Section of Sparta Mountain WMA to close for habitat restoration
Sparta. A 29-acre section of Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area, including a third of a mile of trail, will be closed from Dec. 15, 2025, through March 31, 2026, for habitat restoration and safety reasons.
| 05 Dec 2025 | 02:46
A 29-acre section of the northeastern part of Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area, including about a one-third mile of trail, will be temporarily closed to the public from about Dec. 15 through March 31, 2026.
The closure supports a habitat restoration project aimed at opening the forest canopy to encourage the growth of young oak and hickory trees, blackberries, sedges, and other native shrubs and saplings. The restored habitat will provide breeding and foraging areas for wildlife, including more than 80 bird species observed in other restored open-canopy areas of Sparta Mountain WMA.
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife announced the closure, citing safety concerns for unauthorized personnel during planned management activities. Visitors are urged to remove tree stands, blinds, or other items from the area before work begins and to obey posted signs. Maps of the area are available on the Sparta Mountain WMA Updates website.
NJ Fish and Wildlife said previous management activities were disrupted by spectators entering the work area and ignoring posted signs, creating safety risks that prompted the current full-season closure.
