Trail Info

Patriots' Path Info

Patriots' Path on Fairview Avenue

Patriots' Path was a project that protected the Whippany River, until it was used for recreational purposes. As the county started expanding the trail, it ran on old railbeds consisting of the Rockabye Railroad in Mendham, the Hacklebarney Mine Railroad in Chester, the Lackawana, Western Chester, Central, and Delaware Lines in Chester. These Chester railroads were built to access the Chester Furnace and Mine Industry. The Patriots' Path runs along all of these at one time in Chester. In Black River WMA it runs along these lines. By Furnace Road it runs along the Central Railroad. Also the trail runs along another one of these Chester lines from Old Route 24 and then separating, crossing Furnace Road, and then rejoining it on the way to Tanner's Brook Road. Over in Mendaham, Brookside and Ralston it runs along the famous Rockaway Valley Railroad A.K.A the Rockabye Railroad. It runs on this railbed on the Cunningham Trail from Lewis Morris Park to the recreation park in Ralston before it goes on private land. It also runs on the railway by Speedwell Lake over to Sussex Avenue. Patriots' Path also follows a lot of abandoned roads, like the old Doby and Dolly Bridge Roads in Randolph by Clyde Potts. Another abandoned road is near Cedar Knolls Road which was an old railroad access road along I-287. The trail also runs along the abandoned Mission Road over in Mount Olive. As well as riding on previous roads or rails, the trail lots of the times is made on free land that the town or county owns. These trails are not usually as well-maintained because it was not previously existing, but are still good for hiking, running, etc. This is not always the case, if it is a park like the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Lewis Morris, or Jockey Hollow Parks, then it is well maintained by the park workers. Overall the Patriots' Path is a great recreational rail-trail stretching from Livingston to Hacketstown. It is part of the Liberty Gap Trail that runs along Patriots' Path white trail. The path may soon be part of a 9-11 memorial trail. Patriots' Path is fun hiking, biking, running, cross-country skiing, and horse riding trail. Maps are available here.

Incorporated Trails

Gillette Trail

Gillette Trail and Patriots' Path

The Gillette Trail is an incorporated trail that is part of Patriots' Path. Most of the trail is now blue blazed, but it still is a part of the Patriots' Path. Parking located on E. Mill Street just past Bartley Road in Washington Township, and on Fairview Avenue across from Schooley's Mountain Park Trailhead, called the Palmer Fishing Access Lot. The trail starts near an old farm and runs through the woods to the Columbia Trail. It follows the trail to another trail (picture of the intersection on the left) and then continues one-hundred yards to the Palmer Fishing Access Lot. The trail is nice and well maintained by the Morris County Park Commission and is one of the nicer parts of the Patriots' Path trail system. It is dedicated to George M. Gillette.

Columbia Trail

Patriots' Path and the Columbia Trail

Columbia Trail is a rail trail running from Mount Olive to High Bridge. It is a biking/hiking trail. Patriots' Path runs along a short section of the trail. The white trail is incorporated into the trail from Fairview Avenue to Eliazabeth Lane. This trail is very well maintained and is very good for biking. The rail trail is very popular and is not very difficult. Parking is available at the starting points, Bartley Road in Mount Olive, and Main Street in High Bridge. Also parking is available on Fairview Avenue at the Palmer Fishing Access Area. There are many parking areas along the trail. The west section of the trail is also part of the highlands trail. The Columbia Trail is named after the gas line running under it.

Liberty-Gap Trail

Liberty Gap Trail sign at Dismal Harmony Brooks Nature Reserve

The Liberty-Gap Trail is an in-development trail soon to stretch from the Delaware Water-Gap to the Statue of Liberty. It has six incorporatd trails: Hudson River Water Front Walkway, East Coast Greenway, Lenape Trail, Patriots' Path, Sussex Branch Trail, Paulenskill Valley Trail. The trail is still in progress, but will soon be completed. The Liberty-Gap Trail runs along the main white blazed Patriots' Path from Hakettstown to Livingston.

Highlands Trail

Highlands Trail sign along Fairview Avenue

The Highlands Trail is a trail stretching from Cornwall NY to Musconetcong NJ. Patriots' Path is incorporated into it from Stephens' State Park to Schooley's Mountain Park. The trail is maintained and created by volunteers and will soon reach as far north as Connecticut and as far south as Pennsylvania.

Parks

Stephens State Park
Schooley's Mountain County Park
Columbia Trail
Palmer Park
Black River WMA
Chubb Park
Dismal Harmony Brooks Nature Area
Speedwell Park / Historical Speedwell
Heisteins Park (info towards bottom of link)
Abbett Avenue Park
Central Park
Bee Meadow Park
Lurker Park
Essex County Environmental Center
Cooper Gritsmill
Black River
Hacklebarney State Park
Kay Environmental Center
Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center
Willowwood Arboretum
Mount Paul Memorial Park
Lewis Morris County Park
Jockey Hollow National Park
Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuaries
Frelinghuysen Arboretum
Old Troy County Park (soon)
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm
Randolph Trails (map here)
Burnett Brook Natural Area