It will take you at least an hour just to get to Jersey from Brooklyn on a good day. On a bad day it can be 2 hours or more. So, what is your teritory? If its Jersey and North than you should probably look at Morris, Passaic of Bergen Counties. If you're also going to be covering South of Jersey than it would make sense to look at Monmouth or Burlington Counties.
"this is more complicated than I thought........"
That's why we (and you) are asking questions. Keep probing.
With New England thrown into the mix, the more I like somewhere along Route 287, like the Morristown area. Easy access to NJ, NY and then over the "Z" bridge to CT, MA, etc.
Again, you will need to visit these areas. I hope you aren't in sticker shock. If so, try the roomie route.
Good luck!
11Run,
Are you familiar with the NY metro area? (Have you ever lived there, or are you from somewhere outside?) Spending a few days in the area, just driving around might be helpful if you aren't familiar.
Based on what you've described as your territory, which I take to be New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic States (NY, NJ, PA, DE), you may want to look at Bergen or Hudson counties in NJ. Though there aren't as many great running spots, there are a few, and proximity to highways is quite good. Check out areas around Ft. Lee. You would then have fairly quick access to New England, Long Island, and NJ and west & south.
Yes I can: Jockey Hollow, Watchung, Allamuchy, Columbia Trail / Ken Lockwood, Mahlon Dickerson, Patriots Path, Great Swamp (all Morris County), and nearby Deleware-Raritan canal, all in North-Central around Morristown.
The stuff down in central NJ isn't bad, I still drive down there occasionally, Hartshorne is great but a lot of mountain bikers (sometimes me), Holmdel is extremely boring but good for a workout.
Congratulations, you named only two parks that are administered by Morris County - Patriot's Path and Mahlon Dickerson.
Jockey Hollow is part of the National Park System, as is Great Swamp.
Watchung Res. is Union county, Allamuchy is a state park, and Columbia Trail/Ken Lockwood is Hunterdon county.
Holmdel is boring, but good for a workout? What does that mean? What are you doing there if you're not doing a workout?
stipe, et alia wrote:
Congratulations, you named only two parks that are administered by Morris County - Patriot's Path and Mahlon Dickerson.
Jockey Hollow is part of the National Park System, as is Great Swamp.
Watchung Res. is Union county, Allamuchy is a state park, and Columbia Trail/Ken Lockwood is Hunterdon county.
Holmdel is boring, but good for a workout? What does that mean? What are you doing there if you're not doing a workout?
What are you, the park nazi? Did you actually do the research to find out if Jockey Hollow is run by Morris County? You need to get a life.
In case you didnt know, one can go for a run and not do a "workout." The previous poster was right on, Holmdel is great for a workout but would get boring for normal runs.
no, anyone who has ever done a run there should know it's a national park...you know, with the huge signs saying National Park Service all over the place.
It isn't hard to pay attention every once in a while, is it? Especially if you're just going for a run, right?
Went to school in NJ - but mostly just stayed around Madison and Morristown - also wasn't that into running back then, so anywhere I could run 8 miles was fine with me even if it was on the side of the road......
Know lots of people in Jersey but they aren't "runners" so I know they are going to suggest I live in Hoboken and places like that where I can party with them - not really what I am into anymore....
So yeah I have driven around Jersey but suggestions from you all have been more valuable since I haven't been up there in a couple of years.....
Montclair, NJ.
Pee all over Morristown/Madison with respect to fun bars. Do yourself a favor and check out Bloomfield Ave/Park St area.
Grew up running there, plenty of hills, Brookdale park to run in (thing girls here) and drive a little to South Mountain reservation for some of the best hills/trails in the area.
Much much closer to nyc then Thurston Howel III Morristown et al crowd.
PS I grew up in Clifton, you'll be close enough to visit for drinks. But DON't move there, Montclair rules.
Good luck
Stipe, et alia is the poster boy for why not to live in New Jersey. There are great parks, but too many angry people like him crowding them. Go out west.
Not quite correct. Columbia trail is part of Morris County, the southern end which includes Ken Lockwood, is not.
Jockey Hollow is not a national park. You're probably thinking of the Lewis Morris County Park. Jockey Hollow includes two parks, the Morristown National Historic Park and the Lewis Morris County Park. When for example I run at Jockey Hollow, I start at the county park, where the parking is free (it costs money at the national park).
Stipe, you're wrong also on Great Swamp. The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center was opened in 1963 by the Morris County Park Commission. Much of the land is a National Wildlife Refuge, not a National Park.
So how is the public school system in Central Jersey? Not very good apparently.
bump... bump... bump-it-up.
we're going on a NJ venture together to explore your advice first-hand. any last-minute takers, speak now.
Enjoy the trip. Just tell us how you make out.
monmouth cty ==> holmdel, harshorne, thompson, manasquan, tatum park which is close to 2 of theseparks is a very good place if you plan on getting lost in a long run...literally. problem with it is you find a good trail that turns into 2 good trails which each turn into 2 more good trails
moorestown and morristown are different places
Morristown National Park contains Jockey Hollow, correct. Parts of it are actually in Somerset County, a long-time park ranger lived on property in the park in Bernardsville on Jockey Hollow Rd...name is Ed Carroll, father of Pete, now coach at Swarthmore, very good runner at Bernards HS in his day. Its Somerset County until you hit the Passaic River. Most people don't run much on the trails on the side of the park, though.
Not much of the Columbia Trail is in Morris County, but some is through Long Valley and towards Flanders.
Either way, many good spots to run up around here. Monmouth County is good, too. I think what the dude was saying about Holmdel is that is boring for just a regular run. Great for x-c workouts, but you have to use your imagination a bit to do a regular 10-12 miler or longer run. Running 3 loops of the 5k course there gets boring, and seems harder than it should...4 gets real tough.
There are more affordable towns in Somerset and Morris County, too, just not Bernardsville or the rest of the Somerset Hills area.
Grote
Grote
Prata... as in Jeff Prata, right? Didn't you live or grow up in Jersey somewhere? And I'm pretty sure I've raced you in Jersey before, too... maybe on a trip home to the 'rents place?
cardiac kid wrote:
Montclair, NJ.
Pee all over Morristown/Madison
Much much closer to nyc then Thurston Howel III Morristown et al crowd.
Gotta agree with you. I'd go Maplewood or South Orange over the Morristown area for proximity to the city, really nice running in South Mountain.
Morristown is god-awful white bread horse country. No place for the young and single.
Deer Path Park in Reading Township has a nice cross-country route that is used by the High School runners. It covers several soccer fields and circles a small pond that used to be a swimming hole 60 years ago. They have been having summer concerts there every Thursday. There are a lot of nice unheralded parks in NJ like this one.