Garret Mountain Guide

Garret Mountain Reservation, spanning the cities of Paterson and Woodland Park, is one of North Jersey’s most popular parks. The park is most popular with walkers utilizing the 2-mile park road, families looking to picnic and barbecue, and birdwatchers.

Explore North Jersey Review: Decent, but very busy park

Garret Mountain Reservation

Address: 8 Mountain Avenue Woodland Park, NJ 07424

Location: Woodland Park, Paterson and Clifton, Passaic County

Website

Restrooms: Yes, 5 flush restroom buildings throughout the park and portable toilets in some areas

Price: Free

Activities

Hiking/Walking

The park features two main hiking trails, as well as many unmarked trails to explore. Additionally, there is a popular 2-mile walking trail on Park Road.

Picnicking

There are many picnic tables and pavilions throughout the park available to rent ahead of time. If no one is reserving an area, they are available free of charge first-come, first-served. Additionally, the Great Meadow area is suitable for blanket picnics.

Birdwatching

Garret Mountain is an Important Bird Area and is home to 245 different species of birds. The most popular spot to birdwatch is near Barbour Pond.

Playground/Workout Stations

There is a large playground and a workout station set up with multiple free pieces of outdoor equipment located above the Great Meadow and next to the overlook.

Fishing

Barbour Pond is a stocked and popular fishing destination.

Points of Interest

Lambert Tower
Barbour Pond and Pat Di Ianni Boathouse
Great Meadow
Overlooks

Garret Mountain

Garret Mountain is the flagship park of Passaic County. Located next to (and partially in) the city of Paterson, as well as the other major municipalities of Woodland Park and Clifton, this 568-acre park is one of the most popular and busiest parks in North Jersey. The land the park sits on was acquired in 1927, and opened as a park in 1931 after careful design from the Olmsted Brothers Firm, the group responsible for designing Central Park in New York City.

The park, along with the nearby Great Falls of the Passaic, was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1967. This designation was earned due to the basaltic lava flows, which shaped the area in the early Mesozoic period (about 200 million years ago). The park is also designated nationally as an Important Bird Area and in New Jersey as an Important Bird and Birding Area, with the Friends of Garret Mountain reporting that 245 species have been spotted in the park, and 37 species found breeding.

Lambert Tower

Along the cliffs of the park is the 70-foot Lambert Tower. The tower was constructed in 1896 by Catholina Lambert. As of 2025, the tower is undergoing extensive renovations. Once the renovations are complete, visitors will be able to climb to the top of the tower and will be greeted with panoramic views of the park and of New York City.

Barbour Pond and Pat Di Ianni Boathouse

Barbour Pond and the Pat Di Ianni Boathouse are scenic destinations located at the southern end of the park. The pond was dammed in 1879 to supply water to mills in Paterson. There is a short trail around the perimeter of the pond, and excellent views are offered by the boathouse and along a set of cliffs overlooking the pond.

Great Meadow

The Great Meadow is the most popular area of the park. Here, visitors will find a large mowed field that is popular for picnicking, a large playground, workout equipment and ice cream trucks.

Overlooks

The park features two main overlooks: one that visitors can drive to, and one that requires some hiking. The first is accessed from a parking lot next to the playground and features an expansive view of Paterson. The second is reached via the Yellow Trail between the equestrian center and Lambert Tower. This view is of New York City and the North Jersey suburbs.

Equestrian Center

An equestrian center is located near the Weaseldrift Road entrance to the park. The center is leased and not operated by Passaic County. Many horses are visible from Park Road.

Picnic Areas

Nearly every area of the park features a picnic area with charcoal grills available for use. A few (Overlook, Lower Crows Nest, Lower Tower, and Rocky Hollow) also feature covered pavilions. All picnic areas are available to rent and reserve ahead of time. If an area is not reserved, it is available free of charge on a first-come-first-served basis.