Grace Lord Park is a small Morris County municipal park in the town of Boonton. Grace Lord Park is highlighted by the Boonton Falls, a 36-foot waterfall over the Rockaway River that is one of the most voluminous in the state. For history fans, the park is also home to the Boonton Ironworks.
Basic Information
Parking:
- Main Park: Street parking on Essex Ave, Boonton, NJ 07005
- Morris Ave: Morris Ave, Boonton, NJ 07005
Website: N/A
Trail Map: N/A
Restrooms: No
Price: Free
Activities
Walking/Hiking Trails
Grace Lord Park features a short trail passing by the Rockaway River, Boonton Falls and the Boonton Ironworks remnants.
Playground
The main park entrance features a small playground
Points of Interest
- Boonton Falls
- Train trestle and turntable
Alerts
- The trail connecting the two parking areas was severely eroded and damaged in 2011 by Tropical Storm Irene. The trail is still closed and there is no connection between the two parking areas.
- The Rockaway River through Grace Lord Park is very fast-moving, especially near the waterfall. There are numerous emergency phones along the trail for a reason.
Boonton Falls and Rockaway River
The Boonton Falls are the highlight of Grace Lord Park. A short trail brings visitors to the waterfall, and a stone arch bridge allows visitors to cross the Rockaway River and view it from the other side. After the waterfall, the Rockaway River begins a series of aggressive rapids as it winds its way down to the Boonton Reservoir. Unfortunately, you can only see a limited portion of the river from the park.
Boonton Ironworks
Near the stone arch bridge crossing the Rockaway River are the remains of the Boonton Ironworks, which closed in 1911. In fact, the bridge itself was built in 1866 to carry water to the ironworks. Unfortunately, for safety concerns, the are large chain-link fences on the sides of the bridge. Currently, you are still able to see some other remains, most obviously a stone structure with four tunnels used to carry a railroad siding.
Train Trestle and Turntable
From the Morris Avenue entrance is some rail history in the form of a train trestle over the Rockaway River and the remains of a 54-foot railroad turntable, which were both constructed as part of the Boonton Ironworks. Unfortunately, you cannot cross the trestle as it is fenced off, and most of the turntable has been removed and is overgrown (literal trees are growing in the middle of it).
Review
Grace Lord Park is one of the better town parks in New Jersey, thanks to the mighty Boonton Falls and rapids of the Rockaway River, as well as the historic sights from the former Boonton Ironworks, including some furnaces, a railroad trestle, and a turntable. Plus, there are some very nice playgrounds for children. The park is brought down by a couple of unfortunate factors, though. First, the park has not fully recovered from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, and the one trail connection between the park’s north and south ends is indefinitely closed, making it a hassle to see all the sights. Additionally, the more popular side of the park, featuring Boonton Falls and the playgrounds, features no parking. Fortunately, free street parking is available nearby.
Posts From Grace Lord Park
-
Grace Lord Park’s Unknown Rail Trestle and Turntable
Boonton’s Grace Lord Park is easily best known as the home of the 36-foot Boonton Falls. Aside from the falls, Grace Lord Park is also home to the…
-
Boonton Falls: Easy Access & Great Views
Boonton Falls is a short but powerful waterfall along the Rockaway River in the Morris County town of Boonton. Boonton Falls marks the beginning of a series of…
Gallery
Leave a Reply