The park was opened for public enjoyment in 1960. The Tourne is the only remaining undeveloped fragment of the Great Boonton Tract, purchased by David Ogden, Colonial Attorney-General of New Jersey in 1759. McCaffrey Lane, which serves as the main entrance to the park, was created in 1767 by Samuel Ogden to haul iron ore from Hibernias mines to his iron works in Old Boonton. Within this historic region, cannon balls were manufactured for use by the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Using hand tools and levers, Mr. DeCamp built two roads to the top of the Tourne and encouraged the citizenry to enjoy the forests and fields with him, thereby becoming one of the first conservationists in Morris County.
Visitors can see interesting features such as a wildflower trail and bird sanctuary.
The park offers opportunities for hiking and cross-country skiing as well as pleasant family picnic sites. There is also a ball field area which can be reserved for group outings by calling Park Police headquarters at 326-7631. There are new trails in Wilcox Park that can be shared pleasurably between hikers and bikers. The Daily Record, a local Morris County newspaper, recently ran a series of articles entitled 25 Great Walks in Morris County which contains additional interesting places to walk or hike. Another great site is Morris County hiking trails .