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.

Pyramid Mountain (Boonton) - Tripod Rock Blue trail - Difficulty: 4/10, Length: 3.4 Miles (2…read morehours), Payoff 7/10 (Cool rock & light view spots), Would Recommend

Happy Sunday my fellow Adventurers!…read more This is a relatively new hidden gem that I just found. From what I know it was a swimming hole back in 1989 however they closed it down when it was used for a water resource until recently they decided to bring it back to its original roots. (Please fat check this) It has the brand new man made beach complete with what seems to be quarry sand that is course and not like beach sand. Its a beautiful white and lovely when the sun hits its crystalline in texture. The beach itself is small relatively compared to say a lake community beach. There are two lifeguard stations and several rotating guards. The small beach has four areas with noodle ropes in order for you to make sure you are swimming in the right spots. They offer swimming lessons which is really good for the local communities. They also have a platform in the middle which is about 11 feet deep which is reminiscent of the 'Blob' Movie. I half expected that the Blob would come especially if you sneak in after hours. (I don't recommend this lol) You basically pull in and park either on the grass or follow the road to the concession stand. You can purchase a day pass for $10 with no residential requirement for the area. I believe you can purchase an annual badge which I think runs $25-35 per person. You fill out a form that is all legalities and liabilities in order to get the badge or wristband for a day pass. The staff are really helpful and accommodating for any questions you may have. They have very clean porta-potties that are frequently serviced. As well as a concession stand that offered hotdogs, hang burgers, and various other carnival like foods. They sometimes run out of items like sauerkraut with no compensation of any sort which I get they can't help but it's a small area and was open at 11 am, we got there by 12. Always purchase back ups in order to provide for your customers. The hot dogs are pre-grilled and wrapped in aluminum so don't expect a fresh dirty water dog. The overall experience is a really nice one considering you battle tons of traffic going the shore versus the short ten minute drive from Hamburg and $10 fee. It's also really brand new and still working itself out.

The Franklin pond has just reopened the lake to swim and also paddle boat . The reopening was…read moreofficially on June 30,2018 . They had a huge celebration on Franklin Day . They had an official ribbon cutting with the Mayor and city officials. The town has worked extremely hard to get this reopened and also put a lot of work to clean it up and really make a great place to visit and make some great memories at . Besides having the beach and water to swim at they have a nice place to bbq or picnic . Lots of benches to sit and relax . They have fields to play ball and hoops to play basketball . They also have a playground for children. The scenery is beautiful. If you are a photographer lots of great spots to take pictures at . The lake does have a fee to swim . You can get a day pass or season pass . But the rest of the park is free . Franklin Borough is slowly coming back to life . The town officials are working hard to rebuild and create a great town . I give them a thumbs up . Proud to call Franklin Borough my home .

Love this park for my kids and they recently installed brand new playgrounds. There is a nice trail…read moreyou can take over the water and into the woods too.

Riker Hill is one of my favorite parks in Essex County because of its uniqueness. It's niche…read morebecause it's part artist studios, part Cold War historical site, and part local park for hilly walks/runs. There also is a small community garden, as well as EV charge station at the top of the hill. It's not a destination park - unless you have a specific interest in visiting the studios or in Nike missile sites. However, it's a quaint park if you are local and want a quick fix of nature and views from the highest elevation points in Essex county.

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.

This is one of my favorite local hikes. Its not too far of a drive if you are coming from Bergen…read moreCounty like myself. Upon arrival there is a pretty decent size lot with a good amount of parking. I have never had an issue finding a spot. The hikes are pretty calm with nothing being too strenuous. But you can still get a good hike in. There is a huge lake, a waterfall, some old foundations, a few old tanks, and a dam. So there is a lot to see here. There is even one point where you can see what appears to be an old jeep off one of the trails. This is a good hike if you want to get a good walk in without it being to tough. There is also plenty to see throughout the hikes.

This is our first hike that we took in NJ and although we did not see any bears (thankfully!!) - my…read morehusband did pull out a huge dog tick which was making its way into my skin!! This was absolutely my nightmare come true and I am partially to blame for because I did not spray an insect repellant. I also did not wear clothing that covered my stomach (it was hot!). Anyways, apart from that little scare, it was a beautiful hike. There are a few different trails (based on difficulty) which are detailed on a billboard at the entrance. There are a ton of squirrels and chipmunks running around...like A TON! So don't get scared and think it's a bear. The Butler Reservoir is a beautiful scenery and you can take some awesome pictures! Also, the trail itself is pretty rocky. TIPS: *Wear good hiking shoes, there are some steep/slippery areas and it's rocky most of the way. *Spray insect repellant, inspect your exposed skin for ticks AND take a shower right after you get home. Remove the tick very slowly to prevent the head from breaking off. *If you see a bear - DO NOT RUN! Scream and make yourself appear bigger/more scary by waving hands. *Take a lot of beautiful pictures! *Plan and follow the trail. The trail is available on google maps if you ever get lost and there are color coded markings on the trees throughout the hike. And most importantly - HAVE FUN!

Hurd Park is a Scenic Park located in Dover which features a Veterans of War Memorial Honoring Site…read moreCommemorating and Cherishing Our National and Local Heroes who have payed the Ultimate Sacrifice for our Freedoms. Scenic walking trails and paths which wander throughout this Park lead to clusters of oak trees and cherry blossoms. This is a very popular destination for wedding photos on the bridge or gazebo as well as the entire Park. It's very rare not to see wedding parties taking pictures here especially on weekends. Local Ceremonies are also held at this Park which is the perfect backdrop for any engagement that Officials deem worthy of "Special" Town business.

What a beautiful park! This park is meant for exploring the beautiful scenery! This park is not…read moremeant for climbing on plastic toys. Parking is right up a small dirt road or in the back. My family and &I were waiting for the cherry blossom tress to be in full bloom & Hurd Park did not disappoint! Amazing trees and cute wooden bridges! We also loved the dedication to the army and military. There is a whole area dedicated to them and it is beautifully done. This just adds such a special meaning to the park. The park is very well taken care of. What a memorable place. This park also boast lots of scenery for great pictures for any occasion. My children had a great time running, exploring, reading about the soldiers and resting under the trees.

DENVILLE: the downtown area has beautiful McCarter Memorial Park with the most peaceful views…read morealong the nature trail of the Rockaway River. This is a great spot to take your pup for a walk and then enjoy a beer at Diamond Spring Brewing, dog cafe at Mutts on Main, and use the pet services of Viva La Pet!

Best park I've ever seen. Wish there was more covered seating for eating and more swings but it's a…read moregreat place with a lot to do for the kids.

Amazing park!…read more However, there are no bathrooms nearby. Just portapotties. And NO CHANGING TABLES!!!!

I never knew this place even existed until my coworker invited me to go fishing with him on his…read moreboat. This "pond" is actually a huge beautiful lake surrounded by some beach, some wooden docks with boats, rocky cliffs, trees, a yacht club and million dollar mansions. The Green Pond is also the name of the surrounding private residential lakeside community. You need a badge, sort of like a beach badge to officially be allowed onto the beach and lake. My coworker had one for me since his parents have a house in the community surrounding the lake. The pond itself is beautiful and goes down about 8-12 feet in depth in most areas of the lake. We went out around 6:30 pm and caught 4 decent sized fish before sundown. We threw them back as it was more about the sport. It was a gorgeous evening with the skies blue. We cracked some beers and had some subs. It was super peaceful and so relaxing. The lake was simply fantastic. I guess you kind of need to know someone or actually live in this community to access the lake, so if you ever get the opportunity, definitely check this place out.