Morris County Region

State: 
NJ
Overview: 
Trails include rugged footpaths in the Farny Highlands to the boardwalks crossing the Great Swamp.
Facts: 

82 miles of trails are maintained by 55 Trail Conference volunteers and member groups.

Find descriptions of great hikes in this region: click here.

 Until the 1730s, when surveyors found iron in the hills, few people settled in the Jersey Highlands because it offered poorer farming than land to the south.  The iron-rich hills, more than any other factor, shaped the development of the area and gave birth to an industry that forged a nation. With mines supplying the iron used for weaponry, New Jersey played an important role in the fight for independence.

At the start of the twenty-first century, with three major interstate highways crossing the area, development and suburban sprawl have begun to consume open space in Morris County.   Still, the county has an extensive system of county parks, state parks, wildlife management areas, watershed property, and a national historic park.

Two through trails are being developed across Morris County- the Highlands Trail and the Patriots' Path. 

 

Parks and other areas in the region include:

Morris County. Photo by Daniel Chazin.