Park To Reopen After 'Aggressive' Bear Reports In Morris Co.

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Morris County park that closed last week due to an "aggressive" bear is now set to reopen.

Tourne County Park was closed on Wednesday, June 21, after the Denville Police Department issued an alert informing the public of several reports of a black bear acting aggressively toward park visitors, particularly dog owners who let their pets run free.

Now, one week later, the Morris County Park Commission has announced that the park will reopen to the public on Thursday.

According to David D. Helmer, Executive Director at the Morris County Park Commission, dog owners allowing their pets off-leash led to bear encounters.

In a statement, Morris County Park Commission officials said that "incidents like this" can be avoided by keeping pets on a short leash.

"We ask that dog owners respect their fellow park patrons and the wildlife that call the park home and follow Park Commission Rules and Regulations by keeping dogs on a leash," the commission said.

There were three separate incidents that led to the park's closure, and NJ Fish & Wildlife determined that at least two different bears were involved. Helmer stated that the commission was aware of at least two incidents involving a dog owner who had their dog off-leash.

This was not the park's first issue with off-leash dogs; according to Helmer, the Park Commission was forced to close the park in 2021 due to a bear and off-leash dog incident.

Denville, Boonton Township, Parsippany and Mountain Lakes are all served by Tourne County Park. It's a 561-acre multi-use park with 10.7 miles of trails. It has both picnic areas and an athletic field. From its highest point, 897 feet, the park system provides a view of the Manhattan skyline.