Bergen County

Explorer

Places to Go

12 places

Alpine Lookout (Palisades)

Alpine Lookout (Palisades)

Nature

Alpine

One of the most spectacular viewpoints in the entire region. From atop the Palisades cliffs, you get sweeping views of the Hudson River, the Manhattan skyline, and the George Washington Bridge. Completely free and accessible year-round. Don't miss it.

Bergen County Audubon Society

Bergen County Audubon Society

Nature

Bergen County

Founded in 1941, the Bergen County chapter of the National Audubon Society runs free field trips and programs throughout the year — including weekly bird walks at DeKorte Park (Meadowlands), hawk watches at the Palisades, and guided nature walks at local preserves. Events are open to members and non-members alike.

Closter Nature Center

Closter Nature Center

Nature

Closter

A 136-acre nonprofit preserve with ponds, brooks, meadows, and forested wetlands — open free to the public every day from dawn to dusk. Programs include summer camp, after-school nature sessions, adult lectures, and family events. The trails are easy and excellent for young children discovering nature for the first time.

Demarest Nature Center

Nature

Demarest

A 55-acre nature preserve with over 2 miles of trails through forests, wetlands, meadows, and vernal ponds. Programming includes guided hikes, bird watching, nature photography workshops, maple syrup making, mushroom foraging walks, and family events. Open 365 days a year, dawn to dusk, free to all visitors.

Flat Rock Brook Nature Center

Flat Rock Brook Nature Center

Nature

Englewood

A free, 150-acre preserve open 365 days a year with 3.6 miles of forested trails leading to a cascading stream, wetlands, pond, and meadows. The center has an interactive "A Walk in the Woods" exhibit, a raptor aviary, native habitat gardens, a playground, and picnic areas. A wonderful no-cost outdoor escape for families.

Hackensack River Greenway

Hackensack River Greenway

Nature

Multiple towns

A growing network of parks, trails, and open spaces along the Hackensack River. Great for kayaking, bird watching, and walking. The river corridor passes through Hackensack, Teaneck, Bogota, and other towns with public access points.

J.A. McFaul Environmental Center

Nature

Wyckoff

An 81-acre Bergen County wildlife sanctuary on a former farm, featuring a Wildlife Exhibit Hall overlooking a waterfowl pond, woodland trails, native plant gardens, and hands-on science exhibits. A hidden gem for nature lovers — the ponds attract waterfowl year-round and the trails are uncrowded and serene.

Losen Slote Creek Park

Nature

Little Ferry

A quiet Bergen County park along the Hackensack River estuary and one of the best free birding spots in the county. The tidal wetlands and mudflats attract impressive concentrations of great and snowy egrets, great blue herons, glossy ibis, and migrating shorebirds — all without the crowds you'd find at nearby DeKorte Park.

Ramapo Valley Reservation — Oakland Trailhead

Nature

Oakland

The less-traveled Oakland entrance into the 4,000-acre Ramapo Valley County Reservation gives access to rugged mountain trails, boulder fields, ridge-top views, and the historic Cannonball Trail used during the Revolutionary War. Quieter than the Mahwah entrance, this side draws hikers and trail runners looking for solitude in the Ramapo Mountains.

Richard W. DeKorte Park (Meadowlands)

Nature

Lyndhurst

Once slated for a landfill, now an extraordinary 3.5-mile trail system through the Meadowlands — one of the best birding spots in the Northeast. The Marsh Discovery Trail boardwalk, butterfly garden, and bird blinds put you right in the heart of the wetlands. Free nature walks led by Bergen County Audubon are held regularly.

Teaneck Creek Conservancy

Nature

Teaneck

A 46-acre urban nature preserve protecting a rare undeveloped stretch of Teaneck Creek and surrounding wetlands and upland forest right in the heart of one of Bergen County's largest boroughs. Walking trails wind past native wildflowers and migratory songbirds — a genuine escape that most Teaneck residents don't even know exists. Free and open year-round.

Tenafly Nature Center

Tenafly Nature Center

Nature

Tenafly

A member-supported nature preserve stewarding ~400 acres of hardwood forest and wetland. Seven miles of trails wind through the preserve, with a butterfly house, bird aviaries, and year-round programs for all ages. Summer day camps, Forest School, and naturalist-led walks make this a go-to destination for Bergen County families.