Visit Essex County Branch Brook Park

Essex County Branch Brook Park is a 360-acre historic public park in Newark and Belleville, New Jersey, and home to one of the nation’s most renowned collections of Japanese flowering cherry blossom trees. Whether you are planning a walk, attending a seasonal event, exploring the park map, or visiting during peak bloom, this page will help you find the essential information you need to enjoy the park.

Park Overview

Conceived by Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. and designed by the Olmsted Brothers Firm, Essex County Branch Brook Park is the centerpiece of the first county park system in America. The park stretches nearly 3.5 miles and offers a remarkable landscape of open lawns, waterways, bridges, historic structures, athletic facilities, and pathways for walking, jogging, and cycling.

Hours & Free Admission

Essex County Branch Brook Park is open 365 days a year from dawn until 10:00 p.m. Admission to the public park is free.

​​Location

The park extends through Newark and Belleville in Essex County, New Jersey, from the southern division near Route 280 in Newark to Mill Street in Belleville.

​​What to See and Do

Visitors come to Essex County Branch Brook Park to experience:
  • Cherry blossom season in the spring
  • Walking, jogging, and cycling on miles of pathways
  • Scenic lakes, ponds, and streams
  • Historic bridges and landscape features
  • Athletic fields and courts
  • Seasonal events and community programs
  • Nearby landmarks including the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart

​​Cherry Blossom Season 

Each spring, Essex County Branch Brook Park welcomes visitors from across the region to experience its celebrated cherry blossom collection. With more than 5,300 trees in 18 varieties, bloom time unfolds across every week in April, making the park one of New Jersey’s most iconic spring destinations.

Plan Your Trip

To help plan your trip, visit these pages:

​Park Highlights 

Essex County Branch Brook Park includes expansive lawns, lakes and waterways, trout-stocked Branch Brook Lake, historic bridges, athletic amenities, gardens, and gathering spaces that serve residents and visitors throughout the year.

About the Park Conservancy - Branch Brook Park Alliance

Branch Brook Park Alliance is the nonprofit conservancy dedicated to the care, preservation, and public enjoyment of Essex County Branch Brook Park. In partnership with Essex County, we support stewardship, volunteer engagement, free community programs, capital improvements, and year-round preservation of this treasured public landscape.

Questions

For more information, please contact Branch Brook Park Alliance at info@branchbrookpark.org or (973) 969-1189.