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    Johnson Park

    4.0 (48 reviews)

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    A dog friendly park with clean fields and wide walkways
    Sylvie C.

    I hosted a beagle meetup and loved the pack walk with everyone that day. There wasn't a dog or human not smiling that day at Johnson Park. We were all ecstatic to meet our fellow beagle friends and couldn't been happier. The parking was free and it was very convenient from the main road and the highway. The walking paths had shades and good flat pavement perfect for humans and wonderfully manicured grass for our beagles. It's always nice visiting anywhere that's considered dog friendly in New Jersey. I never see any leftover dog droppings anywhere. I also appreciated how polite other people were during our pack walk. Strangers actually asked prior to petting or approaching our beagles. Not many thinks of doing that and it was great when our group had anxious rescue dogs. I'm looking forward to revising Johnson Park in the future again.

    Every exercise station also seems to be a PokéStop.
    Brian L.

    In addition to the zoo that other Yelpers are so fixatedly smitten with, Johnson Park is also ideal for long stretches of running or bicycling because of its tremendous length. Pedestrians have their own walkways but runners often choose to share the road with vehicles. Drivers should anticipate a few speed bumps. The scenery is very green and the noise level is minimal, even with the traffic from River Road and Rt. 18 so closeby. Exercise stations (many of which are also Pokestops) dot the pedestrian path in the western half of the park. If you keep heading west in the park after a certain point, around where the High Point Stadium is, the road turns into a one-way single lane, and the only way to leave the park by car is to take this one-way road to Hoes Lane. Depending on what direction you plan on going when you leave, I'd recommend parking in one of the lots by the picnic areas in the eastern part of the park (closer to 18), or park in the lot by the East Jersey Olde Towne Village on the far west side of the park.

    Lana L.

    Pleasantly surprised by this large park/zoo near the water. I've never heard of Johnson Park until a friend told me about it and I'm glad we drove down. There's a surprising number of different animals for a relatively unknown zoo. You'll find deer, bunnies, peacocks, pigs, llamas, doves, raccoons, and more. There are also playgrounds, bathrooms, and numerous picnic tables. A lot of space to bike/run/walk and a lot of areas with shade too. Nice place to spend a summer day!

    Tow path
    Geetika B.

    Having grown up in the area, Johnson Park is one of my favorite places in town, and my family and I have a lot of good memories here. It's my go-to place of retreat when I just want to get away from the hustle and bustle of work and people. It's expansive and I'm a big fan of the tow path, which is situated between the river and canal and provides a peaceful ambience for running. It conveniently provides a trail with places to work out and you'll always see locals out for a jog or walk with friends, family members, or pets. It had lots of playgrounds spread across the park for kids and families to hold outdoor parties and bbqs too. I'm not a huge fan of the petting zoo but that's because I personally have a vendetta against animals being held in captivity. One time my friends and I were casually feeding the animals and the fox was noticeably depressed, which just made me sad. That aside, it's a beautiful place, a wonderful green space with lots of "secret spots" to dig out and retreat to on good days. The sunset also looks fantastic from the Landing Lane bridge. Overall I really love this place- it's a gem in town.

    Dominik D.

    A fairly nice park. This time of year the trees are bare and the pond is frozen. There's something beautiful about this.

    Months ago I saw a disturbed looking raccoon in a cage at the zoo/animal haven in Johnson park in Piscataway nj. Yesterday, I returned and saw him or her again. The first time, the behavior had been repetitive climbing up and down the top area of the cage. Today it was circular repetitive pacing. I don't think this raccoon should remain in this environment. He or she is not happy and, if healthy enough, should be released, or if not, should be placed in a larger natural habitat. It is tragic to see a creature live his or her life in suffering like that.

    Trail
    Toyo M.

    This area in the lowland so temps lower with a breeze. Dress warm except during summer. A nice place to take a stroll,excercise, look at trees, and avoid canadian geese byproduct when they travel during that certain time of the year hehe.

    Tuarise S.

    Absolutely love this park. Had a nice time walking around enjoying the view. Love seeing the view of the animals also. Most definitely will return several times.

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    Beautiful and relaxing park. It is located next to the raritan river and is very quiet. Great place to read or do work

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    5 years ago

    It is a nice park. Plenty of parking. My son loves the animal exhibit.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Johnson Park

    Review Highlights - Johnson Park

    “It's a nice place, the Raritan river is right there, not the cleanest but it is what it is.”

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    Delaware and Raritan canal - D&R Canal (New Hope, PA)

    Delaware and Raritan canal

    4.6(5 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    There are over 70 miles of paths/trails along the D&R canal, passing through many historic towns…read moreand landmarks in NJ with some pretty houses along the way, from near Frenchtown down to Trenton, then up to New Brunswick, in a V shape. The D&R runs parallel to the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) trail on the Pennsylvania side, so you're also getting a view of the Delaware River for that part of the track. The trail is mostly flat and is suitable for walking or biking. We love riding this trail and exploring sections of it at a time and the surrounding towns. Some sections are more scenic than others. A favorite easy ride (or hike) of ours is to start in Lambertville NJ, ride up to Stockton, cross over Center Bridge to the PA side, grab a burger at Dilly's, then ride down to New Hope, PA, walk around town, and return to Lambertville via the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. It's only about 8 miles roundtrip and makes for a leisurely day, and is very doable even for kids.

    The towpath along the Delaware and Raritan canal is a fantastic spot to stoll, run, or bicycle. The…read morepath is about four feet wide, and mostly flat packed dirt. Some spots are muddy or rutted at times. There's also some spillways made from stone blocks. Lots of people come here with small children since the towpath is smooth enough to push a stroller and even enough for little ones to walk on safely. The scenery is peaceful with lots of deciduous trees and occasional views of the majestic Raritan River. Turtles are plentiful in the canal, swimming and basking on logs. You're also likely to see snakes, chipmunks, voles, squirrels, toads, and frogs. As for birds, keep an eye out for herons, geese, and ducks in the water, and woodpeckers in the trees. The canal banks have abundant wildflowers and flowering bushes. One place to park is just off Easton Ave at the Historic Van Wickle House. Another parking lot is a couple miles further up Easton Ave by the entrance to Rte 287. Due to the current Coronavirus Pandemic, I wear a mask when walking here, and most others do too. The path is too narrow in some spots to allow for 6' between people when passing.

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    Delaware and Raritan canal - March 2025

    March 2025

    Delaware and Raritan canal
    Delaware and Raritan canal - D&R Canal (New Hope, PA)

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    D&R Canal (New Hope, PA)

    Rutgers Gardens

    Rutgers Gardens

    4.5(58 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Love visiting Rutgers Gardens through the seasons! If you come in fall, don't expect much in bloom,…read morebut this place is wonderful to hike and stroll through with its various paths. If you visit in spring or summer, get ready for stunning flora and fauna that is cared for by Rutgers staff and students. I adore the lilacs that's smell delicious and envelope a walkway like a natural ceiling. So amazing! Also, I adore the wide open fields and spaces that lend themselves perfectly for a picnic or spot to lay down a blanket and enjoy a nap out in the open. PS. Very romantic spot- if you're coming here for a date, you will not be disappointed!

    Rutgers Gardens, located on the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University, is a botanical garden…read morethat is free and open to the public. I was looking for a new dog friendly park and Rutgers Gardens fit the bill. Visitors can explore the themed gardens like the Rain Garden, Herb Garden, Bamboo Forest, and Heylar Woods. The gardens host educational programs, a farmers market, and workshops throughout the year. There are a lot of glowing reviews here and I'm not sure if maybe my timing was off or most people don't venture off the main areas here. We parked near Heylar Woods and chose the blue trail which is along the water. The one major thing both me and my daughter noted immediately was the sound of traffic from Route 1 and Route 18. The non-stop buzz of cars and trucks takes away from the beauty of the surrounding nature. Further into the trail the trash all along the water is crazy. Aside from the trash and weird foam along the edges of the river, we ran into some kind of big dead animal in the water. We decided to turn back and check out the Bamboo Forest. It was a little cool out so we decided to skip the short walk and hop in the car. We parked near the field lab. Tucked away behind the building is the small but very cool Bamboo Forest. One big thing to note here, which they do warn about on signs, is the ticks. Me and my daughter came out unscathed but my poor pup ended up with a few ticks (despite the cold temps).

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    Rutgers Gardens
    Rutgers Gardens
    Rutgers Gardens

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    Rutgers Ecological Preserve

    Rutgers Ecological Preserve

    5.0(2 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    As a student at Rutgers, this is probably my favorite part of campus. Located on the Livingston…read morecampus, the ecological preserve is footsteps away from the business school and has several miles worth of trails to travel. I tend to do this trail pretty often for running and to make things interesting I'll change up the trails. A lot of the trails are interconnected which can be confusing, but the trails are marked with some signs and trees which are marked with the color of their respective trail. The trail also extends from Livingston Campus all the way to Johnson Park and everything in between. My favorite trail is the blue trail which runs alongside one of the creeks and heads towards Johnson Park. Having run it in different seasons, I'd say the best time to do the trails is in spring/fall where the weather isn't too hot or cold and there's plenty of foliage. In the summer, it can get really hot and humid along with the many bugs that live there. (Be on the lookout for the many spider webs that you may encounter on the trail!) The trail is not paved, so be prepared for mud after the rain. Also, if running, be on the lookout for the many tree roots and changes in terrain that can trip you up (as I've done plenty of times). There are plenty of deer, squirrel, raccoon encounters so definitely be on the lookout. On one occasion the preserve was closed due to an "aggressive" coyote, but I have never made such an encounter. Overall, the Rutgers Ecological Preserve makes for a fun and interesting trip whether its hiking, running, biking or anything in between. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're a student.

    This preserve is tucked away North of the Rutgers main campus. It offers a collection of hiking…read moretrails which are mostly well-marked, flat, and very clean. The small parking lot is easy to miss and don't be fooled by a chain halfway across the entrance to it, it is open for parking with no parking pass needed. The trails can be muddy in certain areas after a good rain, so hiking shoes are recommended over sneakers.

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    Rutgers Ecological Preserve - Typical trail.

    Typical trail.

    Rutgers Ecological Preserve
    Rutgers Ecological Preserve

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    North Brunswick Community Park

    North Brunswick Community Park

    4.0(3 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Great open trail for walking or hiking. The parking can get a bit crowded when there are soccer…read moregames and baseball games going on. But the trails are usually clear. The trails aren't lit, so you're better off coming while the sun is still out. If you walk on the backside of the soccer fields there's a small bridge,which is my favorite place to walk by. There's even small playground area with a mini rockwall at this park. Theres also a dog park in the front. The bathrooms are usually locked most times of year until it's soccer/baseball season. If you're coming from Adams Ln you can turn into the park from there, but you'll have to exit onto 130 because it's a one way. I love the proximity of this park, it's great for a post-work stroll.

    I enjoy this park, it is very close to me. Nice place to walk/run when the weather is nice. I give…read moreit 3 stars because it isn't really visually appealing. Most importantly you have to go when you know it will be dry ground. I went for a walk on 2/5/19, I didn't expect so have to step on so many muddy puddles and just very wet gravel all around. It wasn't raining for a few days but I know the weather was warmer, we had some am fog. But it was a splotchy mess. They should improve there grounds. You walk on gravel surface which by the way, enters my sneakers each time. I have to shake out my sneakers. It was very muddy this time around. And after just a normal rain there are so many puddles.

    Photos
    North Brunswick Community Park - Muddy

    Muddy

    North Brunswick Community Park
    North Brunswick Community Park

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    East Jersey Old Town Village - Historic classroom

    East Jersey Old Town Village

    4.3(13 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    I checked this place out because of a recent Civil War reenactment event, and I was incredibly…read moreimpressed. It could have been an all day event and I wish I had come earlier because I missed some things like the weapons demonstration. Aside from the regular buildings, there was a camp set up with soldiers, nurses, doctors, cooks, and other professionals that would have been part of a civil war brigade. The reenactors were extremely knowledge and informative with various props and photos from the era. We did get sucked into the singing presentations at the tavern featuring the Libby Prison Band and Matthew Dodd singing period stories and telling comical tales. They alternated presenting on the hour with new songs each hour. For a free presentation, it was thorough, entertaining, and thoughtful. There was plenty of parking and a small gift shop (not too many site specific souvenirs though). I will keep an eye on the calendar and return for future events.

    I recently visited the East Jersey old town Village based on an invite from a dear friend. I walked…read morearound and went in and out of the historical homes and exhibits that were available. The experience was pretty cool because it was like I had stepped back in time. As a person of color, I can say candidly that I was apprehensive and a little skeptical about appreciating this part of history. History is not always pretty however, I was pleasantly surprised to see that people of color were positively represented here. I was able to speak in depth with a group of re-enactors that were representing the black soldiers during this time. These individuals not only dressed the part, but truly embodied their roles. They were very knowledgeable about the many contributions that people of color, specifically, Black people, made in this era, despite the cruelty, they faced. It was as if I was speaking directly to the soldiers during that period. One fun fact that we learned was that Barack Obama was not the first US president of African descent. Don't believe me, look it up! If you are interested in learning more, please visit and see for yourself how special this place is.

    Photos
    East Jersey Old Town Village
    East Jersey Old Town Village - Historical bedroom

    Historical bedroom

    East Jersey Old Town Village

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    Johnson Park - parks - Updated September 2026

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