Hiking in NJ
“One day’s exposure to mountains is better than a cartload of books.”- John Muir
The first signs of spring are already here – snow is melting, birds are chirping, and the first crocuses are popping up! With the longer daylight comes the desire to get outside and get moving, and hiking is a great outdoor activity that all can enjoy.
New Jersey is home to 600 miles of trails, but here are a few that are close by and have a variety of activities that all can enjoy.
MORRIS COUNTY
Stephens State Park - Hacketstown
805 acres, 6 miles of trails for walking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, or camping.
Pyramid Mountain - Montville
1,675 acres and rugged trails, fields, forests, rock outcroppings, and wetlands. The highest point in the park is at a height of 934 feet with a magnificent view of the New York City skyline.
Tourne County Park - Boonton
Tourne has 561 acres and 10.7 miles of trails. This park offers recreational opportunities all year long: hiking, fishing, horseback riding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding. What makes this park so appealing is that hikers who climb to the Top of the Tourne are rewarded with a panoramic view of the New York City skyline. The highest elevation is 897 feet.
Hacklebarney State Park - Long Valley
A favorite place for fishing, hiking and picnicking. Horseback riding is not permitted. Hiking trails in the northern portions of the 465-acre natural area offer breathtaking views of Black River.
Schooley’s Mountain Park - Long Valley
Schooley's Mountain County Park offers visitors 823 acres of recreational and leisure activities. Miles of hiking trails, a picnic area and shelter, athletic field, play area near the lake picnic grove, and natural amphitheater are features of this all-purpose park.
Cooper Gristmill - Chester
Cooper Gristmill, located on a plot of 14 acres, was built in 1826 and is one of the last remaining restored water-powered mills in New Jersey. It is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. It is a living representation of the state’s transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy.
Black River Country Park - Long Valley, Chester
The Black River County Park is a public park in Morris County, New Jersey operated by the Morris County Park Commission. The park covers an area of 560 acres along the eastern shore of the Black River, and is located between Long Valley and Chester.
Jockey Hollow Park - Morristown
Morristown National Historical Park is the site of General Washington and his Continental Army’s encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where they survived through what was the coldest winter on record. The Grand Loop Trail has easy trails along gurgling streams and rolling hills. The Loop is 7.4 miles round-trip.
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - New Vernon
There are eight miles of trails through the 3,660-acre Wilderness Area of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Click here and download a map, as the trails are not interlocking - you have to drive to various trail heads.
UNION COUNTY
Watchung Reservation - Mountainside
Watchung Reservation offers 13 miles of hiking along the valley and ridge of the lower Watchung Mountains and is located in Union County near the town of Mountainside. Those out for a leisure afternoon will find the trails along Lake Surprise and the Blue Brook to be calming and scenic. The historic abandoned village of Feltville is also a nice walk, particularly in the fall. If you want to get a few more miles in you can explore deeper into the western part of the park. Trails are well-marked and safe.
You can also go on trail rides on horseback at Watchung Reservation!
ESSEX COUNTY
South Mountain Reservation - West Orange
The South Mountain Reservation covers 2,110 acres and is a nature reserve that is part of the Essex County Park System. It is located in portions of Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange, and borders South Orange, between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountains. Popular trails are the Hemlock Falls Trail, Lenape Trail, Rahway Trail and the ever-magical Fairy Trail.