The best parks & outdoor spots in Essex County
13 parks & outdoor spots we’ve checked and stand behind — with the story on each one. Not a ranking; a record.
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Hiking Trail - South Mountain Reservoir
Parks & OutdoorsWhether you want mellow loops or a legit climb, South Mountain Reservation delivers miles of Olmsted-designed woods, scenic overlooks, and…
Hiking Trail - South Mountain Reservoir
Parks & OutdoorsSouth Mountain - Fairy Trail
Parks & OutdoorsSouth Mountain - Fairy Trail is a whimsical, family-friendly path sprinkled with tiny, handcrafted fairy homes that’ll charm kids and…
South Mountain - Fairy Trail
Parks & OutdoorsHemlock Falls
Parks & OutdoorsHemlock Falls keeps it simple in South Mountain Reservation with kid-friendly hiking, easy-to-follow tree markings, and that satisfying…
Hemlock Falls
Parks & OutdoorsTaylor Park
Parks & OutdoorsWhen you need a no-fuss reset, Taylor Park delivers with a loopable walking path, a legit playground for the kids, and a peaceful pond that…
Taylor Park
Parks & OutdoorsWeequahic Park
Parks & OutdoorsWeequahic Park brings 311 acres of Olmsted-designed greenspace, an 80-acre lake, and New Jersey’s first public golf course to your weekend…
Weequahic Park
Parks & OutdoorsWeequahic Park
Parks & OutdoorsTrade your usual routes this week for Weequahic Park, an Olmsted-designed escape with an 80-acre lake, the largest in Essex County, a…
Weequahic Park
Parks & OutdoorsSouth Mountain Reservation
Parks & OutdoorsWhen you need trees, views, and space to actually hear yourself think, South Mountain Reservation delivers with over 2,000 acres of Olmsted…
South Mountain Reservation
Parks & OutdoorsMilitary Park
Parks & OutdoorsMilitary Park is Newark’s cultural town square, a six-acre triangle dating to 1666 where you can grab a bite at The Yard, wander the…
Military Park
Parks & OutdoorsBranch Brook Park
Parks & OutdoorsBranch Brook Park delivers a 360-acre, Olmsted designed escape with cherry blossom groves, public art, a jogging loop and plenty of courts…
Branch Brook Park
Parks & OutdoorsRegatta Playground
Parks & OutdoorsRegatta Playground is a gated go-to for kids of all ages at The Waterfront, with climbing structures, slides, swings and mercifully clean…
Regatta Playground
Parks & OutdoorsMonte Irvin Orange Park
Parks & OutdoorsSkip the drive and stretch your legs right next door at Monte Irvin Orange Park, an original Olmsted-designed gem with walking paths,…
Monte Irvin Orange Park
Parks & OutdoorsBelleville Park
Parks & OutdoorsBelleville Park is the low-key upgrade to your week, with wooded greenery, a ¼-mile jogging path, bocce courts, softball and soccer fields,…
Belleville Park
Parks & OutdoorsWatsessing Park
Parks & OutdoorsWatsessing Park is a 69-acre Olmsted-designed escape in Bloomfield and East Orange with playgrounds, soccer and softball fields, basketball…
Watsessing Park
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