The trail is intended primarily for vehicular tourism. It is a partnership project by the National Park Service in cooperation with the State of New Jersey and many other public and private organizations working to preserve the state's natural and cultural heritage. The Trail extends along coastal New Jersey, from Perth Amboy to Cape May on the Atlantic coast, and west along the Delaware Bay from Cape May to the Delaware Memorial Bridge at Deepwater, New Jersey.

The Trail's expanded web page - InDepth button - provides a listing of destinations with detailed site descriptions of each region.

The refuge encompasses about 9 miles of the Wallkill River, which flows north from Sparta, New Jersey and enters the Rondout River, a tributary of the Hudson River, near Kingston, New York. The Wallkill River floods extensively in the spring, fall, and winter.

The river's broad floodplains are primarily forested wetlands and wet meadows. The rolling topography of the area is found on the refuge as well. Oak-covered limestone ridges parallel the river, sometimes coming right to the river's edge. Wetlands and forests yield to open farmlands and grasslands at the higher elevations.

The refuge supports a diverse number of species, including 19 species listed by New Jersey as threatened or endangered. These include the American bittern, barred owl, bobolink, Cooper's hawk, grasshopper sparrow, great blue heron, northern harrier, savannah sparrow, sedge wren, short-eared owl, upland sandpiper, vesper sparrow, and wood turtle. The bog turtle is found on the refuge. Black bear and bobcat also occur.

A major grassland and wetland complex, habitat is provided for black ducks, wood ducks, green-winged teal and for shorebirds, songbirds and raptors. Waterfowl and shorebirds are common during migration, as are neotropical songbirds. Many species of songbirds also nest on the refuge, including chestnut-sided warblers and scarlet tanagers.