Fall in New Jersey has always been one of the best times to traverse the state and take in some of the most beautiful foliage anywhere in the country. The leaves begin to change, and the crisp fall air begs you to get outside. Over the years, the Mr. Local History Project has researched the history of four fantastic places to take in the fall air and have a great walk. Fresh air, beautiful colors, and, oh you can learn some great history to boot! We call it history masked behind something else or simply “history with a social twist.” Let’s take a look.
The four places that scream out for your attendance are all within an hour of most New Jersey residents. Fresh air, great foliage, and a beautiful walk all welcome you to get out there and experience the beauty of fall in New Jersey. And you can bring your dogs to three of the four as well.
Our day trips start in Somerset County at the historic Natirar Estate and County Park in Gladstone, New Jersey. Then, we venture north to Waterloo Village in Stanhope and High Point State Park in Sussex, New Jersey. Finally, we conclude not in New Jersey but in the lower Hudson Valley at the 150-year-old historic Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York.
Before you go, check out this great fall foliage map and pick your target travel date – Click Here to Open Map in New Window
Natirar Estate and County Park – Peapack/Gladstone, New Jersey
Tucked in the Somerset Hills of northern Somerset County, New Jersey, the Somerset County Parks Commission bought the 491-acre estate in 2003 for $22 million with the intent to preserve this crown jewel as open space where it now serves as a public park, including businesses in the preserved estate. Natirar is two separate entities owned by Somerset County. The first is the park system managed by the Somerset County Parks Commission. The other is a 90-acre section not under the green acres funding and is a leased partnership with Pendry Hotels. Pendry is of the most bespoke hotel management companies in the country.
Natirar ( Raritan spelled backward) is a two-part journey. First, walk the cinder trail below the estate and the grassy footpath beyond the Raritan River. Then hop back in the car and drive up to 90 acres, a beautiful four-star restaurant, a hotel, cottages, and the historic former Kate Macy Ladd estate.
For Directions – Click Here
Waterloo Village – Stanhope/Bryam, New Jersey
Just off the highway on the border of Sussex and Morris County in New Jersey, in a quiet rural community, lies a quiet historic village of a time long gone. The Mr. Local History Project took a day trip to visit the historic Waterloo Village in Byram, New Jersey.
Twenty original buildings dating from 1760 to the 1860s—homes, barns, workshops, a mill, a church, a country store, and an inn—have been preserved. Fourteen of these have been restored, furnished with antiques, and opened to the public. Three more are presently under restoration.
For directions – Click Here
High Point State Park – Sussex, New Jersey
High Point in Sussex, New Jersey, is the summit of the Kittatinny Ridge, which rises 1,803 feet above sea level — the highest elevation in the state of New Jersey. Kittatinny Ridge is the product of continental collisions that crumpled the earth’s crust, the grinding force of mile-high ice sheets, and centuries of erosion that washed soil and rock into the valleys. The result is a mountain with unrivaled views of three states and a scenic landscape where uncommon plants take root, animals find refuge, and people come to sightsee, play, and relax.
Colonel Anthony R. and Susie Dryden Kuser (Bernardsville, New Jersey) donated the land for High Point State Park, which was dedicated as a park in 1923. The Olmsted Brothers of Boston, a prominent landscape architectural firm at the time, designed the pleasant landscaping. The brothers were the sons of the eminent Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park and was also from Bernardsville, New Jersey.
The High Point Monument is dedicated to New Jersey’s veterans atop the mountain’s summit. This monument and the more than 16,000 acres that comprised High Point State Park were the generous gifts of Anthony and Susie Dryden Kuser in 1923. Beginning in the mid-1800s, people have been refining High Point’s already-inviting natural landscape – building roads and trails, beaches and picnic grounds, concession areas, and campgrounds – all planned to enhance the natural beauty of the landscape and make the park more enjoyable for visitors.
For Directions – Click Here
Mohonk Mountain House – New Paltz, New York
Happy Birthday, Mohonk Mountain House, which celebrated 150 years of its wonderful history tucked in the Catskill Mountains just a short drive from New Jersey. As the video below starts, the speaker talks about the beauty and natural serenity of this beautiful historic gem in the lower Hudson Valley. Read more about the history below and what you can do on a day trip to Mohonk Mountain House. And if you visit in the fall, you are treated to one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts.
Founded by the Smiley Family in 1869, the Victorian castle resort is nestled in the Hudson Valley on top of a mountain, bordering the crystal waters of Lake Mohonk and surrounded by 40,000 acres of pristine forest. It is located only 90 miles north of New York City. MLH posted a great story about the history below.
For Directions – Click Here
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Please feel free to post a comment on your favorite Jersey foliage day trip below. Better yet, take one of these trips and let us know if you agree these are 4 great fall day trips.
