Today I returned to McCarter Memorial Park in Denville, a small park consisting of a narrow trail along the Rockaway River. The gravel path twists and turns, slowly climbs and descends with many benches along the way. Lovingly tended by volunteers the path is always clear and the landscaping and plantings well tended. There are several entrances from the sidewalk on Broadway, Denville’s main thoroughfare, some have steps, some are gravel paths- the incline might be tricky if you’re using a walker or wheelchair. As you approach the river the sounds of water babbling and birds singing drown out the cars driving by on the street above but as you stroll the length of the park it can feel like wearing headphones, your left ear the sounds of nature, your right traffic from the street as well as the hum of trucks driving on the two highways nearby. The path ends and when you turn back the headphones switch, Nature to your right and the world to your left. I like to walk back and forth on the trail and then follow the same route on the sidewalk looking and listening both ways. In addition to the park benches there are big rocks right along the river perfect to perch on, I sat on one today and enjoyed a few minutes of the water and some ducks passing by. If you go, there several local places to grab a little something to sip or nibble on – Denville Dairy ice cream, Sergio’s Italian Deli, Smart World Coffee, and lots of other places that have takeout too.
