Tourne County Park
Park Overview:
A highlight of the park is the view from the top of the Tourne, which includes the New York City skyline on clear days; it also includes a protected zone for native wildflowers.
Park Description:
The 565-acre Tourne County Park features an extensive network of trails, which follow both footpaths and woods roads through a dense deciduous forest. It includes a wildflower section that features over 250 species of native plants. A highlight of the park is the view from the top of the Tourne [elevation 897 feet], which includes the New York City skyline on clear days.
Trails Overview:
A network of 9 blazed trails, ranging from 0.25 mile to just under 3.25 miles, provide multiple opportunities for loop hikes. The DeCamp loop trail [Yellow blaze; 1.3 miles] passes through the Top of the Tourne with several viewpoints. The Red Trail [3.23 miles] loops around the park; at one point it proceeds through a gate in a fence which protects wildflowers from damage by animals. The Rattlesnake Trail section of this loop trail parallels Rattlesnake Meadow.
Use the Web Map link on the site for a trail map. Click for detailed descriptions of hikes in the park.
Park Acreage:
565.56 acresMunicipality:
Denville TownshipA highlight of the park is the view from the top of the Tourne, which includes the New York City skyline on clear days; it also includes a protected zone for native wildflowers.
The 565-acre Tourne County Park features an extensive network of trails, which follow both footpaths and woods roads through a dense deciduous forest. It includes a wildflower section that features over 250 species of native plants. A highlight of the park is the view from the top of the Tourne [elevation 897 feet], which includes the New York City...
Trails with spring wildflowers
On March 19th, 2009 arnabbanerjee asked:
Which are the trails to view best spring wildflowers? Can anyone let me know the best ones and timings where one should go? I am expecting the flowers to be coming out from mid-april or so. Any recommendations will be very useful Thanks
wildflower hikes
On March 23rd, 2009 gpettypoet replied:
I can answer for the New Jersey Highlands wildflower walks. If you want a prepared short wildflower walk with examples of most wildflowers in each season, try the one at Morris County Tourne Park in Mountain Lakes NJ., tended with great care by the Rockaway Valley Garden Club. The Land Conservancy also has a tended wildflower plot in back of their headquarters in Montville. If you want a hike with some wildflowers along the way, the answer is more complicated. For good early spring flowers (April 15 to May 3) try a hike from Weis Ecology Center [Editor's note: located in Norvin Green State Forest] out the W trail along Blue Mine Brook up to the old farm foundations, then back on the Green Trail to the Red Dot Trail out to the Blue Mine. Come back to Weis with a detour up the yellow Dot Trail in back of the Roomy Mine to catch a fine patch of columbine. In all seasons, the Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area in Montville white trail has very good flowers. The Ryker Lake trails are also good in early spring, but the loop around the lake is blocked by a beaver dam at the north end. Better still, sign up for one of my wildflower hikes from Weis Ecology Center. Even better, get a copy of my Hiking The Jersey Highlands; it pays special attention to wildflowers along Highlands Trails. You can order it on this website. GPetty.