The Patriots' Path is a
multi-use trail system in
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, tenth- ...
, open to cyclists, hikers, and horseback riders, consisting of a main trail and of spur trails.
The main trail is marked with white blazes or a white circular blaze with a brown tree.
The spur trails are marked with blue blazes or a white circle with a blue tree, while the side spur trails are marked with a red blaze or a white circle with a red tree.
Description
Patriots' Path stretches from East Hanover, where it connects with the
Lenape Trail
The Lenape Trail is a trail through Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, connecting many county parks and reservations, wooded spaces, and historical sites. It begins in Newark, New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey and ends in Millburn, New Jersey, ...
in Essex County, to Allamuchy Mountain State Park in Sussex County, and the Village of High Bridge in Hunterdon County. In southern
Morris County, the path travels mostly along the corridors of the
Whippany River
The Whippany River is a tributary of the Rockaway River, approximately 20 mi (30 km) long, in northern New Jersey in the United States.
It rises in Morris County, in Mendham Township west of Morristown, and flows generally ENE in a ...
,
Black River, and
Raritan River
The Raritan River is a river of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its Drainage basin, watershed drains much of the mountainous areas in the North Jersey, northern and Central Jersey, central sections of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay near ...
. Different portions of Patriots' Path include bike trails (paved), cross-country skiing, equestrian trails, and hiking trails (handicap accessible).
Parts of the trail are along the right-of-way of the former
Rockaway Valley Railroad.
The Patriots’ Path is a part of two other larger trail systems. It is included in the Liberty–Water Gap Trail and the September 11th National Memorial Trail. The Liberty–Water Gap Trail is approximately and the
September 11th National Memorial Trail
September 11th National Memorial Trail, also known as the 9/11 Trail, is a network of trails and roadways nearly long connecting the Flight 93 National Memorial, the Pentagon Memorial, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. It is tribut ...
is in length.
The Patriots’ Path is a popular location for scouts to complete their
Eagle Project
The Eagle Project () was a joint operation during World War II between the Office of Strategic Services of the United States and the Korean Liberation Army of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. It is also called Project Eagle ...
. Some of the Eagle Projects that scouts have completed on the Patriots’ Path include installing benches, extending the trail and installing proper signage, and trail renovation and beautification. A particularly popular project to complete is installing a footbridge on the trail.
Points of interest
*
Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center
Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center is a botanical garden and public park located at 170 Longview Road in Chester Township of Morris County, New Jersey. The house and garden, listed using its historic name, Merchiston Farm, was added to the Na ...
*
Frelinghuysen Arboretum
The George Griswold Frelinghuysen Arboretum (127 acres) is an arboretum located at 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township, New Jersey and is open daily without charge. The arboretum is also the headquarters of the Morris County Parks Commissi ...
*
Acorn Hall
*
Ford Mansion
The Ford Mansion, also known as Washington's Headquarters, is a classic 18th-century American home located at 30 Washington Place in Morristown, New Jersey that served as General George Washington's headquarters from December 1779 to June 1780 d ...
* Pocahontas Lake
*
Speedwell Ironworks
* Lewis Morris County Park
*
Jockey Hollow
Jockey Hollow is the name of an area in southern Morris County, New Jersey, which was farmed in the 18th century by the Wick, Guerin, and Kemble families.
The origin of the name is still uncertain, but it was a farming property during the Amer ...
*
Black River Wildlife Management Area
*
Nathan Cooper Gristmill
The Nathan Cooper Gristmill is a historic gristmill on the Black River (New Jersey), Black River located at 66 New Jersey Route 24, NJ Route 24 in Chester Township, New Jersey, Chester Township, Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, New Jerse ...
* Chubb Park
*
Ken Lockwood Gorge WMA
*
Schooley's Mountain County Park
*
Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Center
The Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Center is located on a site by the Black River in Chester Township, Morris County, New Jersey. The center was dedicated on October 28, 1993. The property, previously known as Hidden River Farm, was donated by ...
*
Willowwood Arboretum
Willowwood Arboretum, , is an arboretum and public park located at 300 Longview Road, Chester Township, New Jersey, Morris County, New Jersey. It is part of the Morris County Park System and is open to the public daily.
The location was first ...
*
New Jersey Brigade Encampment Site
The New Jersey Brigade Encampment Site, also called the New Jersey Brigade Area, was used by the Continental Army in the winter of 1779–80, during the American Revolutionary War. The site is located in Bernardsville, Somerset County, New Jersey ...
–
Morristown National Historical Park
Morristown National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park, headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, consisting of four sites important during the American Revolutionary War: Jockey Hollow, Ford Mansion, Fort Nonsense, ...
*
Washington Valley Historic District
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A m ...
Gallery
File:Washington Valley Road, Washington Valley, NJ - Rockaway Valley Railroad station site.jpg, The trail passing the site of the Washington Valley Station of the Rockaway Valley Railroad.
File:Patriots' Path by the Black River, NJ.jpg, The trail by the Black River, near the Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Center
The Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Center is located on a site by the Black River in Chester Township, Morris County, New Jersey. The center was dedicated on October 28, 1993. The property, previously known as Hidden River Farm, was donated by ...
File:Black River, Morris County, NJ - April 2019.jpg, The Black River in the Black River County Park, with the trail on the left
File:Black River WMA, Chester Township, NJ - Patriots' Path.jpg, Black River Wildlife Management Area trail, aligned with the West Morris Greenway, Liberty–Water Gap and September 11th National Memorial Trails
See also
*
Whippany River
The Whippany River is a tributary of the Rockaway River, approximately 20 mi (30 km) long, in northern New Jersey in the United States.
It rises in Morris County, in Mendham Township west of Morristown, and flows generally ENE in a ...
*
Hanover Township
*
Whippany River Watershed Action Committee
*
Frelinghuysen Arboretum
The George Griswold Frelinghuysen Arboretum (127 acres) is an arboretum located at 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township, New Jersey and is open daily without charge. The arboretum is also the headquarters of the Morris County Parks Commissi ...
References
External links
*
{{coord, 41.039, -74.321, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-NJ, display=title
Rail trails in New Jersey
Bike paths in New Jersey
National Recreation Trails in New Jersey