Luther Gulick Playground
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Luther Gulick Playground is a popular outdoor recreation area in the city of Montclair, New Jersey.
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Summary
The playground is named after Luther Halsey Gulick, a prominent physical education advocate who founded the Camp Fire Girls and helped establish the YMCA.
There are several good reasons to visit Luther Gulick Playground, including its large open fields, plentiful picnic areas, and multiple sports facilities. Visitors can enjoy playing soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis, or simply relax in the shade of the park's trees.
Some specific points of interest at the playground include the Gulick House, a historic home that now serves as a community center, and the Montclair Community Pre-K, a preschool program housed on the park's grounds.
Interesting facts about the area include its history as the site of the former Montclair Athletic Field, which hosted early college football games and other events. The playground was also used as a filming location for the movie "Big Daddy" starring Adam Sandler.
The best time of year to visit Luther Gulick Playground is during the warmer months, from May through September, when the weather is most conducive to outdoor activities. Visitors should also be aware that the playground can get crowded on weekends and holidays, so weekday visits may be more peaceful.
Overall, Luther Gulick Playground is a great destination for families and sports enthusiasts in the Montclair area, offering plenty of space and amenities for outdoor recreation and relaxation.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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