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Hiking Trail - South Mountain Reservoir
4.7 ★★★★★ 23 Google reviews · Running trail in West Orange, New Jersey · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Hiking Trail - South Mountain Reservoir's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Hiking Trail - South Mountain Reservoir
“It's a beautiful view and a nice way to let out stress.”
Best trail access to check out Hemlock Falls and Hobble Falls. Also don’t miss the giant rhinoceros tree at the fork in the trail just in from the parking lot. Falls are about a half mile from the lot. Trail is wide and well maintained but does flood in heavy rains. Of course that’s the best time to see the falls.
One of the best trails I've ever been on! The tail is easy but LORD my legs were sore for two days. It's a beautiful view and a nice way to let out stress.
Great easy hiking. Parking is a bit small and usually becomes full very early in the morning. Hiking trails are marked and there's some boards showing the trails
Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. The waterfall with ice 🧊 looked gorgeous 😍. Nice trail walk 🚶♂️ too. Good to release the STRESS.
Trail conditions & character
“Great hiking experience close to NYC, waterfalls can be found approximately 15 minutes from parking space.”
“Great hiking experience close to NYC, waterfalls can be found approximately 15 minutes from parking space.”
Plan your run at Hiking Trail - South Mountain Reservoir
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websiteessexcountyparks.org
- Social Instagram
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near West Orange
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Hemlock Falls
4.6 ★★★★★ 972 reviews
Park with kid-friendly hiking trails, tree markings, and a waterfall.
Tulip Springs
4.6 ★★★★★ 261 reviews
Relaxed recreation area for hiking, picnics, camping and waterfalls.
South Mountain Conservancy
4.5 ★★★★★ 2 reviews
South Mountain Trail Access
5 ★★★★★ 4 reviews
Essex County Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 244 reviews
Kid-friendly park with a playground and a paved trail circling the lake.
