I’m closely working with Amy Lamperti of the Playground Guide, a comprehensive guide to all the playgrounds in Sussex County.
This is an excerpt from her fantastic listing about the Hand in Hand Playground at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Over 40 of Sussex County parks are featured with color pictures in this guide + helpful information on every park in the county.
These include parks in the north section of Sussex- Stokes State Park in Sandyston, Rolling Hills Primary School in Vernon, Clifton E. Lawrence School in Wantage, High Point State Park and Woodbourne Park. Please support our efforts in providing parents information for them to enjoy the outdoors with their kids by clicking on this link. Each purchase through the link helps us keep going and finding new places to explore 🙂
ADDRESS: Vernon Crossing Rd (CR 644) off of 94
DIRECTIONS: Take Rte 94N to Vernon, following signs to continue on 94N when it turns left. Turn left onto Vernon Crossing Rd. The park is just past the railroad tracks.
DESCRIPTION: This gigantic community-built playground castle complex will have your kids’ jaws on the floor the minute you pull into the lot. Large enclosed toddler area, tons to do for kids of all ages.
PARKING: Large
PICNICKING: Three picnic tables in a shady area by playground entrance
HANDICAP: Raised sandbox, one play structure wheelchair accessible, one musical toy accessible
CLIMBING: Rings, tires, steps, chains, fireman’s pole, two climbing walls with rubber-covered repelling chain
PLAYTHINGS: Tic tac toe, block puzzle, six balance beams, musical chimes, turning painted blocks
SANDBOX: Large raised sandbox with toys
SLIDES: Two toddler, one tube, four super wide
SPORTS: Baseball field
SWINGS: Four toddler, four full size, four tire
OTHER COOL STUFF: Cool truck with sandbox, dragon tire sculpture for climbing, shaded gazebo, huge painted castle structure
MAKE A DAY OF IT: Kids won’t want to leave this playground, but you might draw them away for a while by promising them a treat at Dairy Swirl, just south of the park on Rte 94.
HERE IS A MAP- since some have had trouble locating this place-
I tried to find this park and I couldn’t. I tried to google directions, I use mapquest. Is the park still there? I used your directions and I couldn’t find it. It looks great. I know they took the play structure down from Horse Shoe Lake, so I am wondering if this one has been taken down as well.
I wish I knew, the Vernon Twp site doesn’t give much info.. so sorry you went to the trouble of looking for it! If anyone else knows something, please post it in this section! Thanks
hi there, just included a map check it out it’s at the end of this post right before the mini-pics, th playground is by the baseball fields
If you are coming from route 23 to 94, you will make a left just past McCaffee Vernon Rd (there will be a Burger King on one side and a Dunkin Donuts on the other, with a gas station on the corner. There is a light at that corner as well). The easiest way to find the park is to know that as soon as you cross over the train tracks, there will be a deli on your right and a parking lot on your left. That parking lot on your left is the park. The park is set back a bit and all you can see is a blue port-o-potty in the back end of the lot and a dark brown wooden structure that looks like maybe a small band could play there for a gathering, or maybe something that someone would give a speech in, etc. If you walk past that, you will find the playground. If you pass the deli and the lot and don’t think you see the playground, just turn around and approach it from the other direction – you can see all of the huge play structures coming the other way on Vernon Crossing Rd. I hope you all find this park, it’s amazing… PS – please take note of my port-o-potty comment earlier… it’s the only bathroom facility they have (and the last time we used it, it was badly in need of a cleaning and emptying!!! Maybe bring a little potty in the car for your little girls). We go here often so if you wanted more pics, I could take some…
Town just recently tore down the entire playground because the town never maintained it properly or ever repaired anything for many years. They only spend money on Maple Grange Park/ sports fields. There are a few new playground items and swings at Maple Grange, but can’t hold a candle to Hand-in-hand. 🙁
Just went to park after having breakfast in Vernon. What a shame. It was an awesome park.
The town deemed it unsafe: after 17 years: because it was on “filled in swampland.” It was a great park, and was ultimately a poor way to handle things. It was a staple in Vernon and they just got rid of it…for a swingset and basketball court at Maple Grange.
It was an amazing and unusual playground. My children absolutely loved it and I’m so grateful that they were able to enjoy it when they were young. It’s sad that the town didn’t safeguard it for future generations. It was truly a thrill for the little ones and generated memories that will last a lifetime.
My wife said it was closed, I went there the other day and it was gone. My kids loved it and we went there many times. I wanted to cry.
We also loved this playground & were& still are upset that its no longer there… There was lots of great places to play on kids really got their energy out there.still can’t believe this playground was knock down.. My kids ask about this playground every time we drive there by.. What a shame.we have lots of beautiful country pictures from that place. Now just memories. Anybody knows about any other good great playgrounds in the area???
I obviously haven’t been to the park in quite a while. I didn’t realize how much time had passed until I read the above comments. I drove past the park today and saw that it was just a lot overgrown with weeds. It broke my heart. I have so many fond memories of bringing my grand kids there. My grandson learned to climb there. They adored it! It was simple and old but it allowed so much for the imagination. What happened to the bricks with the names of the donors? So sad that progress means pushing the old aside while new and shiny gets the limelight. I cried today over this loss. I will keep all of the pictures I took of our adventures there and remind my grand kids of this very special park.
My grandson and I were just devastated.
He asked to go to the park again…his favorite one ever!! Although we get up to this area only once or twice a year and he is now 12 he wanted to try it out.
That was two hours ago and he is STILL saying I can’t believe they took it down….what about all the kids? What do the new kids have?
I agree. Very bad decision, Vernon.
What a shame this park was removed.
No excuses. End of story. Those responsible should be ashamed.
This disappoints me, when I was a baby I went to this park. I lived near it and when I was 5 years old I had to leave the state and I now live in Arizona. I’m 14 now and I finally found the name of the park and found pictures of my dimmed memories only to find it was knocked down. The very first thing I wanted to do when I came to visit my birth state was go to my favorite park. This sucks. This park was named railroad park to me since it was uniquely built by a railroad. Well, by my beloved railroad park.
What a shame that the park was torn down. I took my grandkids there and they had so much fun. My friend and I went there today just to walk around a little and then sit for awhile and enjoy the unusually warm February afternoon. NOPE – What a disappointment!!!