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Duke Farms
80 Route 206 South, Hillsborough
908-722-3700
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Duke Farms, a 2,700-acre estate in Hillsborough, New Jersey, was developed by tobacco and hydropower magnate James Buchanan Duke, beginning in 1893. By the time he died in 1925, J.B. Duke had transformed more than 2,000 acres of farmland and woodlots into an extraordinary landscape. He excavated 9 lakes, constructed some 45 buildings, and built nearly 2½ miles of stone walls and more than 18 miles of roadway. He also installed approximately 35 fountains and populated his park with countless pieces of sculpture. Duke engaged in at least three known building campaigns, employed hundreds of laborers, and utilized the latest technologies in excavation, construction, water filtration and agriculture in pursuit of his vision. Much of the landscape J.B. Duke created between 1893 and 1925 is still clearly evident at Duke Farms, a testament to his ingenuity, resourcefulness and determination, as well as his bold vision and tremendous resources. When J.B. Duke died, his 12-year-old daughter Doris inherited control of the estate and continued to enhance the property when she became an adult. Doris Duke adapted her father’s greenhouses to create noteworthy display gardens that she opened to the public in 1964. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she purchased small 19th century farms along the western boundary of the estate, which represent the rapidly vanishing agricultural landscape that once characterized central New Jersey.
Today, visitors can take four unique tours featuring different aspects of Duke Farms, as well as take part in a number of educational programs and recreational activities. The property is owned and supported by the Duke Farms Foundation, which maintains the estate’s array of natural, horticultural and historic resources.
Tour groups are welcome at Duke Farms. We have special accommodations and pricing for groups of at least 20 people. The following tours are available to for groups and can be taken individually or in combination. Each tour is given by a tour guide, lasts approximately one hour and is held rain or shine. Please call our reservations line at (908) 722-3700 to learn more about discounts for tour groups.
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The indoor display gardens at Duke Farms are housed in elegant turn-of-the-century glass conservatories. The eleven gardens feature distinct designs inspired by diverse cultures and regions of the world. In 1958, Doris Duke began a six-year process of designing and creating the display gardens. She traveled the globe seeking specimens and ideas to complete the gardens, which she first opened to the public in 1964. Italian, Colonial, Edwardian, French, English, Chinese, Japanese and Indo-Persian designs are juxtaposed near desert, tropical and semi-tropical environments. The indoor walking tour of the gardens lasts approximately one hour.
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The Outdoor Japanese Stroll Garden Tour explores the tranquil garden that Doris Duke commissioned in the 1930s. The tour begins by crossing the south lawn of the Country Manor into a wooded area that James B. Duke planted nearly a century ago. While walking along the woodland trail to the Japanese garden, visitors will learn about some of the natural processes at work in the landscape. Upon entering the formal garden, they will enjoy the changing scenery that unfolds along each turn of the garden’s path while learning about the history and symbolism of various elements within the garden.
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Climb aboard the Duke Farms tour bus to explore the estate’s core 700 acres. Learn about the property’s diverse wildlife habitats and endangered species, as well as its historic buildings, lakes, woodlands, fountains, sculptures, waterfalls, ornamental horticulture and magnificent champion trees. See first-hand how this man-made landscape has evolved over the last 100 years into a critical refuge for wildlife, with likely sightings of a number of waterfowl and hawk species, as well as wild turkeys and even our resident pair of swans.
For 20 to 30 people, groups will use the Duke Farms vehicle for their park tour. We offer a complimentary ticket for your group’s tour coordinator. For more than 30 people, the park tour is given on the group’s own vehicle with your driver at the wheel and our tour guide aboard your bus. We offer a complimentary ticket for the tour coordinator and your bus driver.
Walk on the Wild Side at Duke Farms and explore nature at your own pace. Follow a 1.25-mile trail through a series of different habitats, and see some of the unique features added to the landscape by J.B. Duke. Discover the property's impressive array of wildlife, and learn about Duke Farms’ role as a living laboratory with ongoing restoration projects.
Seasonal Birding Excursions
Join Chris Aquila, Natural Resources Team Leader, for a morning of birding at Duke Farms. A six-time winner of the prestigious New Jersey Audubon World Series of Birding, Chris will take you to the estate’s birding “hotspots,” and you’ll see first-hand what makes Duke Farms one of the finest birding locations in the state.
The fee for each excursion is $15 per person. Call (908) 722-3700 for reservations, which are required. Early Bird Special: Receive a $5 discount when you sign up for a series of any three excursions.
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