Love going for a hike here with the doggies !!! Great elevation and breathtaking views !! Lots of…read moreshade from all the beautiful trees

This review is specifically for the dog park as I've come here twice in the past two months just…read morefor that. I had to meet some family halfway to drop a few items and this park ended up being the halfway for me. It's pretty convenient off of Route 3, and only minutes away from the Garden State Parkway. Additionally, it's only 15 mins or so away from the American Dream mall. The park is huge, most of which I've yet to explore (including the views of the NYC skyline). The dog park is just past the first parking lot (I believe the main lot) you see. You can park on the street (there are two huge spots) right in front of the dog parks or you can park in the parking lot and walk right down the hill towards the dog park. There are two dog parks - one for small dogs and the other for larger dogs. Both look equivalent, except one is obviously bigger. My dog was mostly sniffing the leaves that fell in the fall and perhaps has gotten to the age where he's uninterested in anything outside of sniffing things. For younger, more active dogs, this is a fun place to just play. You can definitely give your dog some good exercise going up and down ladders and such. The people also are pretty nice and the dog park is largely clean. People do pick up their poop, which is very important. This is a pretty good place to let your dog loose for a bit.

I grew up in Cedar Grove and have fond memories of Mills Reservation from the 1950s and 60s.  It…read morewas a great place to explore the natural wooded environment atop First Mountain ... and it still is.  The trails are great for hiking, biking, and jogging. Leashed dogs are welcome.  I highly recommend hiking to Quarry Point at the reservation's southern end.  The views east from here are spectacular -- all the way to the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline, and sometimes the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.  Oh, did I mention that the reservation is a great place for bird watching?! Parking is limited. There are no buildings or restrooms in the reservation.

How does one rate the woods? I wanted to blame them for a lack of reservoir scenery on the…read morereservoir view trail but there was human error and I was on a different trail. You can see Manhattan and even the Verrazzano Bridge from a few overlooks. If you're into Instagramming lots of trees and occasional rocks this is a fine spot. Geography note: without a car, kind of far from anywhere. Walkable from the weekday-only Mountain Ave. station (for NJ Transit wrath please check out my Substack).

I came to the playground and splash area with my two daughters this summer. The playground is…read moreamazing. It is gated and is connected to the splash area which opens at 10. The only downfall is that it is all in the open sun so the playground does get pretty hot if its a hot summer day. But then you can cool off in the water. It was right by the water so I enjoyed the scenery.

It is park of the athletic fields facility. Lovely walks…read morealong the water. Beautiful views of the sunset. You can walk to the area with the turnpike over you. Overall pleasant. Usually not very crowded off season. Easy to get parking.

This park is located on Bloomfield Ave. near Kingsland Rd. and is a great little park that is well…read morekept by Nutley as are all their other parks. There is a basketball court, soccer field, and softball field all within close proximity. The playground is small but that's a good thing if you have a couple of speedy kids to keep an eye on which I do. On the far end of the park there is a creek with a walkway for any nature walk enthusiasts out there. A restroom and water fountain is also located on grounds. It is also a regular stop for an ice cream truck so be prepared to buy ice cream. A really nice park to enjoy with kids.

I really like parks that have something for everyone. it has a softball field and basketball…read morecourts. You can find swing sets for children of any age as well as some really good slides. My daughters love coming here and hanging out for the day. When we are done with this section you can go for a nice walk along the paths located in the park. Park has a bathroom and water fountain for kids that is kept pretty clean. An ice cream truck does stop by regularly but unfortunately it's not Mr Softee and only specializes in ice creams bars. If your looking for a nice place to sit back relax and watch your kids play I recommend stopping by. If you're hungry stop by Louis Place Pizzeria for a slice, which is only to blocks away

A quiet loop of trees, bridges, and paths-- tucked between…read moreiron fences and red rooftops. Shot this on a weekday afternoon. Light was soft, wind was slow. If you're in North Jersey and need a place to walk, think, or just sit under a tree--this one's for you. Shot on Fujifilm X-T4.

Beautiful park to walk through play sports even enjoy a picnic on a. Beautiful day. Soo much to do…read moreand enjoy joy here. I met the love of my life here

(Update) So happy, the walking bridge has finally reopened…read more Viewing the falls from the bridge is an impressive experience. Fun Fact- The Falls: A 77-foot-high waterfall on the Passaic River, second only to Niagara Falls in volume east of the Mississippi. The Great Falls of Paterson is even more impressive to see after a major rainstorm. The falls are more immense and you'll get spritzed. LOL... In the winter time, You can see the falls in a frozen state. An absolutely mesmerizing experience. Hope you enjoy the photos from all seasons.

The waterfall itself has an impressive amount of water, but everything else was disappointing…read more The biggest issue was the condition of the river. There was floating trash everywhere, a lot of foam on the surface, muddy brown water, and a strong unpleasant smell. Instead of enjoying the scenery, I just wanted to leave. Parking was also difficult, especially during busy hours. I understand this is a historic landmark, but based on my experience, it wasn't worth the drive. The waterfall has potential, but the cleanliness and overall maintenance really need improvement.

If you need a break and want to retreat to nature, Dunkerhook is a good place to visit. Very…read morepeaceful and serene. Lots of passive green and giant trees. Nice walking paths also.

Got stuck in accident traffic and pulled off 208 to find another way to the gym. Found this park in…read morea serendipitous way. It was warm and I'd much rather skip a spinning class to take in nature instead. There were families, dog walkers, joggers and bikers all enjoying spring. Quite a few deer were wondering around. Plenty of birds, most notably very large redheaded woodpecker making a terrible racket. Just kidding, I really enjoyed watching him poke for bugs. This park is a long stretch of greenway following both sides of a creek. There are mile markers that take you through different towns. I think I only did about a mile and a half of it, but I'm looking forward to coming back now that it's warmer, and exploring the different bridges and trails.

I visited this trail for the first time and was actually quite surprised at how good of a hike it…read morewas. I haven't heard much about it so I didn't expect much. Upon arrival there is a small parking lot, with a kiosk and the usual map of the trails. I used primarily the red and yellow trails to reach the top of the mountain. The view is nice, with a little bit of obstruction due to the trees. On a clear day you can easily see New York City. At the top of the mountain there is also a star with lights on it that I believe was donated. In addition to this, there is a large rock with the American flag painted on it. These are two little interesting things to see in addition to the view. The hike itself was fairly easy, with one steep section before reaching the top. I would say it is definitely a good hike if you live nearby and want to go for a hike without taking a longer drive. The one negative, is that in some areas the trails are not properly marked and can be a little confusing. This doesn't seem to be too big of an issue because it seems they all end meeting back together at some point.

In high school we used to have keg parties on top of the mountain. In college fraternities and…read moresororities would have events in these woods too. You can follow the trails or there's other ways up the mountain. You can ride your mountain to the top of the mountain or through to the Franklin lakes preserve but there's a lot of area where trees are down or there is too much water. There's a great view and plenty of space once you get to the top of the mountain. You can find "buttermilk falls" by the North Haledon entrance to the college.