Mills Reservation is a nature reserve in New Jersey. It consists of 157 acres that includes the Cedar Grove Reservoir and cliffs with a view of NYC. The platform at the cliffs is used by the NJ Audubon Society to do their hawk count. This Essex County Park features 7 trails for a total of 6.1 miles. Since the park is to be kept in its natural state, there are no restrooms here. The park is family friendly and a good choice for introducing small children to nature.
The main parking area is located on Normal Ave and has space for 20 cars. Limited parking is also available on Old Quarry Rd which is near Quarry Point and the Hawkwatch platform. The Lenape Trail is available from the Normal Ave parking lot by taking the Lenape Link Trail. The Lenape Trail intersects with many of the other trails in the park.
Since this is a heavily wooded area the crowds come on the weekends during the summer for the shade and during the fall to check out the fall colors. Parking is limited so the earlier you can get here, the better.
Mountain Biking is not permitted in Mills Reservation, however they are commonly seen by hikers in the park. Ticketing will occur for bike riding and dogs off-leash in the park.
Many people use this park to walk their dogs and are pretty good about picking up after them. Dogs are permitted on-leash only but encounters with aggressive dogs off-leash are common.