Montville: Parks, Trails, and Local History

When planning a stay in Montville, trails, natural areas, fishing, and local history are practical things to consider. Montville Community Park and Lake Montowac offer different ways to enjoy the outdoors; within the township, marked trails and the Hierwarter Preserve add to the options. Museums and sites with industrial history tell further chapters of the area's story.

Parks, Trails, and Fishing

Montville Community Park has hiking trails, other trails, and walking paths. There is also space for concerts: the park includes an amphitheater or pavilion. The variety of trail types makes the park a practical starting point for different outdoor plans.

Three short, marked trails start at Community Park. Their routes are marked in red, white, and blue. The colors help distinguish the trails, while “short” gives a general indication of their length.

Lake Montowac is located at 64 Changebridge Road in Montville, New Jersey, and is designated as a fishing area. The ponds are stocked in spring. Anyone over the age of 16 needs a state fishing license under New Jersey law. Stocking and the age requirement are important points to consider if you plan to fish.

Hierwarter Preserve covers 44 acres and is open to the public. Three hiking trails cross wooded slopes; short trails offer views of the landscape. The different types of trails at Community Park provide a contrast: at the Preserve, the focus is on the protected area, woodlands, and landscape views.

Museum and Local History

The history of the Montville Museum is connected to the site of a former school dating from 1837. The museum building was constructed in 1867 and was one of the area's first one-room schoolhouses. The Montville Museum was built by William Hickson, an early superintendent of the Morris Canal. The collection includes articles, pictures, audio tapes, and memories from long ago.

The Montville Museum is open on the third Sunday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. Check the schedule before traveling if you plan to visit at that time. The collection and historic schoolhouse offer two different points of interest for a museum visit: the materials that preserve the past and the history of the site itself.

The Capstick Historic District is a testament to the area's industrial heritage. The district includes the sites or remains of the Montville Finishing Company and Globe & Columbia Print Works, as well as two mill ponds.

The Henry Doremus House dates from 1760 and has never been modernized; it has no electricity, running water, or heating. These details show how different living conditions are in a historic house like this, without equating it with a modern building.

The Morris Canal ran centrally from west to east through Montville Township and is no longer in operation as a waterway. In 1973, the Morris Canal was added to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for its significance to engineering, industry, and transportation in New Jersey.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Pine Brook, Flanders, Mount Olive, Dover, Roxbury Township, Mt Arlington, Denville, Pequannock.

For the broader travel overview: Morris.