Turtles, Frogs & Snakes

Turtles love to Conga !

Common Watersnake

This is one of the most common snakes in NJ, inhabiting freshwater streams, ponds, lakes, swamps, marshes, and bogs throughout the state. This snake will likely retreat from you, but if you have to push your luck, this bad-tempered critter can give you a nasty non-venomous bite, and is likely to hold on for quite a while. All snakes are good swimmers, but this one actually likes the water.


American Bullfrog

Frogs are seldom seen during the day, but easily discovered at night by their eye shine. In fact, it can be disturbing to see just how many of them there are around.


Eastern Painted Turtle

You'll find these medium-sized turtles in any body of water. You will often find them sunning themselves on any convenient perch, watching you. Get too close, and they drop into the water. Rarely, you may encounter a released pet that is tame.


Raritan River
( 40.59399, -74.59918 )

  1. Raritan River - Bound Brook ( 40.55995, -74.52758 )
  2. Raritan River - Branchburg ( 40.55644, -74.68838 )
  3. Raritan River - Duke Island (E) ( 40.56082, -74.64751 )
  4. Raritan River - Duke Island (W) ( 40.55279, -74.68330 )
  5. Raritan River - Edison ( 40.48791, -74.38382 )
  6. Raritan River - Highland Park ( 40.48864, -74.42226 )
  7. Raritan River - New Brunswick ( 40.48760, -74.43280 )
  8. Raritan River - Perth Amboy ( 40.50057, -74.27712 )
  9. Raritan River - Piscataway (N) ( 40.54085, -74.51236 )
  10. Raritan River - Piscataway (S) ( 40.50935, -74.46641 )
  11. Raritan River - Power Canal ( 40.55112, -74.67136 )
  12. Raritan River - Raritan ( 40.56492, -74.63884 )
  13. Raritan River - Sayreville ( 40.47450, -74.35606 )
  14. Raritan River - Somerville (E) ( 40.55798, -74.61520 )
  15. Raritan River - Somerville (W) ( 40.56539, -74.63173 )
  16. Raritan River North Branch ( 40.60018, -74.67447 )
  17. Raritan River North Branch - Far Hills ( 40.68441, -74.64214 )
  18. Raritan River North Branch - Natirar Park ( 40.64761, -74.68024 )
  19. Raritan River North Branch Depot ( 40.58160, -74.68161 )
  20. Raritan River South Branch ( 40.54640, -74.69603 )
  21. Raritan River South Branch - Clinton (N) ( 40.63854, -74.91169 )
  22. Raritan River South Branch - Clinton (S) ( 40.62806, -74.91200 )
  23. Raritan River South Branch - Flemington (C) ( 40.52105, -74.82666 )
  24. Raritan River South Branch - Flemington (E) ( 40.50354, -74.77814 )
  25. Raritan River South Branch - Flemington (N) ( 40.53810, -74.83934 )
  26. Raritan River South Branch - Hamden ( 40.59699, -74.89827 )
  27. Raritan River South Branch - High Bridge (N) ( 40.66394, -74.89742 )
  28. Raritan River South Branch - High Bridge (S) ( 40.66094, -74.90237 )
  29. Raritan River South Branch - Lockwood Gorge (N) ( 40.69682, -74.87171 )
  30. Raritan River South Branch - Lockwood Gorge (S) ( 40.68816, -74.88014 )
  31. Raritan River South Branch - Neshanic (E) ( 40.50873, -74.72776 )
  32. Raritan River South Branch - Neshanic (W) ( 40.50250, -74.74182 )
  33. Raritan River South Branch - Rte 31 ( 40.56315, -74.85544 )
  34. Raritan River South Branch - Stanton ( 40.57219, -74.86834 )
  35. Raritan River South Branch - Sunnyside ( 40.57942, -74.88795 )

The Raritan River is what is left of the outflow of the Hudson River after it broke through the Verrazano Narrows about 6,000 years ago and changed to its present course. The modern Raritan River drains much of central New Jersey, with tributaries threading through the state from Princeton to Morristown. One northern tributary - the Lamington River - reaches almost to Lake Hopatcong. Zoom the map out to see the entire drainage. The thin red line is the "fall line" - the nominal division between uplands and lowlands.