Mahlon Dickerson Reservation is the largest park operated by the Morris County Park Commission, at 3,500 acres. Unique to many parks is the campground, which features tent camping as well as RV camping. The park is most popular with mountain bikers and hikers who have access to about 27 miles of trails. While the park is large, there is nothing truly exciting or particularly interesting about it. The landscape is made up of small rolling hills, which occasionally lead to an overgrown view, and there are some okay ponds. Despite the lack of standout features, the park is well-maintained and features a dense trail network.
Explore North Jersey Review: Nice large park, but missing a truly interesting sight or point of interest
Mahlon Dickerson Reservation
Parking:
- Saffin Pond: 41.00806, -74.58571
- Large parking area
- RV Campground: 955 Weldon Rd, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849
- There are a few (~6) parking spots in the center of the campground next to the bathroom building.
- Tent Campground: 41.01200, -74.56875
- Large parking area in front of the campground. Trail access can be found by walking from the parking area to the back of the campground on the road.
- Picnic Area: 41.01170, -74.56664
- Large parking area
- Saffin Rock Rill: 40.98939, -74.58850
- Moderately big, but seldom-used parking area. Access is via a gravel road.
Location: Jefferson, Morris County
Restrooms: Yes, flush toilets are available in the RV campground, as well as portable toilets at Saffin Pond, the picnic area, and the tent campground.
Price: Free, additional fees to camp
Activities
Hiking
The park features 27 miles of hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulties.
Mountain Biking
Mountain Biking is permitted on all trails except for the Teal Dot Trail, which is a short rocky connector.
Equestrian
Horses are permitted on many trails. See the trail map for the list of permitted trails.
Fishing and Hunting
Fishing is available at Saffin Pond.
The park has hunting in the fall and winter. A permit is required from the Morris County Park Commission in addition to state permits.
Camping
The park features a small campground with 18 RV sites, 8 tent sites, and 4 lean-to sites. The campground is open April through November,
Picnicking and Sports
The picnic area features a small picnic area and a softball field.
Points of Interest
- Headley Overlook
- Saffin Pond
- Snow Bowl
- Highest Point in Morris County (no view)
The Park
Mahlon Dickerson Reservation is the largest park in the Morris County Park Commission at 3,500 acres. The park is named after the seventh governor of New Jersey, Mahlon Dickerson.
The Trails
Mahlon Dickerson Reservation features 27 miles of multi-use trails of varying length and difficulty. The trail network is thorough and can be somewhat confusing due to the high density of trails available.
The Campground
The park features a campground, one of the few county parks in the state to offer such an amenity. The campground is not large, but it does feature 18 paved RV sites with water and electric (and a nearby dump station), 8 tent sites with platforms and walk-to 4 lean-to sights. Weirdly, the RV area and the tent/lean-to areas are separated by Weldon Road. More information on the campground can be found on the campground website. As a country-run campground, the rates are reasonable when compared to many privately operated camping areas.
Snow Bowl
The far northern end of the park is the site of a former ski area named Snow Bowl, which operated until 1974. Snow Bowl had a vertical drop of 550 feet and featured multiple trails. Not much remains of the ski area except some small remnants of the lifts and some tree clearings. More information on Snow Bowl can be found here.
Headley Overlook
The Teal Highlands Trail features the only marked overlook in the park, in Headley Overlook. Lake Hopatcong can be seen in the distance from the overlook, but it is unfortunately obscured by trees. The easiest way to reach the overlook is from the tent camping area or the picnic area.
The Highest Point in Morris County
The official trail map marks the highest point in Morris County as a point of interest. The 1,395-foot summit features no view and is surrounded by tall trees. Without the sign at the location, you would never know you were at the highest point in the county.
Saffin Pond
The most popular area in the park is Saffin Pond which offers fishing and a short scenic hike around the man-made pond. The Saffin Pond area is also the main trailhead for a number of hikes, including the Ogdan Mine Rail Trail.
Leave a Reply