Branch Brook Park
Park
337 acres10.6 mi of trail
Branch Brook Park Foot Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Newark
97% of residents live within a half mile of a park in Newark
23 miles of mapped trail cross Newark, 0.9 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Branch Brook Park (10.6 mi), Vailsburg Park (1.5 mi), West Side Park (1.4 mi). 935 acres are parks and preserves, 3.0 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 66% of U.S. towns · #361 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Conserved land
4%
657 acres · of 24.1 sq mi of land
Trails
23 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
935 ac
3.0 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
97%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
12 mi
7.5 mi lanes · 1.0 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
4
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Newark?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Newark have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Newark is ahead of 66% of U.S. towns, #361 of 468 in New Jersey. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Newark’s overall grade.
Conserved land4% of the land · typical NJ town 11% · U.S. 4%BTrails0.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (23 mi) · NJ 0.7 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land3.0 acres of park per 1,000 residents (935 acres) · NJ 25 · U.S. 13C−Parks close to home97% of residents within a half mile of a park · NJ 98% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 66%
LessMore
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 23%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Newark ranks #291 on Outdoors.
New Jersey towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 11%; the U.S., 4%), so Newark’s 4% is ahead of 21% of New Jersey towns, while its trails per square mile lead 63% of them.
Water is 7% of Newark’s area (2 of 26 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 4%.
Park acres per resident are where Newark trails most U.S. towns: 3.0 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 323,808 people share 935 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Branch Brook Park, with 10.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Vailsburg Park
Park
30 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Riverfront Park
Park
19 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Essex County Park Parking LotWebsite ↗
All 30 parks & preserves
Branch Brook Park337 acres · 10.6 mi of trail
DirectionsVailsburg Park30 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
West Side Park32 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsWeequahic Park178 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsIndependence Park12 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsSaint Peters Park11 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverfront Park19 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLincoln Park5 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsIvy Hill Park18 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Essex County Parks
DirectionsTichenor Park1 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsJesse Allen Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBadger Avenue Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNewark Riverfront Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUniversity Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · New Jersey Institute of Technology
DirectionsNorman Samuels Plaza4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMulberry Commons3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHennessey Street Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChambers Plaza1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverbank Park9 acres
Military Park6 acres
DirectionsKasberger Field4 acres
Harrison Park3 acres
DirectionsMildred Helms Park3 acres
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park3 acres
DirectionsHank Aaron Field2 acres
DirectionsBroadway Park2 acres · Trust For Public Land
DirectionsFirst Street Park1 acres
New Street Plaza1 acres
DirectionsHunterdon Street Park1 acres
Thomas Silk Park1 acres
Who protects it
657 conserved acres
4% of Newark’s land. Water is left out: Newark has 24.1 square miles of land and 1.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Newark’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County531 ac
Town or city123 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits3 ac
Other state land2 ac
Not recorded7 ac
Local Park · 386 acLocal Recreation Area · 148 acLocal Other or Unknown · 114 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 7 acUnknown Easement · 6 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weequahic Park Local Park | County | 316 | Open |
| Branch Brook Park Local Recreation Area | County | 76 | Open |
| West Side Park Local Other or Unknown | County | 31 | Open |
| Valisburg Park Local Other or Unknown | County | 30 | Open |
| Newark Riverfront Park Local Park | Town or city | 28 | Open |
| Ivy Hill Park Local Recreation Area | County | 18 | Open |
| Independence Park Local Park | County | 12 | Open |
| Riverbank Park Extension Local Recreation Area | County | 12 | Open |
| Riverfront Park Local Park | Other state land | 11 | Open |
| Ironbound Recreation Center Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 11 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
55 places to go in Newark
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Newark
Rotunda Pool
DirectionsSharpe James & Kenneth A. Gibson Recreation & Aquatic Center
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Newark
Blue PlaygroundIn Branch Brook Park
DirectionsFairmount Heights Children's Village Park
DirectionsGreen PlaygroundIn Branch Brook Park
Directions38 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Newark
Branch Brook Park Dog ParkIn Branch Brook Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Newark
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Newark
3 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Newark
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Newark
A Healing SanctuarySTEAM URBAN
DirectionsBranch Brook Park Community GardenIn Branch Brook Park
DirectionsDown Bottom FarmsIronbound Community Corporation
DirectionsHOV Healthy Haven at EighteenthFee · Heart of Vailsburg (HOV) Garden Committee
DirectionsHOV Healthy Haven at NorwoodFee · Heart of Vailsburg (HOV) Garden Committee
DirectionsLincoln Park Community Garden
DirectionsTreehouse Blooms & Veggies Community GardenFee · Tree House Ent & Cultural Arts, Inc. aka Treehouse Cares
DirectionsWilson Towers Courtyard
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.6 miUnpaved · 1.0 mi
Branch Brook Park Foot Path0.5 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
12 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
7.5 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
1.0 mi
off-road bike paths
3.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
East Coast Greenway (NJ complementary Newark to Rahway route)Bike route
0.5 miCourts & fields
50Basketball
50Tennis
34Baseball
17Soccer
9Football
4Pickleball
2Multi-sport
1Cricket
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →73 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 9 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Sydenham HouseBuilding · listed 1970
About itPan American C.M.A. ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itNorth Reformed ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itSt. Stephan's ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itSt. Barnabas' Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itSt. James' A. M. E. ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itCatedral Evangelica ReformadaBuilding · listed 1972
About itQueen of Angels ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itFirst Baptist Peddie Memorial ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itHouse of Prayer Episcopal Church and RectoryBuilding · listed 1972
About it61 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Newark: April to June, August and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 40 | 43 | 51 | 63 | 73 | 81 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 66 | 55 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (2.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.6 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Newark →
Next door
Newark and its neighbors
Newark has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Newark23 miMaplewood Township17 miBelleville Township3.6 miElizabeth3.1 miKearny2.9 miIrvington Township1.9 miSouth Orange Village Township1.0 miEast Orange0.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark | 4% | 0.9 | 3 | 97% | B+ |
| Irvington Township | 3% | 0.7 | 1 | 99%+ | B |
| Belleville Township | 5% | 1.1 | 6 | 99%+ | A− |
| Elizabeth | 2% | 0.3 | 2 | 99%+ | B− |
| South Orange Village Township | 5% | 0.4 | 6 | 98% | B |
| Kearny | 4% | 0.3 | 30 | 99% | A− |
| Maplewood Township | 22% | 4.4 | 21 | 98% | A+ |
| East Orange | 2% | 0.2 | 1 | 98% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Newark
Where can I hike in Newark?
The longest trail networks: Branch Brook Park, 10.6 miles; Vailsburg Park, 1.5 miles; West Side Park, 1.4 miles; Weequahic Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Newark is conserved land?
4% of its land, against a typical 11% for a New Jersey town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Newark’s trails?
Branch Brook Park and Vailsburg Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Newark?
12 miles of bike routes are on the map: 7.5 of painted or protected lanes, 1.0 of off-road paths and 3.6 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: East Coast Greenway (NJ complementary Newark to Rahway route).
Is there public land near Newark?
42,104 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Newark or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 935 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Newark have?
Ahead of 66% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #361 of 468 in New Jersey. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Newark neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →