Old Orchard Park (11 acres)

Location: Eric Trail
The facilities at this park include a large soccer field, pond and grass area. This is a great location to kick around a ball or relax while watching the pond wildlife.

Veterans’ Memorial Park (67 acres)

Location: Vernon Crossing Road
Featuring three baseball fields, horseshoe pits, soccer and football fields, Veterans’ Memorial Park has been an enjoyable recreational area in Vernon Township for decades.

Maple Grange Community Park (182 acres)

Location: Maple Grange Road
Vernon’s newest park is the pride of the township. Facilities include three multi-purpose turf fields and the “great lawn”—an open, natural grass area ideal for tossing a ball or relaxing with a good book. The walking and biking path provides residents with a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise at the same time. Picnic tables are located throughout the park as well as at the community building which has a covered pavilion area for eating. Our newest additions to this facility are playground areas alongside the pavilion. One side is filled with interactive equipment for 2 to 5-year-olds, while the other side features swings, a zip line, a tire swing and other entertaining items for 5 to 12-year-olds. The park’s snack bar is open during peak sporting events and restrooms are open daily. You can hear the crowd cheering at our township football games as the play-by-play is amplified from the announcer’s booth. Township softball, soccer, football and lacrosse teams enjoy playing “under the lights” on their home fields and the township looks forward to adding more enhancements in future years.

Town Center Pump Track & Trail Feasibility Study

 Town Center Pump Track & Trail FAQ's

 

In addition to the parks and facilities owned by the township, there are a number of federal and state owned recreational areas located either within the township’s boundaries or nearby.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

The twenty mile section of the Appalachian Trail that cuts through Vernon stretches from the Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge at the Wantage border, across Pochuck Mountain and north-central Vernon, through Wawayanda State Park to the West Milford border. More info about the Appalachian Trail »

Wawayanda State Park

This 34,350 acre park offers more than sixty miles of marked trails, including the 19.6 mile stretch of the Appalchian Trail. The park is owned and maintained by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Parks and Forestry. More info about Wawayanda State Park » 

High Point State Park

This 15,827 acre park offers more than fifty miles of trails, many of which are designated as multiple use which means they can be used for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding and snowmobiling. This park is home to the High Point Monument, a 220-foot structure offering views of the Poconos, Catskills and the Wallkill River Valley. Located in nearby Sussex, this park is also owned and maintained by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Parks and Forestry. More info about High Point State Park

 

 

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge

The Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge system. There are four nature trails for hiking: Wood Duck Nature Trail, Liberty Loop Trail, Dagmar Dale Nature Trail and Timberdoodle Trail. According to the refuge personnel, one of the best ways to see the Walkill River is by canoe or kayak. The refuge headquarters is located in a renovated 150-year old farmhouse at 1547 County Route 565 in Vernon Township but has a Sussex mailing address.