Morris Canal Park and Nature Reserve

Beautiful park. It’s beside the Parkway so don’t expect quiet but it has a ton of charm with wooden structures, a wildflower garden and maybe benches.

A beautiful hidden treasure. You step out of your car and you're instantly transported to a cozy little patch of greenery. Great for a short walk or a picnic, maybe a quick escape during a lunch break.

Morris Canal Park and Nature Reserve is perhaps the most beautiful and educational of all of the places listed under the auspices of the Clifton Department of Parks and Recreation. It is located on Broad Street, just north of Allwood Road, and extends on a strip of land formerly occupied by the Morris Canal, one of the preeminent waterways used for shipping in the 19th Century. The current stretch of the reserve extends for about a quarter mile in length between Broad Street on the west and the Garden State Parkway on the east. It has numerous historical artifact recreations within, many created as Eagle Scout projects, several wildflower gardens, several walking paths including its own signature path called The Towpath, which traverses its entire length paralleling Broad Street, a large picnic area with a grill, and numerous commemorative plaques and dedications including several to the honor of the late Jack Keupfer, whose brainchild this reserve is. It is a truly bucolic setting, done beautifully.

A delightful little park. The grass path that is part of the greenway exudes tranquility. The gazebo area in the front is a bit like a flea market of boy scout projects. A recommendation for a project: get crosswalks to cross Broad Street, as the only sidewalk is across the street from the park entrance.

Small, with lots of highway noise, but you can tell at one point someone cared about this space. There are lots of pathways and bridges to explore. Overall though it's not my favorite as it's a really small noisy space and a bit odd as it leads to nowhere.