say will be the biggest community garden in the country, as well as 250 acres of incubation space for aspiring organic farmers. In the greenhouses where Duke once recreated international gardens like those she had seen on her travels, the Duke Farms staff will offer classes and seed swaps for amateur gardeners. The Farm Barn, which once housed animals, will now be the main gateway of the property, offering food, drinks, classrooms and educational exhibits.

Since Duke farms was founded in 1893, much of the 2,470 acre estate has been kept from the public eye. The property owner was Doris Duke, daughter of tobacco magnate James Buchanan Duke. Prior to her death in 1992, Doris requested her property be used to protect endangered species of flora and fauna. Through educational programs, demonstrations and research, Duke Farms hopes to transform visitors approach to conservation and to educate about a more sustainable future.

Duke Farms 1112 Duke Parkway West, between Route 206 and Roycefield Road, Hillsborough, N.J.; (908) 722-3700, dukefarms.org. Trails are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; closed Wednesdays. Free admission.