Hilltop Reservation

The Hilltop Reservation is a nature preserve located in Essex County, New Jersey, in the host communities of Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona. It has over 200 acres (0.81 km²), and is the most recent addition to the Essex County Parks System. It is composed of lands formerly occupied by the Essex Mountain Sanatorium, a hospital center originally constructed in the early 1900s to treat tuberculosis patients.

Hilltop Reservation is located on the Second Watchung Mountain, one of three Watchung Mountains which are long, low ridges of volcanic origin in northern New Jersey.

History

The land was designated a Conservation Easement in 2001 by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, permanently dedicating it for conservation and passive recreation purposes, and thereby protecting it from any future development.

In 2003, additional area was dedicated, bringing the Reservation’s total to 284.16 acres (1.1500 km²). This addition to the County’s official New Jersey Green Acres Recreation and Open Space Inventory brings the current total area of the Essex County Parks System to 6,010.52 acres (24.3237 km²).

Hilltop Conservancy

The Hilltop Conservancy is a local group dedicated to the preservation of this area.

References

External links

• Hilltop Conservancy

v t e Essex County Park System Parks Anderson Park Becker Park Belleville Park Branch Brook Park Brookdale Park Glenfield Park Grover Cleveland Park Independence Park lrvington Park lvy Hill Park Kip's Castle Park Orange Park Riverbank Park Vailsburg Park Verona Park Watsessing Park Weequahic Park West Side Park Yanticaw Park Reservations Eagle Rock Reservation Hilltop Reservation Mills Reservation South Mountain Reservation West Essex Park Other facilities Francis A. Byrne Golf Course Hendricks Field Golf Course Riker Hill Complex South Mountain Recreation Complex Weequahic Golf Course West Essex Trail

Coordinates: 40°49′10″N 74°14′08″W / 40.81933°N 74.23564°W / 40.81933; -74.23564