Turtle Back Rock Picnic Area - West Orange, NJ
Turtle Back Rock Picnic Area – A Dog-Friendly Gem in West Orange, New Jersey
Turtle Back Rock Picnic Area offers a peaceful, scenic retreat for dog owners and nature lovers in West Orange, New Jersey. With its winding, pet-friendly hiking trails and relaxing picnic spots, it’s a fantastic destination for enjoying outdoor activities with your furry companion. The area is well-known for its abundant greenery, gentle stream, and ample shade from mature trees, making it comfortable even on hot summer days.
Amenities at this park include accessible parking lots and entrances, picnic tables, barbecue grills, and public restrooms. The well-marked trails are popular for hiking, walking, and trail running with dogs. Turtle Back Rock Picnic Area is highly regarded by locals for its tranquil setting, spacious grounds, and opportunities to host private events or gatherings. Families appreciate the kid-friendly environment and regular community events held in the park.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, Turtle Back Rock Picnic Area has a wheelchair accessible entrance and parking lot.
- Are there restrooms available for owners? Yes, there are public restrooms, though some reviews note they are chemical toilets and may not always be well maintained.
- Are picnics or BBQs allowed? Yes, there are picnic tables and barbecue grills available for visitors to use.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, the park is full of trees that provide plenty of shade.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are a variety of well-marked hiking and running trails, including pet-friendly options.
- Is there seating available for owners? Yes, multiple picnic tables are available throughout the park.
- Is parking available? Yes, there is onsite parking provided.
Reviews
We went on vet day and it was packed…. But after a while, we were able to get a table and a grill to use… The space is really big and also the parking lot.
The bathroom is a chemical and it was disgusting… That’s the only negative point…
Overall it was an awesome holiday!!
I enjoyed myself because I expected it to be hot and humid being in the 90°+ . The wildlife was a pleasure and plenty trees to keep the sun out. Good location for a private party
I love coming here to trail run when I want do do a shorter 3.5 mile loop. I run the orange trail with my furry baby, and when I want to push to 4 miles, I’ll run an additional 2 loops on the orange/white trail. I usually come as soon as the sun is up because I enjoy the solitude. My only complaint, nothing to do with the trail itself, are folks who have their dogs off leash. Otherwise I love the trail because there are aren’t any serious elevation changes. It is rocky in lots of sections, which I usually feel afterwards (I use barefoot trail running sneakers), but all of the leaves that have fallen provide some cushion and my favorite part is running along the stream. The trail is pretty well marked although, I must have not been paying attention today because I found myself on the blue trail somehow. I run these trails often, so it wasn’t hard to find my way back to the orange trail without having to backtrack, but on a beautiful day, like today, I don’t mind getting a little lost and spending extra time out here.
A nice place to come walk, hike, run, relax or have a little picnic with your beloved ones. Really peaceful, full of green and with different tracks to follow if you want to.
Came here because this agency called nexgenlearningsolutions was having a pumpkin painting in the park so i brought my client and we had a very nice time. The ladies were so pleasant and nice to us and the networking was incredible! They told me they are even hiring teachers or aides etc that have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. They are good people and i plan on attending many other events they have. I found them on fb activities by the way.