Best Parks in New Jersey
A quick 23-mile drive from New York City will bring you to the peaceful refuge of Livingston, New Jersey, and its gorgeous selection of parks. Are you looking for a distinctive picnic locale or a scenic hiking opportunity to enjoy with your kids? Why settle for only one? Delve into the following list of the best parks for families to explore in the area. Make your Livingston-area accommodations today and get away from the bustling big city life for a weekend of all-natural fun.
South Mountain Reservation
Image Source: Flickr
The South Mountain Reservation in the central section of Essex County, New Jersey, is perhaps the best park on this list for nature-loving adventurers. Its 2,112 acres make it the largest reservation under the jurisdiction of the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, which replaced Essex County Park Commission. While you may find yourself coming here in an effort to get the family away from the city and in touch with Mother Nature, you will not want to miss the views of New York, Elizabeth, Union, Staten Island, and Newark after hiking the reservation’s eastern ridge. The landscape is as picturesque as any other Livingston Park in New Jersey, which is the primary ethos of almost all parks in Livingston NJ.
If you are afraid of heights — the eastern ridge sits 550 feet above the Millburn community below — South Mountain Reservation has plenty more to keep you entertained. Take your pick of a half dozen trails, rest up at the picnic grove or at one of the many scenic overlooks, and gaze in awe at the 25-foot waterfall featured at Hemlock Falls. The fun doesn’t stop there: Save some time for the neighboring Turtle Back Zoo, too.
Grover Cleveland Park
Originally chosen as the first park in western Essex County for its natural aesthetic properties, Grover Cleveland Park in Caldwell and Essex Fells can be more manageable than South Mountain, not to mention a whole different ball game — literally. Grover Cleveland Park is chock-full of tennis courts and baseball fields, as well as a sand court, playground, and wading pool to boot. If you and your kids are sports-minded, bring them to Grover Cleveland Park and watch the day fly by as you engage them in sports and recreation.
Eagle Rock Reservation
To end this list of great livingston township parks, we will send you back into the great outdoors. Eagle Rock Reservation caters to all levels of hiking experience. Beginners can take the 0.9-mile White Trail. Experts can spend a long and pleasant portion of their day in nature by trekking the 8-mile Bridge Trail, and everyone else can choose one of several intermediate trails to explore. No matter what trail you decide to blaze, you will love breathing in the fresh air and seeing the lovely scenery that Eagle Rock Reservation has to offer those who explore it.
We hope that the list above leads you to helping plan some excellent adventures with your kids. Cherish a day at any one of these parks in Livingston, New Jersey, or make it a weekend event so that you can do it all in nature.
Featured Image Source: Flickr
