This is an amazing hike! It's almost all shaded and once you climb the rocks, straight up on blue,…read moreit's quite an easy hike. Guys we hiked blue to purple to blue to orange (which comes back to blue and the parking lot) and it took 2 hours and 3 miles. We met people who thought the whole thing took 45 minutes and had the water to go with that. This is an intermediate hike and you really need the water, as well as trail map or at least pic of trail map, to make it happily. We met so many lost people on the trail. It's not marked as well as you think. Also we took the pup who thought lake at first sight, meant jump. Pro tip; keep them out of the lake. It's full of stagnant water and stinking mud. Your nose will thank me. Instead enjoy the bubbly creek crossing before and after the hike.

The fam was looking to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather that we have been having. I…read morerecalled doing this hike a number of years ago and enjoyed it, so decided to give it another try. The parking lot was not the biggest, but there seemed to be many spots on the street. Fortunately we were able to find a spot in the lot though. It is dog friendly, so we brought our little guy too. Since the my younger son is only 7 we decided to do the hike (blue trail) to Tripod rock and back, which is about 3 miles. It does have some incline, but didn't receive any complaints about this from the fam. Also there are a bunch of stones on the hiking path, so be careful not to trip. The trail is marked well (apart from one point towards the tripod rock where it splits) so we were able to get to our destination fairly easily. It wasn't too crowded, which was nice.

**We just did the boardwalk then into the woods. We did not continue on to the Stairway**…read more I've lived in NJ over 30 years and I'm still pleasantly surprised when I find new places. My NY plus size hiking group stuck to the Jersey side last weekend and hit the boardwalk. It rained 2 days before so some of the older sections were mighty slick. All Trails reviews warned of dog poop and bugs everywhere but I was doused in OFF and people were cleaning up after their pets. Highlights: The vegetation was gorgeous. NJ has so many landscapes. Loved it. The suspension bridge - very cute but once you get to the middle prepare to sway baby! The woods - the trees were singing but unfortunately one half of the loop was submerged so we called it a day early and then went for beer lmao The Boardwalk is accessible to a point. Strollers, wheelchairs, etc will be good until the suspension bridge. Lots of bench seating along the way. Loved! Things to Know: Parking rules. This is in a neighborhood so park on the main road and main road only. Get there early for a spot. There's a farm right up the street - I was counting on apple cider donuts but we opted to go to a brewery on the NY side so we skipped that. Boo. I'll be back for the stairway one day. And the donuts.

I did the Stairway to Heaven hike and let me tell you. It was a tough one. I parked in one of the…read morelots that was across the street from Heaven hill farm. If you search up this particular trail and look up its difficultly. It is listed as moderate but to me it was more hard. What made it difficult was the extremely rocky sections which there were a lot of them. The whole hike is pretty much rocky. Not only that there were steep sections during this hike. This hike definitely made me realize that I actually need to invest in proper hiking shoes and not just sneakers as well as hiking sticks. I'm not the only one who thought this hike was difficult. I went with a hiking group and we all thought it was challenging. Once we made it to the top the view was definitely beautiful. We decided to relax for a bit and enjoy the view before heading back down. I came prepared and I enjoyed my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and my iced lemon water. Both were hitting the spot after the hike up. I will admit going down was just as hard because you had to deal with steep terrain. If you aren't careful you can definitely roll an ankle. Overall a challenging hike but the view and then getting my goodies from heaven hill farm was a plus.

For what it's worth, this review specifically pertains to a rainy winter hike - I can't comment on…read moremost of the park amenities near the playgrounds, playing fields, etc. And I'm also willing to acknowledge that I likely would have felt more favorably disposed toward this park if we had been there in better weather that didn't give off massive Pacific NW vibes. The dreary conditions were not the park's fault. Loantaka was the site of the annual first of the year hike with a group of noble chums. Interestingly, there was a rival "official" hike being held at the same time by the Boy Scouts of America - their social media announcements (complete with map) ahead of time were very helpful in locating a decent parking area for my compatriots. I don't think I have the ability on Yelp to review the BSA, but their scoutmaster was a gem and several of my chums purchased commemorative pins for the event at their little kiosk. Also, my dad was an Eagle Scout and can start a bonfire in about 30 seconds, so that's something. For the purposes of our adventure, we ended up walking 3.13 miles (assuming an Apple watch was correct, which I'm always dubious about), an out-and-back from the parking lot off Loantaka Way to Kitchell Lake just across the aptly named Kitchell Road. The parking lot was easy to access with plenty of spaces, though it was a bit more crowded by the time we were done. It was very pleasing to see several port-a-potties nearby, and I can report from firsthand experience that they were relatively clean, though the toilet seat in mine was wet and required my first squatting situation of 2022. I could breathe comfortably though, so I think you take that compromise if you can get it. The trails are very well maintained - we were exclusively on paved ones, though it looked like there were a few dirt paths that went off them as well, all of which looked tidy and drama-free. That said, it would have been nice if there were more markers/signage giving us a better idea of where we were. It would be difficult to get authentically lost in this area (I imagine it would take roughly 15 minutes to accidentally stumble across a county highway), but it would have been helpful for our orientation. This year's hike featured an Honorary Young Pup of 6, who was able to handle the adventure with aplomb (and enjoyed spotting the metal tags on the trees). There were also many pooches on the premises, and virtually all seemed to be doodle mixes of some sort - very little variety in this area of Jersey, apparently. If you're looking for decent photo ops, this is not where I'd go; this is a park that I'd use exclusively for very mild cardio/fresh air. There are a few streams on the journey, but nothing to write home about. The pond was pleasant enough, with abundant waterfowl in the distance, but it's hard to get whipped up about scenery that looks like it's straight out of Taylor Swift's Folklore album photo shoot.

Followed the gps and it told me to park on the side of the road but there was a sign that said you…read morecouldn't park there. I played it safe and looped around the park and noticed that there's actually a parking lot located on Loantaka Way. First time I came here was in the Spring of 2018 and by the summer I noticed they installed bikes now. You'll have to download the app and follow the instructions to unlock it. Nice clean well maintained park. What I love most about this place is that it's shaded!!!! Given the summer heat, this is the perfect place to take a stroll.

So beautiful. The trails are poorly marked and there aren't any maps really. But it's worth it…read more Just leave plenty of time. Lots of variety

A quiet preserve with a nice, paved path on slight grade. There are more paths through the woods…read moreand alongside the river that runs through the glen. Watch out for coyotes and bears! It's nice to see a refuge like this, and great spot for easy access to a little bit of nature when you need to kick back and dangle your feet in a cool stream..

The Jockey Hollow unit of Morristown National Historical Park is the site of the Continental Army's…read moremain winter encampment. My first stop was the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center. There, I watched the 15 minute film and arranged for a volunteer to take me inside the Wick House. The film described what life was like for the common soldier who wintered at Jockey Hollow during the harshest winter of the War, from December 1779 to June 1780. Huddled in log cabins with rags for clothing and little food, the army hunkered down to wait for Spring. After watching the film and touring the Wick House, I decided to walk the 2.5 mile park loop road. There are 27 miles of hiking trails in the park, but these were all covered with snow and ice on the day of my visit. There were plenty of pedestrians, dog-walkers and cyclists sharing the road with me.

Most elementary school teachers' lesson plans on the American Revolution emphasize the significance…read moreof the Continental Army's winter encampment at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania during the winter of 1777-1778. Few of them mention the fact that thousands of soldiers from the Continental Army spent the winter of 1776-1777 (following George Washington's iconic crossing of the Delaware River) and the winter of 1779-1780 (which was the harshest winter of the Revolutionary War) in Jockey Hollow -- located just south of downtown Morristown. In March 1933, Morristown National Historical Park -- including the Jockey Hollow encampment -- became the country's first National Historical Park. Jockey Hollow features a small visitor center staffed by knowledgeable park rangers that offers a short film and interpretive exhibits explaining the significance of the site as well as a small gift shop. There are also more than 25 miles of marked hiking trails and a 3-mile paved tour road that offers easy 'drive to' (or, 'walk to') access to the visitor center, Wick Farm, soldiers' huts, and parade grounds. The tour road is very popular with local walkers and runners and the marked hiking trails, which range in difficulty from easy to moderate, are well-blazed and well-represented on the trail maps available on the park's website and along the trails throughout the park. The longest hiking trail is the 6.5 mile white-blazed Grand Loop Trail, which circles the entire Jockey Hollow site and intersects with the Patriots Path trail system that traverses Morris County. Some of the other hiking trails include the 3.0-mile blue-blazed New York Brigade loop trail, which offers a fantastic view of the distant New York City skyline from the top of Mount Kemble, and the 2.25-mile yellow-blazed loop trail, which connects the key historic sites throughout the park. There is no fee for the park and there is plenty of free parking at the visitor center, the soldiers' huts, and the trailheads.

Great park with some beautiful trails! We went hiking here over Memorial Day weekend (in the rain)…read moreand had a great time. We did the river trail which was a nice hike for the whole family. I wish that there were paper maps, there were times when having one would have been very handy. That being said, there are plenty of trail markers. They show up just as you start wondering if you're going the right way or not. The trail could use some maintenance- there were lots of downed trees. There was one you have to completely climb over (we had to scoot over it, you can't step over it as it's too wide). It had been down long enough that people had found a few ways around it that were off trail (didn't look super safe though) and instead have you go over a thinner part of the trunk. The trail is extremely rocky, which we were expecting and found it to be very fun! But make sure you are wearing shoes with a good grip. Overall, we loved this even in the rain. There's some nice waterfalls along the way, and plenty of picnicking spots.

Long Valley, NJ - I love hiking in this park. It's a nice one to do with kids, and good for a…read morecasual and relaxing hike with some scenic features. You can do easy to moderate loops of various lengths. There are paved gravel roads as well as dirt trails with large rocks, and fun scrambly sections (not vertical) along the creek on the red trail, which takes you along the creek for half the loop. This is fun for our toddler who likes to figure out the way over and around obstacles. Great for exercise and physical coordination. Fishing is possible with a permit. A few picnic tables can be found here and there. There's even a small "secret" playground with a couple of picnic tables, located at the intersection of the white and yellow trails near the trailhead. The parking lot is spacious. There are bathrooms at the trailhead but they are only open during the warmer seasons. There's lots to do nearby as well: Hacklebarney Farms Cider Mill, Alstede Farms, Ort Farms, Cooper Gristmill, and Main Street Chester with some cute shops and eateries. You can really make a full day of it!

Beautiful fall day exploring the trails with kids. Uphill trails for a challenge, climbing rocks,…read morewalking over streams, throwing rocks. Resting on benches. Lots to do and see. Bathrooms and parking available.

Had a planned family gathering and rented out the main covered seating area. We paid for the entire…read moreday and it was meant for us even though the park DID NOT SET A RESERVED SIGN ANYWHERE!!! So it started out bad. Multiple families had already setup shop and started to cook on the grills to have their picnics. We had to let them know that they had to leave and take their parked cars also. What a mess. Where are the forest rangers or cops to patrol... not anywhere in site! Other than that, it's a nice spot to hand and check out the pond. Besides the fact that it gets mobbed and parking is hard to find, I would come for a hike.

Beautiful park to visit all year long! Amazing views!…read moreThe park includes a damn with water fall and walking trails along the Whippany River. My favorite time to visit is the Fall- the colors are spectacular!!

Nice park in Morristown. Good for a stroll. The waterfall is amazing. I love it in the fall. Some…read morebeautiful sights.

Loved it here. We came here for a morning walk. There weren't many people here and there were some…read moreflowers and plants. I'm sure there are more in the spring and summer. I loved the paths and sights here. I'm excited to come back here in the warmer weather to see more of the flowers.

Our visit to this arboretum marked my first public outing post-partum. The arboretum itself is…read morelovely and most of it is stroller accessible, which I appreciated. However there are no public restrooms at all, which was a HUGE challenge for me, especially so soon after having a baby. There was one restroom, which closed at 4:00pm. I showed up exactly at 4:00pm, but was turned away by the staff. I tried again 15 minutes later, but they informed me that they clock out at 4:00pm and letting me use the bathroom would delay them getting home. I have been an hourly employee before and totally get this, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of humanity. Being out for the first time was physically (and emotionally) challenging, and I was hoping for a bit more understanding from the staff.

A great variety of hiking trails with pretty views. Trails for all types of hikers from easier to…read moremore difficult, whatever type you like this park will provide.