Morris County Region
Photo
| Description | Trails include rugged footpaths in the Farny Highlands to the boardwalks crossing the Great Swamp. |
| Facts/Resources | 82 miles of trails are maintained by 55 Trail Conference volunteers and member groups. Find descriptions of great hikes in this region: click here. |
| Buy a Map | Jersey Highlands: Central North Region Trails Map |
| Buy a Book | Hiking the Jersey Highlands - Illustrated Guide |
Until the 1730s, when surveyors found iron in the hills, fewpeople settled in the Jersey Highlands because it offered poorer farming thanland to the south. The iron-rich hills,more than any other factor, shaped the development of the area and gave birthto an industry that forged a nation. With mines supplying the iron used for weaponry, New Jersey played an important role in thefight for independence.
At the start of the twenty-first century, with three majorinterstate highways crossing the area, development and suburban sprawl havebegun to consume open space in MorrisCounty. Still, the county has an extensive system ofcounty parks, state parks, wildlife management areas, watershed property, and anational 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: