Suburban and rural living in Mount Olive
Circling Budd Lake, Mount Olive is a Northern New Jersey township with a range of housing options, a highly rated school district and one of the county’s largest municipal parks. Formed in 1871 from parts of neighboring Roxbury Township, the community is named after Benjamin Olive, a Colonial-era lieutenant governor who donated land for several of the area’s churches. With its location bordering other suburban and rural Morris County towns, Mount Olive offers something for everyone. “The town is really split into two sections,” explains Kevin Saum, a sales associate with eXp Realty, and a longtime Morris County resident who’s been selling homes and making local guides on his YouTube channel “Living in New Jersey” for over four years. “Flanders has more of a rural feel, while homes in the Budd Lake area are tighter together.”
Traditional homes and larger rural properties
Homebuyers can find a mix of housing options, from traditional subdivisions to larger homes with more land. Most homes, including colonials and split-levels, were built between 1950 and 2000, though there are some Cape Cods from the early 1900s. Many houses have driveways and some green space, while rural properties along the town’s outskirts can sit on anywhere from 1 to 10 acres. Homes typically sell for $300,000 to $700,000, and larger houses with more land usually go for $800,000 to $1.3 million. There are also several condo communities, like Woodfield and King’s Village, with properties that range from $400,000 to $650,000.
Students can attend well-rated public schools
Students may start at Benedict A. Cucinella School, which gets a B-plus from Niche, before going to Long Valley Middle, which receives an A-minus. West Morris Mendham High earns an A-plus and is an International Baccalaureate World School.
Commuting via train, I-80
The Mount Olive train station offers daily service to and from Hoboken station, which provides PATH subway service into New York City. Commuters can take U.S. Route 46 just 3 miles north to connect to Interstate 80, which runs 50 miles east to New York City. And 11 miles east, Rockaway Mall offers a daily bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in the city, with just one transfer at the Willowbrook Mall. The bus route takes around 90 minutes. The Hackettstown Medical Center is located 7 miles west. The closest airport, Newark Liberty International, is 45 miles east.
Town parks, hiking trails and public golfing
The 267-acre Turkey Brook Park serves as the town’s biggest outdoor attraction, featuring an 11,000-square-foot playground, a splashpad, over a dozen sports facilities and two fenced dog parks. Local high school and youth football games are held on the park’s turf field. “They have one of the coolest football fields in the area,” says Saum. “It’s a full-on stadium with a digital scoreboard and video screen.” The park also provides access to a network of over 10 miles of hiking trails, including the 3.7-mile White Trail that loops through Turkey Brook. Flanders Park is in the south end with a baseball diamond, soccer field, basketball courts and a playground. Flanders Valley Golf Course offers two public, 18-hole courses, two practice areas and an on-site pro shop. And just north of town, Allamuchy Mountain State Park boasts more than 14 miles of marked trails and 20 miles of unmarked trails, as well as several fishing lakes and ponds.
Shopping and dining along U.S. Route 206
In the northeast end of town, ITC Crossing South provides access to Walmart, PetSmart and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Farther south along U.S. Route 206, Sutton Plaza Shopping Center has ShopRite and Weis Markets. The shopping center also offers popular locally owned restaurants like Efsane Mediterranean Cuisine with authentic Turkish dishes. Dining options in the north end of town include Enzo's Ristorante & Pizzeria for Italian classics and Budd Lake Diner, which has been serving breakfast and lunch options since 1986.
Annual events at Turkey Brook Park
Turkey Brook Park hosts several events throughout the year, including the Mt. Olive Carnival in July with amusement rides, food vendors, live music and fireworks. The Fairy & Pirate Festival in May sees the community get dressed in costume for live performances, pony rides and inflatables. In June, the town’s block party offers food trucks, big screen gaming and monster truck rides. And to celebrate the holidays, Mistletoe Market in December features local craft vendors, carolers, hot chocolate and pictures with Santa.
Written By
Logan Soter-Reardon
