This short "trail" may be about the cutest thing in the whole entire world! Just off of Locus Grove Parking lot, this short trail got my imagination going; you can really feel the magic! All kinds of fairy houses dot the trail, some solitary, and some in little hamlets. I can only imagine the hours of play time this trail provides kids. The trail itself is short with no real elevation change, but the dirt is very compacted from use, leaving a ton of tree roots and rocks to trip over, so do watch your step! read more

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STEPH JUDGEMENT: A fun, homespun art experience along a beautiful walking trail. We were staying with some friends in the area, and while perusing Google maps I noticed this spot, which sounded fun. Our friends knew about it and said they hadn't been since their kids were little, but were game to take us. It started out as a guerilla DIY art project by a local guy but has since become an official part of the beautiful South Mountain Reservation park. It's basically a bunch of adorable handmade fairy houses along a walking trail. Different people contributed to the trail, but at some point new additions were forbidden. Some houses were dilapidated, and I'm not sure how they're maintained (if at all), but there were enough houses to make for an enchanting stop. read more

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Adorable place and some of the houses are very cute , you can tell people took their time to make it nice . The trail is very clean . The only issue I had was the fact the maps for the hiking trails are basically non existent and the little that is available is also very confusing . The other major issue is parking , place is super busy with visitors but not enough parking. read more

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Millburn, NJ - This is such a sweet little trail! I have been wanting to do it for a long time and finally came here with my family just before Christmas when we were in the area. It's winter time so there was hardly anyone (and no problem getting a parking spot obviously), but the fairy houses are just as magical in a snowy setting. They are each unique and fun to come upon and discover along the half-mile path. The trail is flat, easy to follow, and fun with little ones. Our toddler enjoyed the hike (snow hikes are his favorite) and examining the houses, looking for fairies. Adults who are young at heart or seek delight, whimsy, and the unusual will find this trail enchanting too! It's located on the southern tip of South Mountain Reservation which has plenty of other trails, and is close by the Turtle Back Zoo and the Regatta Playground. read more

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True story! Have heard about the fairy trails for awhile! This weekend, decided to explore and search for fairies!! * Drove to the South Mountain Reservation. Small parking lot and we were turning the car to exit, when a parking spot became available. We parked and walked up towards the reservation map --before us three trail entrances! Hubby chose the trail on the right! And off we went, up and down the trails, over rocks & through the trees . Admiring the beautiful views of nature all around us!! We walked 3 1/2 miles and we finally reached the fairy trail! So exited to find the first little house! It was fun trying to locate all the fairy homes! We pass the fairy crossing bridge, walked a bit more to just realized! We literally parked across the entrance of the fairy trail in the middle of the parking lot!!! Oh well!! It was a good walk!! LOL Happy trails!! read more

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What a delightful trail for littles just starting out. The Fairy Tail has clear markings, ropes to help the littles not veer off path, and it's short enough not to tire out tiny feet. So many cute fairy homes. Some pre-made. Some made with materials straight from nature. But all unique in their own way. It'll fascinate and inspire the young and the more-than-young alike. I know I was! read more

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Enjoy hiking? Check out this 1 mike Fairy Trail in NJ! So much fun!! 1 mile long. My 3 year loved it. Waterfalls in the middle of the hike, and fairy houses along the way!! Dogs can hike also. Wear sneakers, bring water and its shaded so next time I'll probably wear long sleeves and pants. read more

South Mountain Fairy Trail - Kids Activities Near Me

Adorable little trail lined with tiny fairy homes. This is more of a walk, to introduce the concept of nature and hiking to small children. The homes are in various levels of condition, which is fine by me (and somewhat reflective of reality). There was no information on who builds or maintains the fairy homes, but there is a clear sign you should not add you own -- if it's made with natural materials such as wood and leaves along the path, not sure why it wouldn't be allowed. From the parking lot, this path is a little tricky to spot. It's actually in the middle of the lot. If you walk toward the end of the lot with the more noticeable park entrances, you'll end up on a hike. You'll know you're at the right place when you see a fairy house immediately, as well as the welcome sign (see attached photo). I'm a child at heart and enjoyed this path; will bring the little ones in the future. read more

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A retired teacher and her autistic son have been placing homes for fairies along this trail by the Rahway River for about 10 years. It's a lovely walk on an easy trail and fun to see how many of the tiny homes you can spot. For little kids, it's a magical place. We saw one little girl in a tutu skipping on the path, delighted to find each tiny home. The parking lot is small for how popular this trail has become, so it's best to get there early. You can also access the Lenape Trail from this lot. We started up that one, but it was too steep a climb for us on that particular day. Even though the lot was crowded, people were responsible about distancing and everyone we saw was wearing a mask read more

South Mountain Fairy Trail - Kids Activities Near Me

Fun trail, a close walk from town and easy to find, more fairy houses than expected. Recommend wearing long pants as there was a lot of poison ivy around and since our kids were in shorts we were on edge trying to keep them on the trail and away from it. read more

Cute hiking trail. A group of us took our kids here for a play date. We used a baby carrier for our 6 month old and she enjoyed the scenery. All these tiny fairy houses were simply adorable. There's a small free parking lot with pretty decent porta potties. We saw deers from a distance and there's a picnic area with tables where you can eat. read more

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Loved this trail. Dog friendly. Good fresh air. Got a nice long walk here. Well maintained. Not many bugs my deer spray held up very well. Social distancing is required. Best to come early in the morning before more ppl show up. I think this is the best way to take things in!! read more

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Sometimes you just stumble upon something because you want to get outside safely during Covid and breath in the fresh air. My girlfriends and I decided to do just that. Masks are suggested but this place is a little over a mile walk so your never fell like your on top of one another. The Fairy Trail is just that kind of place. It's located in the South Mountain Reservation of Milburn, NJ. They have a parking lot (Locust Grove) It's just across the street from the main library. You just look for the white circles marked on the trees,and There's some signs to guide you. There is NO admission charge,and you can stay as long as you like until closing. This place is not geared for the handicapped..In some spots you have to step over branches, and rocks, it's not a smooth path but it is wide. You can decide how far you want to walk. What makes the Fairy Trail so cool is it's natural surroundings, As you get deeper into the reservation you can see the Rahway River from up above. You can also climb down carefully to see the waterfall. The sounds of nature are everywhere! There's little fairy houses made out of everything from twigs, sticks, acorns, rocks, tiny stones, pine cones, everything nature has to offer. These houses were donated by neighbors. They suggest to not leave any while you're there.It was closed for awhile but now it's reopened and flourishing.(FYI you can go online and look up how to make a fairy house for your own backyard.) Some of these fairy houses are easy to spot, and some are hidden in between trees, and crevices, which are strategically placed. It is wonderful for children because they can spot the different fairy houses, walk, climb etc. I highly suggest wearing really sturdy good walking, or hiking boots or sneakers. There is some poison ivy on the sides of the path, and they warn against going off because you can get ticks. I would suggest bringing a backpack with water, and snacks. Some spots are harder to climb than others. It's also great for hikers, and people who want to get back to nature and take in the beauty and serenity of this place. . I had a wonderful time and so did my friends. I highly recommend coming here. read more

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South Mountain Fairy Trail had the most prodigious healing effect on me. Our time was serendipitous! Gives you an appreciation for nature as you hike this whimsical fairy trail. I had no idea what to expect but loved every second of this adventure. As you hike, you encounter these diorama fairy homes. As you closely examine the scene, you see the attention to detail that was left. From the ladder, to the flower in the homes, mini chair etc. You can imagine a lot of love went into it. This place just transcends you to a fairy tale utopia. Every time I had the privilege of coming back, i always get a sense of feeling like it was my first time here. There are some etiquettes to keep in mind if you decide to explore this wonderfully curated half mile idyllic setting. They advise you to stay on the trail, and not veer off the hiking path to prevent damaging the surrounding vegetation. Two: Don't be an ogre and litter. Lastly, there are notices everywhere reminding you not to touch the fairy homes. They are fragile and not a toy for you to play with, open its door and add on items to it. If you finish the trail, you will encounter the water pond where we took a rest and refueled for the journey back. What a serene surrounding. You have to be fully engulfed in the moment, or you'll miss discovering another fairy home. I would suggest wearing your timbs or hiking boots. You might slip wearing your sneakers and walking through wet areas. I would apply bug repellent, sun block before entering to lighten your load, a sun hat, a lot of water, and your adventurous spirit. They have a few porta potty by the extremely limited parking lot closest to the trail and more spots across the street. Afterwards, we headed to Regatta Playground. If we wasn't so tired, we would've continued getting our steps in and walked around the Orange Reservoir. Instead, they had a few tables set up where we had our lunch. What a magnificent time we had! read more

Such an easy and fun trail to hike! My family decided to hike this trial during 4th of July weekend so it was a bit crowded. The parking lot is a challenge so be prepared for that. They have two porta potty's right at the entrance should you need them although I don't suggest it. The trail was short and sweet but can get a little tricky once you reach certain areas. Remember to stay right on the path so you won't risk walking into poison ivy or venturing off into another area. read more

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The Fairy Trail was such a delight for my family, especially my 3-year old daughter. Located within South Mountain Reservation, you can park at the Locust Grove Parking Lot off of Glen Avenue in Millburn, right by Millburn Train Station. The trail stretches about 2¼ miles long with clear markings of white paint on several trees. We hiked for about 40 minutes one way then turned around. We didn't reach the other end of the trail since it seemed to become more difficult, particularly for my 17-month old. Water and snacks came in handy for all of us. Along the way, we passed by several fairy houses of different styles made of twigs, wood planks, shells, sea glass, and some glitter. A few at my eye level had some fairy figurines. When I lifted my daughter to see a fairy, she said, "Oh, it's just a statue!" but she still believes in their existence (because I haven't told her otherwise) and she had so much fun. While the public can leave fairy houses along the trail, those with plastic components will be removed. My visit motivated me to plan a little fairy garden for my kids in the backyard. The Fairy Trail is a very short drive away from several eateries, Turtle Back Zoo, and Regatta Playground and it's a great excuse to go outdoors to play look-and-find for any age. read more

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Kids will love this, for sure. Took my wife and adult children here for a quick hike. They were not as impressed with the fairy houses as I was but the park/trails were also very crowded so it wasn't the ideal hiking situation. Try to go when it's not crowded. The fairy houses are interesting, creative and cool. They are about the size of a typical bird house. It's a shame some of them are in need of repair but it was still interesting to see them. The coolest ones had families with small children hovering over them (understandably) so we tried to avoid them (Covid-19). If you are going to photograph the fairy houses, get down low on their level. They do photograph quite well. Parking was fine. We lucked out and got a spot when another car was leaving. If the parking lot is full you can probably just park across the street at the library. There were a few port-o-potties in the parking lot and everyone was wearing face masks, so that is good. read more

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Thanks Florence C for sharing this wonderful hiking trail! I decided to take my family here on a hike. They are not hikers and usually whine and complain when I force them to go hiking but they had so much fun here. There are so many fairy houses. Some have doors you can open, some have pulleys, some have rooms that you can see from a window. We were able to do the entire hike in about an hour and a half, including time to admire the houses. Most of the trail is very easy but it does get a little dangerous when you reach the area overlooking the stream or dam. You have to be careful in this section as there is not a lot of space to walk and there is no border to keep you from falling down the steep mountainside and into the water! If your kids are little, I'd recommend turning back at this point because once you pass this area, there is not much else to see, just a path to circle back to the origin. This is especially true if there are a lot of leaves on the ground and it is muddy, making it slippery. read more

South Mountain Fairy Trail - This door opens! - Kids Activities Near Me

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Got kids? Grandkids?? Are you a kid at heart??? This is the trail for you. Who can walk this trail and not be uplifted? It's a shame that some idiots mess with the lovely homes built by the fairies. read more

This place is so cute. Stumbled upon it while taking a ride but it was really so nice. A good hike, perfect for kids.The fairy forest had all these miniature set ups .Adorable! read more

I loved the trail, but didn't have time to explore each one. I came across two fairy treasures and am looking forward to returning and spending more time in the outdoors! read more

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This place is adorable. As four grown adults I can tell you we all had a nice time running around and finding the little houses. I've attached tons of pictures. The trail does get really muddy so wear appropriate footwear if it has rained/snowed in last few days. read more

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This trail winds into the White trial which can lead to the Hemlock Falls which was more of the Hemlock trickle the day we hiked there it was none dry. Nevertheless, a place of beauty & Serenity where you're not isolated if alone 5 Stars Wuv it read more

A beautiful park to hike/walk/run. My running friends and I were at a race here (Mayapple 20 miler race) and the trails were beautiful. Lots of nice scenery, like elevation changes, and you can run for miles without repeating the same track. read more

Was looking for a trail that would be fun for my family and stumbled upon this trail. The parking lot/main entrance is located across the street from the library. Went on a day where the weather was comfortable. Not too hot and not too cold. Was surprised to have been able to find a parking spot as there was a handful of people. Yet, no worries, there was more then enough space to social distance. As you walk in there's a sign with rules and guidelines. Most important rule is to stay on the trail due to poison ivy. Because of this the pup we had we made sure she stayed leashed and at our side the whole time. Once you begin the trail there's plenty of fairy homes to observe. Observing the homes took up a great time of our trip while there. We decided to keep on walking and must say it was a nice long journey. The trail splits a few times yet guides you along by following the white marks. After about a mile in a half we noticed people coming from different areas. Turns out there are multiple areas to enter from if you want to trail the reservoir. I recommend entering and exiting the fairy area if you've parked your car on that side. Overall, the fairy homes were cute and enjoyable and the trail was well worth it with kids. read more

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Adorable and amazing trail for children. Its very easy to find, but you can always use the facebook page to ask questions. You can bring your children and come see a fairy trail, with little houses and chairs etc set up all over (usually inside trees. You can also make fairy accessories like chairs doors etc...(use your imagination) but only if its biodegradable (any plastic items will be removed) Definitely a great idea for a young child who still has a imagination... Tip! Don't forget the bug spray! read more

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So cute--my 10 year old son was not impressed by the fairy houses but younger children would be. He did enjoy climbing on the fallen trees and using stepping stones in the creek. It is a nice easy walk for kids. Parking is pretty limited--we parked in the lot across the street but didn't get a ticket. read more

I took my 4 and 9 year olds to the Fairy Trail and while the Fairy Trail part of it was cute and easy to navigate with children, there were NO signs that stated the Fairy Trail had ended and a different hiking trail began. I, along with other families with children ended up lost on this much longer hiking trail and when we finally reached the end of the white path, I ended up having to uber back to the entrance to the Fairy Trail with my kids, which was a 10 minute car ride. What trail makes you turn back in your tracks? If it did loop around like it said on the websites, there were NO signs that directed that because I was not the only adult questioning why we hadn't seen fairy houses in a long time. GET BETTER SIGNS FOR YOUR PARK! read more

Great short hike that keeps the Littles entertained. Easy to keep it under an hour. Parking is tough, but if you don't mind crossing the street it's easy enough. read more