The Mercer Island Saddle Club is a cooperative non-profit club supported by the volunteer work of its members. Located on the south end of Mercer Island, the Saddle Club houses a 20-horse barn, a large outdoor arena, a covered arena, a hot water wash rack and two turnout paddocks. Members can board their horse, lease a horse and take riding lessons with independent trainers. The southeast quadrant of Pioneer Park, directly east of the MISC, provides 40 acres of equestrian trails for riders.
Founded in 1923 by Cora Hartshorn, whose father developed Short Hills, the arboretum includes both a garden and untouched woodlands in its 16-acre tract. When Hartshorn died, she willed the arboretum to the town for all to enjoy. There are trails in the woods behind the stone barn, which anyone can use. The arboretum staff just asks visitors to close the gate behind them when they use the trails.
The stone barn is a historic structure from Hartshorn's days and was renovated in 2007, which included an addition. Programming for children and adults takes place in the barn, which features a kitchen classroom and an area dedicated to animals. The animals include assorted reptiles and a chinchilla, which is popular with children.
Programming takes place during the day for preschoolers and after school for older children. Teenagers also serve as volunteers and mentors to younger children. There is a variety of adult programming as well, including trips and hikes.
In addition to the trails and indoor programming, the arboretum has a bird watching area with assorted bird feeders. The birds are also captured on a Web cam, which people can watch on the organization's Web site.
Opened in July 2009, the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park features the Kruger B. Smith Visitor Center, the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion, a children's playground, a 1,250-foot-long fishing pier, and the War Memorial.
Hickory Point Mobile Home & RV Park is a full service RV site. It offers camping options with tents, travel trailers, pop-ups, fifth-wheels and motor homes. It is located Hickory Point on the shore of the Anclote River.
Cross Farm Park is located on Route 520 between Old Mill and Longbridge roads, across from Holmdel Village School. On weekends, the wide open fields are active with soccer teams playing on any of the 17 fields. The paved paths welcome both children on scooters and cyclists traveling through linked parks. The park also features gazebos and several parking lots as well as concessions during game time. Cross Farm Park is owned by Holmdel Township and is overseen by the Recreation Department.
The entrance to Cascade Park is located at the corner of Lovell Avenue and Cascade Drive. A bridge leads to peaceful hiking trails, a waterfall and redwoods. This park also provides easy access to a creek. Parking is extremely limited.
370 Lakeside Park is a recreational area located on Lakeside Park Drive in St. Peters. The 300-acre space is the largest park in St. Peters and offers a 140-acre lake for fishing and boating as well as a three-mile trail around the lake for hiking and biking. The location also has an RV park and will have added a playground, a picnic area, picnic pavilions, a volleyball court and a dog park in the near future. The campground has fifty RV sites, tent sites and a boat rental house.
Dudley Seymour State Park is located off Rickety Bridge at the end of Clarkhurst Road. Visitors enjoy cross country skiing, fishing, hiking, bird watching and hunting in designated areas. It is a walk-in park with limited parking.
Peterson Park, nestled next to the 60 freeway, provides playgrounds, a baseball field, a skatepark and an iconic view of Diamond Bar. The trailhead for the unofficially named "Diamond Bar Sunset Vista Trail," which leads to the top of the hill beside Peterson Park, is somewhat hidden in the treeline along the park's pathway. However, the steep 0.2 mile climb provides a rewarding westward view and offers a perfect spot to watch sunsets over Diamond Bar.
This swimming and fishing pond is part of the Blue Hills Reservation that's operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The pond itself is 24-acres wide and up to 42 feet deep. Seasonally, there is stocked fishing, supervised swimming, a concession pavilion and visitor's center. Surrounding the pond is a playground, ball fields and available hiking as part of the Reservation's 125 miles of trails. Supervised swimming is open in July and August from 10am to 6pm daily.
