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Mills Reservation
4.7 ★★★★★ 557 Google reviews · Running trail in Cedar Grove, New Jersey · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mills Reservation'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.
156-acre park offers a range of walking trails on preserved land, native wildlife & scenic outlooks.
What runners say about Mills Reservation
“A beautiful piece of nature carved out for all to enjoy - keep it clean, y'all!”
“A beautiful piece of nature carved out for all to enjoy - keep it clean, y'all!”
“Well marked short trails made for a fun 2 hours hiking in the snow.”
“The terrain is great with some flat easy trails and some singletracks for the cyclists and runners.”
Best experience going to an outdoor adventure!! Perfect place for hiking, lots of fresh air, surrounded by nature, and overall amazing place to spend time out of the room. Needs more parking spots, and make sure you don't get lost on the way back (I got lost twice) not enough markers. Be safe and be careful!!
The main trail is 1.5 miles. It’s a great walk. The view of Manhattan is outstanding but has been disappearing over the years from tree growth. I’ve tracked the sun’s movment between solstices, the winter solstice puts it right over Manhattan and progresses North to June 21.
Cool easy easy trails with some deep woods. Short loops with a good outlook of the city. Honeycombed with many trails that crisscross each other, marked and unmarked. Dogs are allowed on leash. When the hawk lookout is open, do see it.
Great short trails for walking your pup. I loved the well kept trails and scenic views. Be careful, it does get pretty muddy after it rains and some owners let their dogs run off leash.
Trail conditions & character
“I used to come here all the time when my dog was much younger and let him run off leash with a bunch of other dog owners.”
“The outer blue and yellow trails near Mountainside park are the trails to take if you want to see views of Manhattan.”
“Trailhead colors are a bit confusing in comparison to the colors shown on the entrance maps, the lilac purple one is supposed to be the middle blue trail.”
“The terrain is great with some flat easy trails and some singletracks for the cyclists and runners.”
“Needs more parking spots, and make sure you don't get lost on the way back (I got lost twice) not enough markers.”
Plan your run at Mills Reservation
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- 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
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteessexcountyparks.org
- Phone+1 973-268-3500
- Social Instagram
Hours
| Monday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Wednesday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Thursday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Friday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Saturday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Sunday | 7 am–7 pm |
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