Essex County is home to the nation’s first county park system and features numerous walking trails, waterfalls, playgrounds, and sports fields. Spots like South Mountain Reservation, Yanticaw Park, and Verona Park have so much to offer, but cannot compare to Eagle Rock Reservation which has immaculate viewpoints, scenic paths, a restaurant, and a robust history. Read on for a look at the Eagle Rock Reservation over the last two centuries.
About the Park
Eagle Rock Reservation is a 408.33-acre county park that touches Montclair, Verona, and West Orange. This spot, just about 618 feet above sea level, has an immaculate view of the Manhattan skyline and overlooks Essex County’s Orange Valley. The Highlawn Pavilion, located here in a century-old historic building, serves fine dining and is an excellent spot for weddings and parties. Eagle Rock Reservation also has picnic tables, a 9/11 memorial, a baseball field, a picturesque Victorian-style gazebo, and numerous walking, biking, running, and horseback riding trails.
History of Eagle Rock Reservation
Eagle Rock Reservation sits upon the Orange Mountain, a part of the Watchung Mountains. The spot is named for Eagle Rock, a bare rock that looks down the mountain and serves as a boundary marker between Montclair and West Orange.
Photo Credit: Montclair History Center
Before European settlement, the Lenape used Eagle Rock as a vantage point to overlook their lands. During the American Revolution, General George Washington’s army used areas like this along the First Watchung Mountain to monitor British troop movements.
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For the next few decades, the space remained pretty unused until Llewellyn Haskell visited the area in 1853. He was attracted to the area’s natural beauty and purchased a small farmhouse and 21 acres of land. Along with Alexander Davis, Llewellyn set in motion the development of Llewellyn Park, the nation’s first planned community.
In about the 1860s Alexander T. Compton purchased land from Llewellyn Haskell’s estate to develop Eagle Rock, a year-round resort offering a rural getaway from city life. By 1874, the development of this space as a recreational center was underway and featured cottages, a picnic pavilion, a stable, and even a petting zoo. Visitors typically arrived at Orange Station in nearby Orange and were brought to Eagle Rock by stagecoach. These travelers also enjoyed the activities at nearby Crystal Lake.
In 1867, Frederick Law Olmstead Sr. consulted on the development of a county park system for Essex County. This eventually became the Branch Brook Park in Newark. In 1884, the Olmsted, Olmstead, and Eliot firm made their first report for Essex County noting the area’s potential and praising the Eagle Rock area. By 1898, the firm was renamed to Olmsted Brothers who began development on the area. It was completed in 1907. The Olmsted Brothers firm consisted of Frederick Law Olmstead Sr.’s sons: John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmstead Jr. Projects completed include Manhattan’s Central Park, Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, and numerous other Essex County parks like Grover Cleveland and Verona Park.
During the decade of development, Eagle Rock emerged as a popular Sunday trip spot thanks to trolley service. For a few years, electric trolley service to the top of Eagle Rock was popular until deemed inefficient. Eventually, visitors were dropped off about 100 feet from the top of the peak and instructed to climb steps to the top. This section became known as the “100 Steps to Eagle Rock” which is now only a memory.
Eagle Rock was once home to the Eagle Rock Hill Club, an automobile club that started in 1897. It was one of the first recorded hill-climbing events in the United States, and first in New Jersey. In 1904, Maurice Bernin of France set a world record for car racing here. Other racers of the Eagle Rock Hill Club included Willie Vanderbilt, the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who also set a world record here. The races of 1904, were quite popular and had drawn in over 5,000 spectators. A 1905 race had been planned, but town officials were concerned over the safety of spectators and drivers alike and canceled the competition.
During World War I, Thomas Edison, who lived in nearby Llewellyn Park and had a laboratory in West Orange, used the Eagle Rock Casino, now the Highlawn Pavilion, to conduct experiments for the military. Thomas also filmed part of one of the first motion pictures The Great Train Robbery at Eagle Rock in 1903.
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Eagle Rock Reservation Today
Today the vacationing at the Eagle Rock Club and racing at Eagle Rock Hill Club are a far distant memory at Eagle Rock Reservation, but the immaculate vantage points still remain. Many flock to this spot in their vehicles rather than trolleys to take in what the skyline has to offer. Eagle Rock has numerous picnic tables, barbecues, and open spaces for social gatherings and parties. The Victorian-style gazebo is perfectly positioned for views of the skyline and a fantastic space for photos.
The Highlawn Pavilion serves tasty seafood, soups, sandwiches, salads, pastas, and more inspired by American and Italian cuisine. This restaurant has brunch options like Veggie Omelettes, Doughnut French Toast, and Skirt Steak Fries. Desserts here include Blueberry Almond Crumble, Cinnamon Apple Bread Pudding, and Maple Crème Brûlée.
For runners, walkers, horse riders, and bikers alike, Eagle Rock has miles of scenic trails showcasing streams and trees. The Bridle Trail is 8 miles, the Blue Trail is 1.7, the Lenape Trail is 1.8, the Walking Trail is 1.6, the Green Trail is 1.1, and the White Trail is .09. For those interested in horseback riding, the Eagle Rock Equestrian Center provides trail rides through Eagle Rock Reservation on the Bridle Path, Short Trail, and Fairy Tale Trail.
