The park has 16 miles (26 km) of trails, several old military bunkers and a small beach with a fishing pier.

The park is named after Richard Hartshorne, who acquired the land from the Lenape for thirteen shillings after sailing to the Highland in 1674.

[1][2] Rocky Point, the 224-acre (0.91 km2) easternmost section of the park, contains a World War Two-era Coast Artillery site known as Battery Lewis on the former Highlands Military Reservation (also called Navesink Military Reservation).

The Army continued to operate HAADS through 1974 to support Nike missile batteries throughout the region, including some which were later revealed by historians at nearby Sandy Hook recreation area to carry nuclear warheads.

In January 2017 a retired US Navy 16"/50 caliber Mark 7 gun, serial number 291, formerly fitted aboard USS New Jersey (BB-62), later retained as a spare for the Iowa-class battleships, was placed on display in one of the gun positions of Battery Lewis.