Dunham Park features a multipurpose field, a one mile paved path for biking, a .8-mile nature trail, playground, baseball field, sand volleyball court, bocce court, 9-hole disc golf course, and restrooms. It also features a picnic shelter, which holds up to 100 people and an indoor pavilion, which holds up to 60 people.
Lord Stirling Park runs along the western edge of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The park offers 14 miles of equestrian trails and eight miles of hiking trails throughout its 921 acre expanse.
The park has two main hubs in Basking Ridge, Lord Stirling Stables at 256 S. Maple St., and the Environmental Education Center at 190 Lord Stirling Rd. The equestrian trails start at the Stables and the hiking trails branch away from the Environmental Education Center, which is an 18,000 square foot building operated by the Somerset County Parks Commission.
The center offers educational programs year-round at its main facility and at schools and other parks around New Jersey.
The Bernards Township Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for the upkeep of the parks and recreational facilities in town. It also offers recreational and athletic programs for adults and children.
Yoga classes, tennis leagues, open gyms, volleyball games, non-competitive recreational sports leagues for children and summer camp trips are just a few of the programs offered by the department. All programs are open to residents of Bernards and can be registered for on the parks department Web site.
The community pool is located off of Valley Road in Pleasant Valley Park. The pool is a 50-meter Z-shaped pool open from May to September each year. Membership is available to Bernards Township residents only.
Nearly 8,000 acres of wild habitats and plant and animal life make up the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Established by Congress in 1960, the Great Swamp is managed by the U.S. Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service "specifically for the protection of wildlife and its habitat," according to its Web site.
The Great Swamp extends into Morris County from the Helen C. Fenske visitor center in Basking Ridge. Along with its large variety of native and endangered species, the Great Swamp offers hiking paths, wildlife observation opportunities and environmental education programs.