Environmental Hiking Sites

 Laurelwood Arboretum

Laurelwood Arboretum is a 30-acre botanically diverse property located in Wayne Township in northern New Jersey. Laurelwood features woodland trails and gardens, wildlife, two ponds, streams and hundreds of varieties of rhododendrons, azaleas and other unusual species of plants and trees. Gravel paths wind and connect through the Arboretum, making it an ideal destination for hikers, runners, birdwatchers, plant enthusiasts and photographers.

Once a commercial nursery, Laurelwood Arboretum is now maintained as a public park through a partnership between the Township of Wayne and the non-profit organization Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum, Inc (FOLA).

The High Mountain Park Preserve is a haven of natural beauty in the midst of Wayne Township. The Preserve is one of the largest tracts of forested open space in the New York metropolitan area and protects over 460 species of plants. In August of 1993, Wayne Township, the State of New Jersey and The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey purchased this 1,071-acre Preserve and today it is managed jointly by the three owners.

Public parking and access to High Mountain's extensive trail system are provided by Parking Lot #6 at William Paterson University on College Road about a mile from Hamburg Turnpike. Park at the top tier of the lot and cross College Road to the beginning of the Red Trail (three red blazes on the guardrail).

The summit of High Mountain can be reached by following the Red Trail to the Yellow Trail. From the summit, continue on the Yellow Trail until it turns south back to the Red Trail that returns to the parking lot for a nice circular hike. The Preserve features many miles of scenic and interesting trails. While visiting please stay on the blazed trails and help us protect the plants and wildlife.

The Preserve is open from dawn to dusk for passive recreation. Camping, hunting, trapping, and fishing are not permitted in the Preserve. Groups and organizations seeking to use High Mountain for nature walks, clean-ups, trail improvements or other group activities must register and obtain permits from the Wayne Township Department of Parks and Recreation, 973-694-1800 ext. 3260.