Clear your calendar on the morning of Saturday, May 14. That’s the date of the seventh annual free Family Bike or Hike through the Hilltop Reservation, sponsored by the Hilltop Conservancy.
This is an easy walk or bike ride that can be done at your own pace with even young children through the Hilltop, which is at Verona’s western edge. The self-paced tour is on a marked, traffic-free route, approximately 1.5 miles long on pavement and gravel roadways. Families with small children should allow about 1 hour for a leisurely ride and exploring. Bikes with training wheels are welcome and you can start riding any time after 9:45 a.m. and before 11:30 a.m.
Park in the lot behind the sports field on Mountain Avenue in North Caldwell (Courter Lane entrance to the Hilltop Reservation). The clearly marked route starts directly from this parking lot.
The Hilltop Conservancy is an all-volunteer organization that conducts many events on the Hilltop, including clean-ups, school and scout outings, bird and nature hikes, trail building and maintenance, and wildlife habitat restoration projects. Over 90% of its funding comes from membership dues, which begin at just $20. Visit the Hilltop Conservancy’s Web site for more information, including a detailed map of the reservation and its location.
