Situated on hilly land on the northern edge of Newark, the Newark Reservoir was built in 2006 to capture water from the nearby White Clay Creek watershed - and thanks to the paved Newark Reservoir Trail that loops around the water, the site has been transformed from utilitarian uses into a recreation asset, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding woods and downtown Newark. Be sure to take your camera with you when hitting the trail for the chance to capture some stunning shots of the area; the trail has become quite popular with area walkers and runners, as well as the area's goose population, so be prepared to share the trail.
On the northern end of the reservoir, an unpaved hiking trail leads into the city's William M. Redd, Junior Park, which hosts several pathways through its wooded lands. To the south, the city is currently working on completing an off-road trail connection to the Pomeroy and Newark Rail Trail through Curtis Mill Park, scheduled to be finished by the end of 2021, which would provide convenient access for those looking to travel between these key segments of the area's growing trail network.
Parking for the trail is located at the reservoir entrance on Old Paper Mill Road, just east of Paper Mill Road north of the bridge over White Clay Creek.
I love this! It’s not a very nature intense trail, but you basically go up a big hill and at the top is a flat loop around the reservoir. It’s super pretty and was great with the stroller!
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