At the University Drive entrance on the William Paterson University campus, the information kiosk now holds a temporary trail map. New map signs also stand at University Drive, at the Red Trail start on Reservoir Drive, and at Indian Trail Drive in Franklin Lakes. The Nature Conservancy suggests photographing those signs or saving a digital copy of the map before heading out.
That suggestion makes sense once you see how much moved. High Mountain Park Preserve covers 1,200 acres across Wayne and Franklin Lakes, and the Nature Conservancy's preserve page calls it the largest tract of forested land east of the Highlands. This year the trail network on that land was reorganized around one idea. Routes that used to run from one point to another are being reworked into loops that start and end in the same place. On a loop, the trailhead you pick decides your whole outing, so a hike you've done for years can now begin somewhere else.
Why the Old Routes Are Being Retired
The Conservancy's 2026 High Mountain FAQ gives two reasons. The first is the loop conversion. Some blazes will change color, and new segments will be added to tie routes back to their starting points. The second is habitat. The preserve shelters rare and sensitive ecosystems, and over the past several years it has seen more unsanctioned "social" trails cutting through them.
"Over the past several years, the preserve has seen an increase in the number of unsanctioned 'social' trails that damage ecosystems and present serious challenges for land managers and first responders."
The work is led by The Nature Conservancy and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, and the Jersey Off Road Bike Association contributed planning expertise and feedback. The FAQ said work would start in May 2026, with the preserve open the whole time and temporary signs in place until permanent ones could be installed. The Trail Conference's Summer 2026 Trail Walker still described volunteer reblazing and new official pathways as work ahead. That fits the phased rollout. Some signs are permanent, some are temporary, and the map is still settling.
The Wayne Side Kept Its Anchor
If your High Mountain routine starts at the main lot on University Drive, the best-known part of the preserve barely changed. The FAQ lists the Woodland Trail, blazed red, with no changes at all. The Summit Trail, blazed yellow, is unchanged except for an extension south to Sanderling Road in Wayne.
That extension is the first of several changes that give Wayne residents more ways in. Sanderling Road now connects to the Summit Trail, and the FAQ names it again as a way to reach the new bike-oriented trails on the east side. Chicopee Drive in Wayne is now listed as an access point for both the new White Trail and the Blue Trail beyond it. The bigger changes are on the Franklin Lakes side, where the old routes were rebuilt.
Trail by Trail, Blaze by Blaze
Here is the redrawn network, combining the Conservancy's latest updates with the FAQ's summary of changes.
| Trail | Blaze | What changed in 2026 | Where it starts now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland | Red | No changes | University Drive, Reservoir Drive |
| Summit | Yellow | Extended south | Now reaches Sanderling Road in Wayne |
| Beech Mountain | Pink | Now the main east-west connector, using part of the former Orange Trail | Reservoir Drive traffic circle, trailhead moved about 50 yards east |
| Brookside | White | Original route eliminated; new loop built from former Orange and Blue segments | Indian Trail Drive or Chicopee Drive |
| Pancake Hollow | Blue | Reachable only through the White Trail | Via White, from Omaha Way or Chicopee Drive |
| Clove | Orange | New segment south of Franklin Clove creates a loop | Scioto Drive in Franklin Lakes |
The Pink Trail shows most clearly how the network was rearranged. The Orange Trail used to cover that ground. Now part of it carries a pink blaze and serves as the link between the eastern and western halves of the preserve. The trailhead at the Reservoir Drive circle moved about 50 yards east so it no longer encroaches on private property. Someone following orange blazes from memory could end up on a different trail than they planned.
The White Trail kept its name and color but lost its original route. The Conservancy decommissioned the former Brookside route for three reasons: it encroached on private property, few people used it, and it was badly eroded. The white blazes now mark a new loop built from former Orange and Blue segments.
Where You Park Now Decides Your Loop
Since loops are the goal, the trailhead is the real decision. Here is each starting point as the Conservancy now lists it:
- University Drive, Wayne. The main parking area on the William Paterson University campus. It has the kiosk with the temporary map and leads to the unchanged Red Trail and the Yellow summit route.
- Sanderling Road, Wayne. The new south end of the Yellow Trail, and the FAQ's other named Wayne access to the bike-oriented trails on the east side.
- Chicopee Drive, Wayne. A way onto the new White loop and, through it, the Blue Pancake Hollow Trail.
- Indian Trail Drive, Franklin Lakes. You can park here for the White Trail, but the loop isn't fully off-road. The FAQ says a short road walk along Omaha Way is needed to get back to your car.
- Reservoir Drive traffic circle, Franklin Lakes. The relocated Pink trailhead, plus a Red Trail access with new map signs.
- Scioto Drive, Franklin Lakes. The start of the new Orange loop.
The Blue Trail is the clearest example of this. Pancake Hollow can now only be reached by way of the White Trail, so any Pancake Hollow hike starts at a White trailhead.
The Bike Trails Have a Deadline That Has Already Passed
The newest part of the plan is on the east side, reachable from Wayne through Sanderling Road or the University Drive lot. The FAQ lists three trails designed by mountain bikers: Turtle, blazed green, a 2.5-mile loop; Bear, blazed black, a 4.3-mile loop; and Butterfly, blazed purple, at 1.5 miles. Together that's 8.3 miles. The preserve's overview still describes 11.5 miles of trails, and the page doesn't say whether that figure includes the new routes.
The Conservancy's "Future Updates" section says the three trails "will be open to visitors by the end of summer 2026." As of October 7, 2026, that target has passed, and we found no notice confirming the trails have opened. Check the preserve page or the trail signs before planning a ride on Turtle, Bear or Butterfly.
The rules are already set. All High Mountain trails stay multi-use. Hikers are welcome on the three new routes, though the FAQ says they "may have a better experience on other routes." The bike trails appear as dashed lines on the map, and the plan is to mark them with special decals rather than painted blazes. Bikers must yield to all other users and control their speed. On the map, a dashed line means a bike-oriented route.
Taking the New Map Into Fall
The preserve is open year-round during daylight hours. That matters more in October, when afternoons get shorter and a loop has to bring you back to your car before dark.
Organized groups are using the redrawn network this season. The Garden State Bar Association's Health & Wellness Committee has listed a five-mile fall hike for Saturday, October 31, from 8 a.m. to noon, parking at the Red Trail lot on University Drive. One earlier outing didn't happen. The Great Swamp Watershed Association's Fall Migration Hike, an intermediate hike of about three miles focused on raptor migration and set for September 26 from the Red Trailhead at Navaho Trail Drive and Reservoir Drive, was canceled because of the weather forecast.
Both hikes started from Red Trail access points, and Red is the one route the FAQ lists as completely unchanged. If you're heading anywhere else in the preserve, the Conservancy's advice applies: photograph the map signs at University Drive, Reservoir Drive or Indian Trail Drive, and stay on designated trails at all times.
Anthony grew up in Wayne, and trailheads like Sanderling Road and Chicopee Drive are part of what makes a street here feel close to the woods. If you're wondering how being near a High Mountain entrance plays into your home's value, Anthony Jordan can walk you through it. Get your free home valuation or schedule a consultation.
