The Palisades Scenic Byway in Bergen County offers some of the most impressive views New Jersey has…read moreto offer. Situated in the northern section of the Palisades Interstate Parkway just after exit 2 northbound, State Line Overlook is the highest point at an elevation of 532 feet, about half a mile south of the New Jersey-New York state line. This site offers astounding views of the Hudson River and Westchester County from Yonkers to Tarrytown at the Tappan Zee Bridge. The lookout itself is open year-round, from dawn to dusk. Metered parking is in effect at $2.50 per hour on weekends. One could pay at the destinated pay station or parking app. It offers birdwatchers plenty to look at; in particular, the fall months offer a chance to spot hawks and provide access to some of the best hiking, which is where my partner and I came on this beautiful Saturday afternoon. Following the North to Shore Trail, we hiked for about a mile north before ending at the New York border with the NJ boundary stone marker. On our return heading back to the parking lot, we followed trail E, ending up on Old Route 9W. This truly offers an escape from the hectic city life as one hears birds chirping, which we can recommend.

This is one of the nicest viewpoints along the Palisades. The overlook offers a wide view of the…read moreHudson River surrounded by tall cliffs and greenery. We visited on a clear day, and the scenery was absolutely beautiful. There are benches where you can sit quietly and enjoy nature. It's a popular stop for bikers, hikers, and people going for a scenic drive. I guess, during fall season it woul The parking lot is decent in size and easy to access. Its metered parking btw... There are also restrooms and a small snack shop nearby during the season. It's a peaceful place to relax for a while before continuing your drive...

Fresh water wetland this place is small and intimate but large on the eyes. Since it's a nature…read morepreserve dogs are not allowed. The species of birds you will find here are ridiculous. My oldest daughter and I try to come here twice a month during nicer weather. For her the trail is nice and flat so doable for her younger growing legs. The birds we see there are off the charts cool. I should start keeping a journal to identify them but red and black, striped ones, herrings and more. They have several look out points which allows you to see across the lake and I often see people with binoculars taking in the picturesque scenery and spot one of the rare species. While walking around the lake we have come across turtles, deer, toads/frogs, turkeys and more turtles. One can be a bit intimidated by a large snapping turtle but we just pass them off to the side leaving them alone and they leave us alone. Such a neat sight to see. We come here during the winter from time to time and although you won't find much in terms of natural life the beauty of the frozen lake is a looker. I've seen people step out and "ice skate" with their sneakers on which is fun. You can do the whole thing in 20 min (it takes us 1 hour) so definitely recommend as a nice quick peaceful getaway to decompress and enjoy seeing some stunning wildlife.

No celery is being grown, it's actually a nature preserve. There's no dogs or bikes allowed…read more Sections are fenced off to keep you on the trail. The trail is about a mile and goes around the lake. Some of it is boarded and much of it is in the shade. If it rained recently, than it may be muddy, otherwise sneakers or shoes are fine. It stays level and is good for elderly or kids. There's a lot of benches and a few lookouts as you go around. The preserve is exceptionally clean. I saw one plastic bottle, so I picked it up.

The most amazing hidden gem in Bergen County, NJ. Family…read morefriendly, easy trails and so beautiful. One of our most favorite places .

This is a wonderful place to bring the whole family. They have about 12 different trails, all…read moreseparated in different levels of difficulty. The trails are free to enter but they do request for volunteer donation for non members. Different tiers of annul membership available to purchase at main office that comes with some wonderful perks, such as free access to trails and special events. The main office also has some of the exhibition items like insect box and turtle box. Outside the office there's also bird and butterfly cages. We went to the center for our daughter to participate in butterfly feeding event. Upon arrival we found out we had to buy the tickets for one of the two scheduled events. Luckily there were slots available to the second event on the day. The ticket was reasonably cheap, only $8. It also came with an additional bird's exhibition that took place right in front of office deck. All the stuff members were very friendly, informative and interactive. We spent wonderful couple of hours here on beautiful warm summer day.

This has a surprisingly remote feel for something right next to a residential neighborhood and just…read moreunder a mile from the train station. Tree and deer enthusiasts won't be disappointed. Apparently it's 19 acres; it feels bigger. On the downside, the rustic mood is interrupted a bit by the fact that there's an adjacent trail on Suez property for permit-holders only; unlike Emerson Woods that one has direct water views, and it's separated by barbed wire. Yay nature.

Absolutely love this spot! Such a great place to come for a small hike when you wanna enjoy a nice…read moreday. I got here nice and early on a Thursday morning and it was pretty empty. Parking is plenty. I can imagine weekends it gets crowded but there's overflow parking on your way in. Gorgeous selection of two trails, I usually do both to get some extra steps in. Altogether doing both trails is about 2.5 miles. Tons of beautiful views all around. Very very dog friendly as well. I always see a few dogs on the trail. They also do kayak rentals during the summer which seems super fun. Great spot!

PROS: This place was very clean and had nice landscape. Lake is big and you can kayak on it. The…read morepaths are very clear and easy to hike through CONS: There's no parking available as they closed the car bridge that leads to the parking lot for no reason. There's also no out house OVERALL: It's an easy hike and the lake is a nice area to kayak on, just plan where you're going to hike cause the lot is closed

I love nature. Anytime we get to enjoy a walk outside in such a natural outdoor setting is a true…read morejoy and a privilege, and this was no different at Closter Nature Centre. It's kinda odd that the park essentially is divided by the one-lane road, so crossing the road was a bit of a hazard but once we were on the other side of the park across the road from the pond, the actual trails began. I believe we walked through the red, white, and orange trails which ended up taking about 30 minutes at most. There was good boardwalk coverage in many of the muckier areas, and although it wasn't exactly lush, the enjoyment of nature was such that I finished the walk feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I hope the nature preserve will be around for many decades.

This was a much bigger nature center than I thought. Several lakes, not just the one in the front…read more Parking, two log cabins, many trails, several bridges, clean paths. Nice place to kayak and fish, too. Free Parking and paper maps available

Great spot close to NYC for mountain biking and hiking. Getting there is pretty easy (take metro…read morenorth to Peekskill) and I have seen the town offer vans to the park during the fall. Single track is a ton of fun (trail forks has a very useful map) and the hiking is a nice change of pace from the more popular bear mountain (just across the river). This is also one of the only places where you can rent a bike and ride quality trail. Pedal Peekskill is a great operation

Lots of lush land, prime for hiking, hanging, picture taking, and overall enjoying nature! You do…read morehave to pay a fee to enter from may thru Sept BUT you can walk in for free! The pals and I went early summer to collect wild berries and they were plentiful! Lots to do for every nature lover whether avid or beginner. Take in the history and find something new and majestic here!

Lovely visit to Raymondskill Falls in mid-October on a Saturday morning…read more Was skepitcal about parking on a Saturday near peak fall season, but arrived at around 9am and the parking (the main lot) was pratically empty with only two other cars there. The lot has two port-a-potties there. I made my way down the short trail (5-10 minute walk) to the waterfall base and I was the ONLY one there until about 9:30am when a few groups started to show up. I believe I may have missed peak by about a week or so in talking to the other visitors. The path is mostly dirt and rocks...but the viewing areas, on the top and bottom are wooden-planked areas. Lots of space for people to take in the views. Path and lot were well-maintained. Path to the waterfalls is pretty short...so you may not be able to make an entire day of it...unless you include other nearby trails (ie Waterfall and Cliff Trails) No fees to park or enter the trails. Short drive into Milford's Main Street which has lots of shops...be sure to work that into your visit.

Easy to moderate short hike down to a beautiful set of falls. Well worth the less-than half-hour…read morehike. Spotty cell-service and dogs prohibited on the trail--but we were the only ones in the parking lot!

An organization that I worked for rented out the group camping area in the state park. We have done…read morethis a few times before, and each time has been great! There are four different sections to set up tents, plenty of parking and dumpsters on site. There is a drop toilet and full sink. This is truly a lakeside campground with water access. Fun to fish, swim, or float! There is a short drive to the beach with lifeguards and concessions stand!

PROS: This site park is a very nice hiking area. I parked at the lot by the lake and there was…read moreloads of parking. The lake is good to swim in (despite signs telling you not to go in), and the trails are endless. CONS: No trash bins, some of the trails have overgrown plants near the trails OVERALL: As long as you wear brush pants you should be good. The views are amazing as well! Just watch out for ticks, snakes, and bears and they are all common in the area