Basking Ridge is your gateway to many outdoor spots in New Jersey. Its proximity to highways 78, 287, and 206 help you explore quickly and efficiently all over Somerset, Morris, and Union counties!
PLACES TO VISIT
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
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The Great Swamp is just that — a giant swamp! You can hike, bird-watch and wildlife-watch your way through it on boardwalk trails. The park is home to 215 species of wildflowers, 220 species of birds, 33 species of mammal, and many reptile, amphibian, and fish species. Of these, 26 are listed by the state of New Jersey as threatened or endangered.
You can visit the Great Swamp all year round for winter landscapes, spring wildflowers, summer scenes, and fall colors!
Lord Stirling Park
Explore up, across, and around the cattail-lined marshes of the Passaic River in Lord Sterling Park. You can hike the nine miles of trails from the Environmental Education Center which houses the Great Swamp Experience, which “highlights historical and ecological information about the Great Swamp.”
Morristown National Historical Park
Drive just a few miles up 287 and you’ll be able to hike all day in Morristown National Historical Park — one of New Jersey’s National Park Service sites.
The park celebrates George Washington and his army’s winter encampment from 1779-1780 in Jockey Hollow, where you can explore in the park today.
Spend the rest of the day hiking through the 27 miles of trails with your pup!
Chester, New Jersey
Looking to celebrate all of the wonderful feelings that come with enjoying fall in New Jersey? Look no further than historic Chester!
Wander off Main Street/Rte 24 to find historical homes and stunning views of the changing colors of the fall leaves. Taking a stroll through Chester gives an old-timey feel on brick-paved sidewalks as you explore all of the local businesses and shops.
Duke Farms
Walking through Duke Farms Estate gives you a European feel right here in New Jersey. With lavish gardens, intricate landscaping, and intriguing statues and structures, you are immediately in awe of some of the scenes here.
Our favorite is the Orchid Greenhouse. When you enter, you’re greeted by the warm and humid air inside. The climate inside can immediately fog up your camera lens! Lucious greens, bright yellows, eye-popping pinks, and so much more vibrant colors fill every room of the greenhouse.
A walk (or bike!) through the property brings you to the arboretum, the red bridge area, lakes, streams, and meadows. Don’t miss this outdoor spot.
Watchung Reservation
Watchung Reservation is a unique spot in Union County that spans a few towns, boasts a lake and deserted village, and is even the home of fossils. What else do you need to know? Put on your hiking boots and get outside to explore this outdoor spot.
Want to stay close by all these adventure spots?
Check out Delta Hotels by Marriott in Basking Ridge. Play outdoor games by the fire-pit while enjoying drinks from the bar before you head inside for a New Jersey-inspired meal by executive chef Bobby Varua. Take it from us — the disco fries are worth the trip!
You can watch Netflix and Hulu from your devices with their free wireless internet, too. In the morning, take a spin on the Peleton bike to work off your dinner. But don’t bike for too long — more New Jersey adventures await!
As always, explore our maps for more to do all around this area, from fall fun to hiking.
