Loantaka Brook Reservation is a a 570+ acre park located in Morris County between Chatham, Harding & Morris. Inside the park is the namesake Loantaka Brook, a pond, and 8+ miles of all purposed paved trails, and at least 6 miles of marked dirt hiking trails. Located near the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and Lord Stirling Park the terrain is a similar fairly flat roll through woods and wetlands, though less marshy. There are multiple entrances to the park, where trails spill out into local roadways, with a large parking area located along Kitchell Road where you can also find a picnic area, pond and ballfields. Hike Descriptions Trail … Continue reading →

Eagle Rock Reservation is a 400+ acre park along the Watchung Mountains ridge line located between West Orange, Montclair and Verona. The 40 mile Lenape Trail (yellow blazes) skirts the eastern edge of the park. The hiking trails and footpaths that crisscross the woodland (and sometimes boggy) areas of the park are friendly for hikers of all ages and abilities. The main entrance to the park, located on Eagle Rock Avenue, is home to a large green, as well as the Essex County 9/11 Memorial and overlook to the east with extraordinary views of the New York City Skyline. Eagle Rock Reservation Conservancy The Eagle Rock Reservation Conservancy is a … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →