Montville: Park Trails, Fishing, and History

Get to know Montville through its trails, fishing, and history. Community Park offers hiking and walking trails, Lake Montowac is designated as a fishing area, and the township is home to historic school and industrial sites. You can tailor your stay to suit different interests: time outdoors, a specific activity on the water, or a look at local history.

Trails, Woods, and Fishing

Montville Community Park has hiking trails, other trails, and walking paths. Three short marked routes lead through the Township of Montville from the park trailhead; they are marked in red, white, and blue. The color codes clearly distinguish the three short routes. The park also has an amphitheater or pavilion, which provides space for concerts, outdoor classes, and film screenings.

Hierwarter Preserve offers a different kind of natural setting within the township: the publicly accessible preserve covers 44 acres and has three hiking trails through sloping woodland. The trails are short and offer views of the landscape. If you are choosing between a marked trail and a route with woodland and landscape views when planning your day, these offer two different trail experiences.

Lake Montowac, at 64 Changebridge Road in Montville, is designated as a fishing area; the ponds are stocked in spring. Under New Jersey state law, anyone over 16 must have a state fishing license. This age limit and license requirement are important to keep in mind when planning if fishing is one of your travel interests.

Schoolhouse, Museum, and Industrial History

The Montville Museum is located on the site of a former school dating from 1837. The museum building was built in 1867 and was one of the area's first one-room schoolhouses. William Hickson, an early superintendent of the Morris Canal, established the museum. The Montville Township Historical Museum 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 date before you arrive.

The township's industrial history is also part of the picture. The Capstick Historic District includes sites or remains of The Montville Finishing Company and The Globe & Columbia Print Works, as well as two mill ponds. The Capstick complex is the only historic industrial site in the Township of Montville. These remains and ponds give this topic a different focus from the history of the schoolhouse and museum.

The Morris Canal historically ran through the center of the Township of Montville from west to east and is no longer in operation as a waterway. In 1973, the Morris Canal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for its significance to engineering, industry, and transportation in New Jersey. In Towaco, the Henry Doremus House dates from 1760. It has never been modernized and has no electricity, running water, or heating.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Stay

When looking for a vacation rental in Montville, it helps to first consider which aspects of your trip matter most. If you mainly want to spend time outdoors, you can consider the park trails, the short routes at Hierwarter Preserve, and the fishing area as different options. If you are interested in history, there is the museum, the Capstick complex, the Morris Canal, and the Henry Doremus House. These options can help guide your choice of a suitable base; match the location of your accommodation to the activities you actually plan to do.

Explore More Destinations

Explore more destinations: Pine Brook, Denville, Chatham, Dover, Whippany, Morris Plains, Mt Arlington, Morris Township.

For the main travel overview: Morris.