Published on November 13, 2026
Grant Program Concludes Eleventh Year with Strong Submissions
More than $2.2 million in awards under the Morris County Trail Construction Grant Program were recommended Thursday night to the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, which will determine whether to fund the 10 projects submitted.
Noting the program is in its 11th year, Betty Cass-Schmidt, Chairwoman of the Trail Construction Grant Advisory Committee, presented the 2026 recommendations during a public work session of the board of commissioners in Morristown. Included in the presentation were significant projects in Denville, Jefferson, Lincoln Park, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Morris Plains, Mount Arlington, Pequannock, Riverdale and Washington Township.
“Since 2014, when voters overwhelmingly supported dedicating a portion of our open space dollars developing local trails, residents have been stepping onto the local trail network expanding throughout Morris County,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw. “On behalf of the entire board, I want to commend the work done by this committee and our dedicated staff and volunteers in reviewing each application and returning to us annually with thoughtful recommendations.”
Design Project Recommendations:
Patriot’s Path at Flocktown (Washington Twp.): A $42,000 grant to design a 0.96-mile stretch of stone dust and boardwalk, improving access to the historic Patriot’s Path. The trail will connect neighborhoods and open space elements.
Construction Project Recommendations:
Muriel Hepner Trail Expansion – Phase-1 (Denville): A $345,000 grant to construct a 0.38-mile trail of stone dust and boardwalk that traverses through freshwater wetlands.
Compton Gobel Trail Extension (Jefferson Twp.): A $194,000 grant to complete the third phase of construction on a 0.51-mile gravel and stone dust trail, providing access to thousands of acres of preserved state, local and county lands.
Morris Canal Trail – Phase-2 (Lincoln Park): A $292,000 grant to complete a 0.29-mile stone dust and boardwalk trail along the historic Morris Canal.
Borough Park & Arboretum Trail – Phase-2 (Mendham Borough): A $272,000 grant to construct a 0.52-mile porous pavement and stone dust trail that winds through the Borough Park and future arboretum.
Buck Hill Nature Trail – Phase-2 (Mendham Township): A $285,000 grant to construct a 0.21-mile stone dust and wood chip trail that provides access to Dos Passos Pond off Tempe Wick Road.
Community Park Trail – Phase-2 (Morris Plains): A $134,000 grant to establish a 0.36-mile stone dust loop trail around the Community Park recreational areas.
McGregor Trails – Phase-2 (Mount Arlington): A $258,000 grant to construct a natural surface trail network through open space on McGregor Avenue. The trail provides access to diverse terrain as well as mine ruins and lake views.
Foothills Park Trail – Phase-2 (Pequannock): A $76,000 grant to complete a 0.15 section of trail that will connect to a previously funded Phase-1 project at Foothills Park.
Independence Park Walking Trail – Phase-2 (Riverdale): A $391,000 grant to construct a 0.42-mile porous pavement loop trail around the recreational facilities at Independence Park.
Review the Project Recommendations in Detail
Since the program's inception in 2016, the commissioners have approved 69 trail grants, resulting in nearly 28 miles of new trails being constructed and another 16 miles designed. The board is expected to vote on the 2026 recommendations at its public meeting on Nov. 23, 2026.
“If approved, these new projects will bring the county's total investment in public trails to more than $7.7 million dollars,” said Program Chair Cass-Schmidt.
Find out more about the Morris County Trail Construction Grant program by clicking visiting https://www.morriscountynj.gov/Departments/Trail-Construction-Grant-Program
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Photo #1: Construction Grant completed in 2026 at Memorial Park, Madison. The phase-3 trail begins behind the Madison plaza on Main Street and meanders through forests and freshwater wetlands over boardwalk and stone dust trails, connecting memorial Park to additional trails.
Photo # 2: Betty-Cass Schmidt, chairwoman of the Trail Construction Grant Advisory Committee, presents the 2026 recommendations during a public work session of the Morris County Board of Commissioners in Morristown on Thursday.
Photo# 3: Construction Grant completed in 2026 at Lurker Park in East Hanover. The trail traverses a forested flood plane section of the park, providing access to an abundance of wildlife and flood plane plant species.
Photo# 4: Construction Grant completed in 2026 in Montville Township. The Waughaw Valley Trail runs 1.32-miles from Abbott Road to the Towaco Business District through forests and streams.