Central Park of Morris County is a large sports facility located in Parsippany. The park is located on the site of the former Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital. While the hospital has been relocated, its legacy remains, and many people simply refer to the park as “Greystone.” Today the park features a wild array of sports facilities, including four turf fields and a unique kickball field designed to be wheelchair accessible. Other popular activities include running along the cross country course and disc golf at Greystone Woods.
Explore North Jersey Review: Good sports and disc golf facility
Central Park of Morris County
Parking:
- General Use: Central Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960
- Multiple paved parking lots and street parking
- Dog Park: Collins Rd, Morris Plains, NJ 07950
- About 20 gravel parking spaces
- Disc Golf: 363 Old Dover Rd, Morris Plains, NJ 07950
- Very large dirt parking area across Old Dover Road from Disc Golf course.
Location: Parsippany, Morris County
Restrooms: Yes, at the turf fields and the kickball field
Price: Free for general use, but permits are required for organized sports and turf field use
Activities
Fields
The park features a variety of fields for use
- 4 turf fields
- 1 softball field
- 2 in-line rinks
- 1 kickball field
- 2 sand volleyball courts
- 1 5K cross country course
Disc Golf
The park features an 18-hole disc golf course
Playground
Across from the turf fields is a large, wheelchair-accessible playground.
Walking, Running and Hiking
The park features a variety of paved and natural trails. The trails surrounding the athletic fields are all paved and good for walking. Natural trails can be found on the 5K cross country course and near the disc golf course.
Dog Park
The park features a large dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs.
Points of Interest
- Nabisco Eagle
- Greystone Woods
- Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital Ruins
Alerts
- Central Avenue is closed between Collins Road and Governor Chris Christie Drive. This is to reduce traffic passing through residential areas. The entire park is still accessible.
Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital
The land on which Central Park of Morris County sits was once home to Greystone Park, a large psychiatric hospital. Upon opening in 1876, Greystone Park was the largest continuous foundation in the United States. In 2008, the hospital shut down due to overcrowding and poor conditions, with the patients being moved to a new hospital of the name name just up the road. During its later years, many buildings were demolished and replaced with parkland. The final demolition took place in 2015 with the removal of the main Kirkbride Building, the most recognizable structure of the facility.
Today, most of the hospital has been demolished, but there are a few remnants. Near the start of the cross-country course is a building used by the park’s maintenance department. Near the softball field there is another building that is literally sinking into the ground. Additionally, the disc golf course features a few ruins, and passes next to small ponds used for ice harvesting.
The Main Park
The main park is where all the athletic facilities and the playground are. The fields are often used by leagues, but are able to be used if not reserved by one. Unfortunately, most of the facilities are used nightly.
In this area, you will also find the cross-country course. A large portion of the course, specifically the start and end, is built where the former psychiatric hospital stood. Since the building was only demolished in 2015, there is limited shade on the course as the trees have not fully grown in yet.
Near the kickball field is a 14-foot eagle statue. The statue was once located at the Nabisco headquarters in East Hanover before being donated to the Morris County Park Commission. Unfortunately, the eagle has begin to fall into disrepair.
Greystone Woods
Across Old Dover Road from the main area of the park is Greystone Woods. This is where you will find the disc golf course and the more traditional hiking trails. The disc golf course features 18 holes and works its way around a pair of ponds used to harvest ice for the hospital. There are also multiple ruins surrounding the pond that are unfortunately fenced off.
The Yellow Trail through Greystone Parks connects to Mountain Way Park in Parsippany.
Gallery
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