I come here when I need a peaceful walk to enjoy nature. The trails are lovely and clean, however,…read morethe entrance can be found with trash all over sometimes. Its dog friendly so long as you keep them on a leash and they have a poop bag dispenser when entering the trail. Highly recommend

Great park located towards the center of town. This place is a pain in the butt to drive through,…read morebut man is it pretty. Lots of spots for kayaking, including a place you can rent from when the weather is nice. Path through the woods along the water is great for walkers, runners and bikers. Could also do the other path that heads closer to town/houses. Not too uncommon to see wildlife either (ie: deer, geese, turtles). They also have ice skating in winter when the lakes freeze over. Parking is pretty easy and in a few spots. As other notes, no bathroom here which is the biggest issue. Otherwise with how accessible this is, it's a gem.

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.

Nice park for the beginner or more experienced hiker or just someone who wants to have some peace…read moreand quiet outdoors for a couple of hours. The parking lot is big and there is a bathroom, which is appreciated. I took a look at the trail map before I left to find one of a decent length, so check out options, but the trails are well-marked. Once you get past the main train next to the lake, you can find yourself pretty alone except for another occasional hiker, but you can vibe with nature, see a waterfall, and just breathe in the fresh air. Some of the trails are long, but I paced one that was only a couple of miles and still got some nice scenery and a lot of steps in. It's great this park isn't too far from the urban areas of Northern NJ and there are many trail options so you can visit again and experience something new. There's also a sign for trout fishing if that's your thing. Check it out if you want to get away for the day.

It's a great place for me to run. It's flatter than most areas around here. It's also very…read moretranquil, and beautiful to watch as you run along the path.The path around the large pond is wide, which is great for the amount of people that are coming through there and many of the areas around the paths have shade, which makes it great for running as well. There's a large parking area with lots of parking space which is a convenient. When you come into the reserve it's off of the highway. The an entrance which is one way in and then the exit on the opposite end of the lot which is one way out. The only drawback from me was that there were a number of people in the park with their dogs unleashed and the dog should be leashed . Which makes it difficult and unnerving for a runner to see a dog come out and not see the owner close by.

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...

Such great views and well kept trails. Loads of parking and multiple outlets along this long park…read more Def a go to easy hike!

I absolutely love this park for hiking. I usually hike along the coast and the views are amazing! I…read morelove a nice water view and this park provides it. You get views of New York City from here. There is a small fee to park in the parking lot here. During my last visit, we encountered a friendly trooper who gave us a park map. We didn't need it, but it was a nice gesture. There is a beach like area along the trail and I enjoy stopping in this section and looking for seashells. If you're not into hiking or biking, this still seems like a nice park to sit and enjoy the day for a few hours. Pack a picnic lunch and go!

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

medium sized county park with a roughly 1 mile blue blazedxloop trail leading from the north end of…read morethe parking lot to a small waterfall and then up to a peak with a view of Rockland County (closeup are is a very scenic industrial park LOL).. waterfall was quite unimpressive on Thanksgiving Day 2016 due to the recent drought, i gather from photos I saw it is much better after a big rain or spring snowmelt.. when you go up the blue blaze trail after descending from peak you will see a gravel road turn right and follow white blaze back to parking lot.

Great views and accessibility…read more Picked a relatively easy walk around the Hessiman Lake trail. Beautiful views and many spots for picnic / grilling

I really love this state park. Parking is $10. There is an area to bbq, an area to rent pedal…read moreboats, a hotel, a pool, area to purchase food and hiking trails. I usually go just to hike and enjoy the views. What I like is that the trail is always clean with clear signs on where to walk up which creates a safe hike. There are different levels of difficulty of trails so you can either select a moderate trail or challenging one. There is a large grass area where you can sit and enjoy a picnic or take a walk around the lake.

We are so fortunate to have so many beautiful places such as this within a short distance from our…read morehome. Donations accepted, but a visit is free. Miles of trails with varying elevations, a pond and a eutrophied lake dot this huge property. The main house hosts events, contains a complete wildlife exhibit, including "sponsored" enclosures for a range of reptiles, a bunny, and one very cool dove named Snow, who coos if prompted. An outdoor area contains a working replica of Native American "home". All very cool, very well maintained and we are very lucky. We did not see one human on the trails, although a number milled about the main house.

Great place to take a walk. Very quiet. Beautiful fall foliage. You can also check out some…read morereptiles at the nature center.