Patriots Path

The following is from the Morris County Park Commission website:

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 55 miles of main trails and 35 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 streams in the state. This trial 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.

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.