The Essex County Park System encompasses more than 6,000 acres of open space. Its landscapes can be discovered in very different places: in historic parks, on woodland trails, beside a waterfall or from a ridgeline. Branch Brook Park is the first county park in the United States. A section of the 36-mile Lenape Trail runs through the park, connecting 18 parks and 11 communities in Essex County. Here, park history meets a trail that stretches across several places.
Parks, Elevated Views and Trails
South Mountain Reservation is a 2,112-acre nature preserve in the Essex County Park System. A 25-foot waterfall is located there at Hemlock Falls. Another notable viewpoint lies along the eastern ridge, 550 feet above the community of Millburn. From there, you can see New York, Elizabeth, Union, Staten Island and Newark. The waterfall and the view give the landscape two very different scales—a single, named natural feature and a broad panorama spanning several places.
Eagle Rock Reservation is a park of more than 400 acres along the ridge of the Watchung Mountains. Hiking trails and footpaths wind through wooded areas. The Essex County 9/11 Memorial is also located at the Reservation’s main entrance. In western Essex County, West Essex Reservation borders Livingston, Roseland, West Caldwell and Fairfield. The West Essex Trail follows just under three miles of the former rail bed of the Caldwell Branch of the former Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. The distances describe different things: the Lenape Trail is 36 miles long overall, while the just-under-three-mile figure for the West Essex Trail refers to its route along the former rail bed.
Gardens, Animals and a Different Way to Enjoy the Outdoors
More than 14,000 irises in approximately 3,000 varieties grow at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. The rose garden at Brookdale Park tells a different garden story: it was established on June 11, 1959, with a donation of 750 rose bushes from the North Jersey Rose Society, and remains an important attraction today. The specific details—the variety count in one garden, the date and donation in the other—give each garden its own character.
Turtle Back Zoo showcases more than 100 species of native and exotic animals from five continents. Its miniature train departs from Turtle Back Junction and travels through South Mountain Reservation. So, alongside animal viewing, a ride through the Reservation offers an experience of its own. Those more interested in landscape design and sports will find a different focus at Francis A. Byrne Golf Course: the course has been open since 1928 and was designed by Seth Raynor. It measures just under 7,000 yards. For public golfers, it offers a rare opportunity to play a course from the Golden Age of golf course design.
Seasonal traditions also shape the range of experiences on offer. The Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring tradition at Branch Brook Park; in 2026, it celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since festival dates depend on the specific event, check the dates if you plan your trip around it.
Art, History and Distinctive Interiors
Riker Hill Art Park is located in Livingston, New Jersey, on the site of a former U.S. missile tracking base. Former military facilities there were converted into 38 artists’ studios. The site’s present use brings its past together with a very different subject. Glenmont refers both to an estate and to the mansion that Thomas and Mina Edison used as their primary residence from 1886 to 1947. The Glenmont Tour is a guided interior tour.
The Thomas Edison National Historical Park includes a full-scale replica of Edison’s film studio, Black Maria, which visitors can enter. The Main Laboratory Building (Building 5) houses Edison’s library, machine shops, music room and other exhibits. The Newark Museum of Art offers a different museum experience: its collection comprises more than 300,000 works of art and artifacts related to science and natural history. The Dreyfuss Planetarium, which opened in 1954, is described as New Jersey’s first planetarium. The Montclair Art Museum’s Family Learning Lab offers activity prompts, craft materials and books.
Kip’s Castle also brings together different aspects of a place. The estate encompasses eleven acres on First Mountain and is located in the townships of Montclair and Verona. The grounds of Kip’s Castle Park are open seven days a week from morning to evening; the interior of Kip’s Castle is currently closed to the public. Since the interior’s status may change, check before your visit. At Mills Reservation, the scale of the park and its location differ: the county park encompasses 157.15 acres and is located in Cedar Grove and Montclair.
Keep Visiting Hours in Mind
Public tours of the Crane House & Historic YWCA in Montclair are scheduled for the third Saturday of each month, with no advance reservation required. Confirm the dates before you travel. The trails at the Essex County Environmental Center are open from morning to evening; here, too, check access again before setting out. Year-round, Essex County Codey Arena offers family activities such as Stick-and-Puck and beginner skating lessons. Since session schedules can change, check the latest dates if you plan to take part in one of these activities.
Discover more destinations: East Orange, Millburn, Newark, Livingston, Fairfield, Irvington, Roseland, Montclair, West Orange, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Maplewood, City of Orange.
For the broader travel overview: New Jersey.
