Somerset County Parks Commission

General Information
The park system is home to 10,000 acres of open space, and well on its way to achieving its longtime goal of creating 20,500 acre network of park and open space facilities. As identified in the Park, Recreation, and Open Space master Plan, the park system has embarked on an aggressive program of land acquisition to provide more parks, a wider variety of recreation activities, and an increased responsibility to protect the County's critical environmental resources and wildlife.

Creating a park infrastructure geared to meet the needs of the County's current and future population is the challenge which is now before the Commission. Other than land acquisition, the other two major ways in which this goal is actualized is through the development and use of regional scale public facilities, as well as through the continued creation and implementation of ongoing programs and special events.

Facilities now operated by the Park Commission include a wide range of opportunities for leisure pursuits. Golf is a large component with four golf courses, two driving ranges, a pitch and putt course, and a recreational putting course. Specialized facilities include a riding stable, an environmental education center, two tennis facilities, a swim club, and paddle boating. Horticulture activities include a rock formation and rare plant garden, an award winning rose garden, arboretum, and a sensory and fragrance garden. Three general use parks offer picnic facilities, bike paths, athletic fields, and fishing opportunities. The park system also encompasses several natural areas offering more passive pursuits such as bird watching and hiking.

The Park Commission has established a tradition of providing quality and unique programs. Therapeutic Recreation provides year round activities and events for children and adults with disabilities, as well as a summer camp for children who have a learning or language disabilities, Environmental Education offers programs focusing on local environmental issues, archeology, outdoor education, and bringing nature to children of all ages. Lessons and clinics are offered at many of the facilities, aimed at introducing people to a variety of recreation skills.

Perhaps the greatest audience reached is through the many special events conducted by the Park Commission and attended by 70,000 people annually over the past forty-nine years. The most known of these include the Free Summer Concert Series, the Fourth of July Family Festival, the 1770s Festival, and the Golf Tournaments. Twenty others are also held each year, each with its own distinctive focus. We invite you to examine the events, programs, and facilities listed within this website.

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PARKS
General Information The park system is home to 10,000 acres of open space, and well on its way to achieving its longtime goal of creating 20,500 acre network of park and open space facilities. As identified in the Park, Recreation, and Open Space master Plan, the park system has embarked on an aggressive program of land acquisition to provide more parks, a wider variety of recreation activities, and an increased responsibility to protect the County's critical environmental resources and wildlife. Creating a park infrastructure geared to meet the needs of the County's current and future population is the challenge which is now before the Commission. Other than land acquisition, the other two major ways in which this goal is actualized is through the development and use of regional scale public facilities, as well as through the continued creation and implementation of ongoing programs and special events. Facilities now operated by the Park Commission include a wide range of opportunities for leisure pursuits. Golf is a large component with four golf courses, two driving ranges, a pitch and putt course, and a recreational putting course. Specialized facilities include a riding stable, an environmental education center, two tennis facilities, a swim club, and paddle boating. Horticulture activities include a rock formation and rare plant garden, an award winning rose garden, arboretum, and a sensory and fragrance garden. Three general use parks offer picnic facilities, bike paths, athletic fields, and fishing opportunities. The park system also encompasses several natural areas offering more passive pursuits such as bird watching and hiking. The Park Commission has established a tradition of providing quality and unique programs. Therapeutic Recreation provides year round activities and events for children and adults with disabilities, as well as a summer camp for children who have a learning or language disabilities, Environmental Education offers programs focusing on local environmental issues, archeology, outdoor education, and bringing nature to children of all ages. Lessons and clinics are offered at many of the facilities, aimed at introducing people to a variety of recreation skills. Perhaps the greatest audience reached is through the many special events conducted by the Park Commission and attended by 70,000 people annually over the past forty-nine years. The most known of these include the Free Summer Concert Series, the Fourth of July Family Festival, the 1770s Festival, and the Golf Tournaments. Twenty others are also held each year, each with its own distinctive focus. We invite you to examine the events, programs, and facilities listed within this website.
PARK INFORMATION
Colonial Park Duke Island Park Environmental Education Center Little Brook Sanctuary Lord Stirling Stable Natirar North Branch Park	North Branch Greenway Park Riverside Park - Frank "Nap" Torpey Athletic Complex Sourland Mountain Preserve Washington Valley Park Picnic Permits Special Use Permits Park Rules and Regulations
E-mail Leisure Services with any questions or comments