Garret Mountain Reservation

I recently hiked at Garrett Mountain Reserve and was blown away by the breathtaking views and well-maintained trails! The diverse terrain and scenic overlooks made for a challenging yet rewarding experience. The park's history and informative signs added an educational layer to my visit. I appreciated the clean facilities and friendly rangers. A hidden gem in NJ, Garrett Mountain Reserve exceeded my expectations and left me feeling refreshed and connected with nature. Can't wait to return!

I love this park. It gives so many beautiful views while giving interesting places like the tower and horses.
It's fun for both hiking and walking. It can be a challenging hike in some places, but mostly, it is pretty straightforward.
Most of it isn't dog-friendly, according to the signs.
Maybe one day I will work here.

Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park, NJ, offers breathtaking views of NYC! Ideal for biking, walking, and hiking, with options for loops or nature trails. Fun for kids too! Playgrounds, picnic areas, and scenic spots abound. Enjoy nature's beauty and city skyline views. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and families seeking adventure! Highly recommended 5/5

This is a remarkable and historical place among with great bucolic beauty. There are plenty of hills along with different species of animals including horses, deer and so on. Specially the ducks. The view is enchanting.

Garret Mountain Reservation is a well maintained facility in the surrounding area of Woodland Park and Clifton. It is a giant loop that means you can easily drive through most of the areas of the reservation, and it is free. Entire reservation is very well maintained and lush green. I visited on Sunday, August 27, and it was crowded but manageable.

The best part is the boat house looking over the lake, and one can hike around the giant lake in the loop. There is an equestrian center in the reservation, which was closed on the day of my visit. Lambert Tower and Castle is another attraction worth checking out.

Lambert Tower was one used as a lookout for enemy aircrafts by the military during World War II. There is another scenic overlook with very limited parking of may be 15 cars is there which is always crowded. I saw Park Ranger giving tickets to unofficial parking.

Restrooms in the reservation are well kept and on busy day, difficult to find parking.

Have been here multiple times and this time during snow and it still looks mesmerizing.

Beautiful hiking. Fun trails. Incredible vistas. This place is great. And there’s ample parking and bathrooms!

I highly recommend this park . It's just beautiful 😍

I visited this morning with a friend. We went to the scenic overlook. We saw how small the cars looked on the highway. Also saw some of downtown Paterson. Then we walked toward the Lambert tower. Took some pics and hung out there. Then we left

Located on 568 acres on Watchung Mountain Range in Paterson and Woodland Park, Garret Mountain Reservation is considered one of several National Natural Landmarks in New Jersey, reaching an elevation of 500 feet above sea level and providing visitors with a scenic slice of nature with grass fields, several miles of walking and running trails, basketball courts, and picnic areas. For those into bird watching, this is a stopover point for migrating songbirds, including 35 species of warblers, numerous vireos, orioles, sparrows, and thrushes. Believe it or not, there’s even an open field specifically designated to fly drones. Being one-way traffic, it forces one to see what this park has to offer as you drive through the road and make the loop. We managed to find a parking spot this morning and walked from the Auto Overlook, getting an aerial view of Patterson and its surroundings, to Lambert Tower, with a partial view of Manhattan through the trees. Since we last visited 2 years ago, renovations have been noticeable, such as new playgrounds by the Great Meadow, repairs to the Overlook walls, new signage throughout the park, and new facilities not yet finished by the Great Meadow. Lambert Castle and its surrounding area are closed for repairs. Weekdays are never crowded, but weekends and holidays draw crowds. We can recommend this place to escape and find tranquility and fun.

The festival at Garret Mountain takes place every August. This year was way different. The staff and security was amazing, very well organized. There is a huge parking lot that they have designated for everyone and it includes a shuttle bus to the entrance.

There were a bunch of rides and games and a ton of people. The food stands were amazing. Chicken, rice, collard greens, cotton candy, churro's etc. And if you want to get away from all the festivities there is a jungle gym, hiking trails, lakes and a absolutely stunning view over the city.

An amazing place to visit or spend a day or so hanging out with nature in the middle of New Jersey. Great view of Passaic county, Paterson N. J.
Equestrian stables, so there's even horses to talk to.

Nice little park near urban area is always welcoming. The view of NYC skyline from afar was spectacular to say the least.

It's a great place to running and having picnic as a family and good time.

This place was horrible looking. Now 2023 this place is looking awesome. They're now putting a park for kids & new bathrooms. The castle is getting repaired. Can't wait to see it all come alive. The deers are all out and close :) there are so many. The horses are beautiful & look healthy. Best experience by far this year 👏

Garret Mountain Reservation is a fantastic outdoor area with trails, picnic pavilions, open fields, beautiful views, and much more.

Parking is easy with plenty of spots across several lots scattered across the reservations. They are all connected by a one way loop that goes around the reservations. The loop also acts as a sort of track for runners/walkers as two smaller lanes are off limits to cars.

The trails are not difficult and patched with small rocks. You never really feel like you are deep in the woods, so if you’re looking for something more adventurous this might not be for you. One trail loops around a pond. Most of the trails lead to the Lambert Tower which has beautiful views of North NJ.

The picnic areas and open fields are also a great place to get together and eat. On a Sunday, there were plenty of groups out with grills. However, there was still plenty of space. There is also one basketball court that was pretty busy.

Overall, this is a great place to spend the day or just go for a walk/run. Its clean and spacious with enough nature to make you feel like you’re away from civilization.

Awesome place for family summer or winter picnic or enjoy …

View is amazing! You can see the New York city.

What a beautiful place to take a long walk and enjoy the foliage and lake. The trail takes you around the lake. There’s a small parking area on the main road and another one by the picnic area. The trail’s path is very wide and comfortable to walk on. There are a few hidden paths. Make sure to explore those for a close encounter with nature. I would definitely visit again.

Great hiking area for beginners. Quiet/peaceful