- Address
- Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside, NJ 07092
- County
- Union County
- Park System
- Union County Parks Department
- Activities
- dog walking, fishing, hiking, historical activities, horseback riding, walking
- Geo Coords
- 40.685064,-74.372635
- Related Blog Posts
- Read Posts
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 and is easily accessible from RT 78 or RT 22.
Those out for a leisurely 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, explore deeper into the western park of the park for hiking over the basalt ridge line and through forests and pine groves. A look at a map is essential for exploring the park as there are a good number of parking areas and the trails—particularly near the nature trails and Trailside Nature Center—can loop back and overlap often.
Trailside Nature & Science Center
The staff at the Trailside Nature & Science Center manage the visitors center, interpretive nature trails, and events in the park.
Hike Descriptions
Trail Map available (pdf) for download from the Union County Parks web site.
Purchase Photographs
Photos of this park taken by Chris Casciano. Photographs from parks and trails around New Jersey can be purchased at New Jersey Landscape Photography by Chris Casciano. Buy a print to support this site and take home a memory of the trails.
![wild west[field]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2297/2427622603_b51d74ba01_m.jpg)
Learn more about this park at these other sites:
Map & Location
View directions via the Trailside site or click on the map below for a link to Google Maps. or click on the map below for a link to Google Maps.
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Hey, do you know if you’re allowed to camp and start a camp fire in the watchung reservation?
Thanks,
Charlie
I dont think you are allowed to camp there but I have – unfortunally the night we did camp out there was 2 teams of glow and search trail hunt gathering going on lol but all in all if you walk deep enough into the woods no park ranger is willing to go in there especially at night not being able to see 2 feet ahead unless it is brought to there attention by someone or a raudy group. we succeed so good luck to you!
Aren’t there supposed to be satanic witch rituals in the magic and witches forests I read it in a book
do we need a permit to picnic on the reservation on a weekday??? any body tell me please. or if there is a number to call for more info…
I don’t know if you need a permit for a large picnic/reserving picnic areas. You should be able to contact Union County Parks Commission to find out. Info here: http://ucnj.org/community/parks-community-renewal/parks-facilities/
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Can you ice skate at the pond in watchung reservation as you go up on the mountain. We used to live on Greenbriar court and used to walk through the woods to ice sakte in the pond there. we went there today and no one was there
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