Ate way too much over the weekend? Walk it off. Got alot of stuff stressing you out right now? Walk…read moreit off. Just wanna get away and unplug for a while? I'm telling you, head on over to Parks Lake and Walk it off already.    This .7 mile walking path is paved completely around the lake and dogs are permitted providing that owners pick up after them. The Gazebo offers free concerts and other various events in the summer months. Shoreline fishing is allowed but not at the beach area where swimming and small boat launch is permitted. Come And Get Your Walking On!!

This place is okay! I wouldn't recommend going to swim here though because it's filled with poop…read morefrom the birds. I love the new upgrades at the park and gazebo. It's a great place to take a walk with your dog,family or friends. I've gone fishing a few times here but haven't caught anything.

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.

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.

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

I thought our parks were nice in Somerset County but we may have some competition. Whew - this spot…read morewas beyond gorgeous! And we discovered it by accident. Wesley was amped up after his vaccines so I decided to look for a park where we could eat our lunch and enjoy the spring weather. I legit just looked up parks on Apple Maps and chose the closest place. Oh my god - there was a lake - accessible by walking or by car. So many lovely places to park right by the water. An ABUNDANCE of benches. So many beautiful cherry blossom canopies. And dog friendly to boot! We saw elderly couples, teenage friends, young lovers, new moms, athletes, dog dads, people fishing. There's also swimming and aquatics there once the summer rolls around. It was just so perfect. For history buffs, there was also a war memorial to departed soldiers from the area since The Revolutionary War(!!). What a sweet little afternoon break!

some thing for everyone it seems!…read more You'll find a playful area called Imagination Station, shady spots, a little "sprinkler park," fishing spots, and courts for basketball and volleyball. The park has a large 40 × 80-foot pavilion, a covered stage, and a gazebo on "the Island" with benches nearby--ideal for parties, ceremonies, or even just relaxing with family, That's where we had our picnic--enjoying lunch with a view of the lake. this ares also marked as Roxbury Rotary pavillon. Concert/big gathering, and Roxbury's Memorial Day Parade and ceremony spot. The grounds are tidy and well-maintained, with scenic views of the horseshoe-shaped lake that's especially beautiful at sunrise or sunset It is a relaxed and welcoming spot for families, friends, and big gatherings. From playgrounds to trails, sports fields to peaceful lake views, it offers a bit of everything.

Absolutely beautiful! Hills, grills and thrills if you bring your jetski or boat! They have a stand…read morefor food and tables under a roof there right in front of the concession stand window. Clean Bathrooms and changing stalls also. 2 Volleyball courts. Today is 9/5/26 and the swimming is closed for the season but if you want to grill or sit on the massive grass landscape, you'll still enjoy your day immensely!!! Though, it is a windy day. You definitely won't be hit though so bring a book and a blanket and chill in the peace that is Lake Hopatcong!!!! Huuuuuggeeeee lake btw! Huge!!

Gorgeous Lake! Would recommend! Came from Mass. to take my…read moredad here. He was delighted!

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 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.

Splash pad and playground is a great, free activity for kids under 5 to do for a couple of hours on…read morea hot day. Bring a lawn chair, so that you can sit underneath a shady tree. Also, have kids wear water shoes because the ground is hot. The splash pad consists of 10 or so (very little) jets of water, just enough for the little ones to get wet. Public bathrooms available. I believe the splash pad water starts at 11:00 a.m. When we were there there was an ice cream truck so make sure to bring cash just in case.

This park is great! Super clean and had a play structure for bigger kids as well as little ones…read more Plenty of swings... 4 regular ones, 2 baby ones and 2 of the plastic chair type ones. It's on padded turf. There's a picnic area with plenty of tables. Lots of benches around the playground too. There is very little shade at this playground. Plenty of parking.

The area we were directed to park made me initially think I had come to the wrong place (the…read moreinitial path went thru an overgrown but worn path thru the woods that looked like we were headed into more woods). Eventually the path ended to a grassy area with a sign pointing to the mansion where we found the water tower and garden area. The garden was quite nice. Loved seeing the water tower (and appreciated the signage explaining the history and inner workings). Pro tip for newbies like us: You can walk on the road or drive closer to the mansion instead of taking the woodsy path. Oh, also there are NO trashcans at this location (even for doggy doo bags, diapers, etc), so come prepared. No nearby restroom to the garden either.

Beautiful garden that is well maintained. Free admission. Keep place clean! Restroom is far, see…read moreflyer for instructions. Parking is limited. See images and video for reference