270 Mendham Road, Morristown, NJ 07960

(For driving / GPS address)

WARNING

Snow and ice are not removed from the trail system.

Patriots’ Path was preserved to protect the Whippany River and its tributaries. The Park Commission does not plow the trail system for a number of reasons including:

Snow pushed to the side of the trail negatively impacts the vegetation along the trail which buffers the stream;
Most importantly, there is not an effective snow/ice melting product that can keep the trails free of ice.

The trails at Loantaka Brook Reservation are also not kept clear of snow and ice for similar reasons above in order to protect the Loantaka Brook and its tributaries.

Alternate Trails:

The Traction Line Recreational Trail, which begins/ends across the street from Washington Headquarters and begins/ends at Danforth Avenue in Madison Borough behind Fairleigh Dickinson University, with a number of additional access points in between. This trail is cleared of snow and ice due to requirements of the funding source that was used to construct the trail. A map of the trail can be found on the Park Commission’s website at https://www.morrisparks.net/index.php/parks/traction-line-recreation-trail.

The sidewalks of Central Park of Morris County are also maintained during the winter season.

There is also a paved trail around the Giralda Farms corporate center that is possibly plowed; it can be accessed via Woodland Avenue in Chatham Township and Loantaka Way in Madison Borough. This trail is overseen by the corporate center.

*PLEASE NOTE: The bridge on Patriot’s Path at Pine Tree Plaza in Hanover is currently out of service due to a vehicle accident. We appreciate your patience and understanding and are working on repairs.

Hours of Operation / History / No Smoking Policy

If you enjoy recreational activities, such as biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, jogging, walking your canine companion, and hiking, Patriots' Path is the place to visit. Comprised of 46.3 miles of main trails and 27 miles of spur trail located on 291.9 acres, Patriots’ Path is a trail system of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, as well as green open spaces. It links several federal, state, county, and municipal parks, as well as watershed lands, historic sites, and other points of interest throughout Morris County. Since much of the Path lies along the corridors of the Whippany and Black Rivers and the South Branch of the Raritan River, you can always enjoy a trail along the water. The Black River and the South Branch of the Raritan River are two of the most pristine trout-production steams in the state. This trail extends across the entire County of Morris from Essex County to Warren County.

The trail system is stabilized in many sections with crushed stone and gravel, other areas are left as narrow pathways on earth and rock and shorter sections in Morristown and Morris Township area are paved. Several miles lie on cinder and gravel beds of old railroad lines. Digital trail maps are available online.

The main stem of Patriots’ Path extends from East Hanover and connects the Lenape Trail in Essex County to Allamuchy Mountain State Park in Sussex County, intersecting with the Columbia Trail in Washington Township. The purpose of the trail system is to provide opportunities for passive outdoor recreation while protecting and enhancing the environmental and aesthetic integrity of the stream valleys and uplands through which it passes.

Points of interest along the trail include:

Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center
The Frelinghuysen Arboretum
Acorn Hall
The Ford Mansion
Fosterfield Living Historical Farm
Pocahontas Lake
Historic Speedwell
Lewis Morris County Park
Jockey Hollow
Black River Wildlife Management Area
Cooper Gristmill
Chubb Park
Schooley's Mountain County Park
Kay Environmental Center
Willowwood Arboretum

Patriots' Path is supported by dedicated Adopt-A-Trail participants who assist in maintaining sections of the path under the jurisdiction of the Morris County Park Commission. Please call 973.631.5136 if you or your group are interested in adopting and maintaining a portion of Patriots' Path.

History:

The first parcel of land was acquired in September 1968, and there was a bikeway dedication ceremony held on September 12, 1975. In 2014, the development of Patriots’ Path is nearly completed.

Plans are underway to create a September 11th National Memorial Trail. The Patriots’ Path section of the Liberty-Water Gap Trail in Morris County will be included as a portion of this proposed historic trail. Once completed, the trail will connect all of the September 11th memorials through numerous states, from the Pentagon Building in Arlington, VA to the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to Ground Zero where the World Trade Center in New York City once stood.

Hours of Operation:

Patriot’s Path trails are open daily, sunrise to sunset throughout the year.

No Smoking Policy

The Morris County Park Commission has recently announced a No Smoking Policy banning all smoking including burning of, inhaling from, exhaling the smoke from or the possession of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other matter of substance which contains tobacco or any other matter that can be smoked, or the inhaling or exhaling of smoke or vapor from an electronic smoking device. CLICK HERE for more details. Thank you for your continued support!