Mills Reservation
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Park Overview:
This 150-acre oasis remains in its natural state, with hiking trails and woods roads surrounded by suburbia -- it's a great little place for a quick respite from daily activities.
Park Description:
Mills Reservation County Park
Mills Reservation is located on the First Watchung Mountain where the parkland has been preserved in its natural state, including deciduous woodland and wetlands. Aside from blazed trails and woods roads crisscrossing around and through it, the only development is a small parking area.
The three Watchung mountain ranges were formed when molten lava extruded out of the earth’s surface and cooled rapidly. The outcrop at Quarry Point provides not only a scenic lookout of the surrounding area, but also an opportunity to examine the basaltic lava.
Trails Overview:
The park has a network of loop trails totaling six miles. The seven individual blazed trails range from 0.1-mile up to 1.5 miles. A 1.5-mile segment of the 34-mile Lenape Trail (yellow blaze) passes through. A synopsis of each blazed trail and helpful (if sketchy) map can be seen by clicking here. The map shows numerous trailheads located at the Normal Avenue parking lot on the northern end of the park. It can accommodate about 20 cars.
To reach the “Hiker Information Station,” walk straight to the back of the parking area, slightly to the right is a wide pathway up a hill. At its crest, on the left, is the information kiosk. To the right is the Reservoir Trail trailhead (red).
There is also parking for about 10 cars at the south end of the Reservation on Old Quarry Road, where another Hiker Information Station with a trail map is located. A pathway leads to the Lenape Trail (yellow).
The official trail map is said to be outdated and, confusingly, shows only woods road (identified as “trails”).
Click for a detailed description of a hike in the Reservation.
Park Acreage:
157.15 acresMunicipality:
Cedar Grove, MontclairThis 150-acre oasis remains in its natural state, with hiking trails and woods roads surrounded by suburbia -- it's a great little place for a quick respite from daily activities.
Mills Reservation County Park
Mills Reservation is located on the First Watchung Mountain where the parkland has been preserved in its natural state, including deciduous woodland and wetlands. Aside from blazed trails and woods roads crisscrossing around and through it, the only development is a small parking area.
The three Watchung mountain...
Park Acreage:
157.15 acresMunicipality:
Cedar Grove, MontclairContact Information
Web Link:
Essex County, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural AffairsPhone:
(973) 268-3500Fees:
NoneDogs in park:
Dogs on leash
Hike Checklist:
Whether you are going for a day hike or backpacking overnight, it is good practice to carry what we call The Hiking Essentials. These essentials will help you enjoy your outing more and will provide basic safety gear if needed. There may also be more essentials, depending on the season and your needs.
The Essentials
Hiking Shoes or Boots
Water - Two quarts per person is recommended in every season. Keep in mind that fluid loss is heightened in winter as well as summer. Don't put yourself in the position of having to end your hike early because you have run out of water.
Map - Know where you are and where you are going. Many of our hiking areas feature interconnecting network of trails. Use a waterproof/tear-resistant Tyvek Trail Conference map if available or enclose your map in a Ziplock plastic bag. If you have a mobile device, download Avenza’s free PDF Maps app and grab some GPS-enhanced Trail Conference maps (a backup Tyvek or paper version of the map is good to have just in case your batteries die or you don't have service). Check out some map-reading basics here.
Food - Snacks/lunch will keep you going as you burn energy walking or climbing. Nuts, seeds, and chocolate are favorites on the trail.
Sunscreen and insect repellent
Rain Gear and Extra Clothing - Rain happens. So does cold. Be prepared for changing weather. Avoid cotton--it traps water against your skin and is slow to dry. If you are wearing wet cotton and must return to your starting point, you risk getting chills that may lead to a dangerous hypothermia. Choose synthetic shirts, sweaters and/or vests and dress in layers for easy on and off.
Compass - A simple compass is all you need to orient you and your map to magnetic north.
Light - A flashlight or small, lightweight headlamp will be welcome gear if you find yourself still on the trail when darkness falls. Check the batteries before you start out and have extras in your pack.
First Aid Kit - Keep it simple, compact, and weatherproof. Know how to use the basic components.
Firestarter and Matches - In an emergency, you may need to keep yourself or someone else warm until help arrives. A firestarter (this could be as simple as leftover birthday candles that are kept inside a waterproof container) and matches (again, make sure to keep them in a waterproof container) could save a life.
Knife or Multi-tool - You may need to cut a piece of moleskin to put over a blister, repair a piece of broken equipment, or solve some other unexpected problem.
Emergency Numbers - Know the emergency numbers for the area you're going to and realize that in many locations--especially mountainous ones, your phone will not get reception.
Common Sense - Pay attention to your environment, your energy, and the condition of your companions. Has the weather turned rainy? Is daylight fading? Did you drink all your water? Did your companion fail to bring rain gear? Are you getting tired? Keep in mind that until you turn around you are (typically) only half-way to completing your hike--you must still get back to where you started from! (Exceptions are loop hikes.)
Check the weather forecast before you head out. Know the rules and regulations of the area.
The Leave No Trace Seven Principles
Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
- Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
- Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
- Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
- Repackage food to minimize waste.
- Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
- Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
- Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
- In popular areas:
- Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
- Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
- In pristine areas:
- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
- Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
- Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
- Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
- To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
- Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
- Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
- Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
- Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
- Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
- Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
- Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
- Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
- Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
- Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
- Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
- Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
- Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
- Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
- Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
The Trail Conference is a 2015 Leave No Trace partner.
(c) Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.
Directions to Trailhead
Public TransportationDirections to Trailhead :
Driving:
- Mills Reservation Main Parking Area, 68 Normal Ave, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. GPS Coordinates: 40.857858, -74.210225
- From the Garden State Parkway south -- take Exit 154 (Clifton). Bear left after the toll booths, following the sign to Route 46, and continue west on Route 46. In 0.9 mile, take the Valley Road exit. At the bottom of the ramp, bear right onto Valley Road north, but immediately turn left, following the sign for "Montclair," then bear left again at the sign "U-Turn, Montclair." Proceed south along Valley Road for 1.0 mile and turn right onto Normal Avenue. Cross the railroad tracks, continue uphill for another 0.3 mile, and turn left into the parking area for Mills Reservation at the top of the hill.
- From I-280 West -- take Exit 8B, turn north onto Prospect Avenue/Route 23. Turn right onto Ridge Road; right onto Reservoir Drive; right onto Normal Avenue. Reservation is on the right.
- Old Quarry Road Parking Area -- Pathway link to Lenape Trail -- GPS Coordinates: 40.847641, -74.214321
TRAIN TRANSPORT :
The park is 0.3 mile uphill along Normal Avenue from the Montclair Heights station on the Montclair-Boonton rail line of NJ Transit (service provided only on weekdays). For more information, go to www.njtransit.com, or call 800-722-2222 (in New Jersey) or 973-762-5100 (outside New Jersey).
BUS TRANSPORT :
NJ Transit bus #191/195, which provides limited weekday service, stops at the parking area near the intersection of Normal Avenue and Granite Drive. For more information, go to www.njtransit.com.
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