From late September, the south-west of Morris County fills up at weekends. Orchards, farm stands and a string of small historic places draw visitors from all over North Jersey, and the roads and car parks that are quiet all summer suddenly are not. Here are the places worth the trip, and a way to enjoy them without circling for a space.
Chester’s Main Street
Chester has more than eighty independent shops on and around Main Street, many in original colonial buildings. It is the kind of place you walk end to end, which is exactly why parking there on an autumn Saturday is hard.
The Cooper Gristmill and Hacklebarney
West of Chester on Route 513, the Cooper Gristmill was built in 1826 on the Black River, and its water wheel still grinds grain. A little further on, State Park Road leads to Hacklebarney State Park, a hemlock gorge with the Black River running through it — one of the best short autumn walks in the county.
Long Valley’s farm country
Long Valley — German Valley until 1918 — is an eight-mile valley with the South Branch of the Raritan down the middle, and farm stands and pick-your-own fields along its roads in season. Schooley’s Mountain rises about 600 feet above it.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm
In Morris Township, Fosterfields shows farm life as it was around 1920. It was the first living historical farm in New Jersey, and in autumn it is a favourite with families and school groups.
Doing it without the parking
A car booked for the day solves two problems at once: nobody has to find a space at each stop, and nobody has to drive home after a cider tasting. A drop at one end of Chester’s Main Street and a pickup at the other, a one-way walk at Hacklebarney, or a loop of farm stops with the car waiting — all of these work well on our hourly rate, from $79 per hour with a three-hour minimum. A Sprinter van takes up to twelve for a family or group.
A one-day route
- Morning: start at Fosterfields in Morris Township, then head west through Mendham.
- Late morning: Chester’s Main Street — drop at one end, walk the shops, collect at the other.
- Lunch: in Chester, or back in Mendham at the Black Horse Tavern on Main Street.
- Afternoon: the Cooper Gristmill and a walk at Hacklebarney.
- Late afternoon: farm stands in Long Valley on the way home.
It is a loop of well under fifty miles, and with a driver nobody has to think about parking or directions.
Tips for the busiest weekends
- Start early. The farms and Main Street are quietest before 11 AM.
- Agree pickup points in advance — mobile signal can be patchy in the Hacklebarney gorge.
- Bring a bag for purchases; the car can hold them between stops.
- October also brings the Far Hills Race Meeting just over the Somerset line, which slows roads in the south of the county that weekend.
More about the area on our Mendham and Chester pages.
Getting there
We are based in Landing, about eleven miles north of Chester. Call (973) 306-7075 to book, and on peak weekends book a few days ahead.
Frequently asked questions
When is the busiest time in Chester and Long Valley?
Autumn weekends, from late September through October, when the farms and Main Street draw the most visitors.
Can I hire a car and driver for a day of farm visits?
Yes. Hourly service starts at $79 per hour with a three-hour minimum, and the car waits at each stop.
How old is the Cooper Gristmill?
It was built in 1826 on the Black River, on Route 513 west of Chester.
Can a group travel together?
Yes. A Sprinter van takes up to twelve passengers.