Park in the first parking lot on the right, near the playground and lake boathouse. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, people traveled by rail and stagecoach to take the waters of spas located on Schooley's Mountain, one of the highest and most heavily forested hills in Morris County. Later in the 20th century the mountain was a favorite destination of children, with the Morristown YMCA operating a camp on the grounds of what is now Schooley's Mountain Park from the 1920s through the 1950s. Today you can drive the still-scenic route through Long Valley and up the mountain to the park. Alas, the swimming beach on Lake George, with its floating-bridge diving platform, was closed by the county because of low use and continuing pollution problems from a nearby sewage plant, but boating is still available.
Picnic grounds are shaded and a great place to be on a hot summer day.
Start at the parking lot nearest the lake, boathouse and playground. Walk down to the boathouse and cross the floating bridge. Head up the trail into the meadow on the other side of the lake, and turn left toward the flagpole. Then climb up to the old lodge building. Walk to the front of the building, through the dirt parking area and down toward the right side of the building.