Bergen: Nature, History and Winter Sports in Bergen County

Bergen combines winter sports at Campgaw Mountain Reservation with expansive parks, nature trails and significant sites from American history.

Key facts on the topic

• The Bergen County park system comprises 21 parks; in total, Bergen County has almost 9,000 acres of parkland.
• Campgaw Mountain Reservation is a wooded park covering 1,373 acres, with designated, marked hiking trails.
• Saddle River County Park covers 577 acres along the Saddle River and its tributaries.
• Teaneck Creek Conservancy has more than two miles of maintained trails for walking, jogging and nature observation year-round.
• Fort Lee Historic Park is located on a cliff and combines viewpoints with a reconstructed encampment from the American Revolutionary War.
• Bergen County Zoological Park is located in Paramus within Van Saun County Park, which covers more than 130 acres.

Winter sports and expansive landscapes

Campgaw Mountain Reservation offers skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. Natural and cultural destinations complement this winter sports offering in Bergen.

Those wishing to combine their stay with outdoor activity will find a variety of landscapes. At Ramapo Valley County Reservation, you can hike through hills and valleys; the area has grown to more than 4,000 acres. Saddle River County Park offers an approximately six-mile combined bike and pedestrian trail between Ridgewood and Rochelle Park. Dunkerhook Park, within Saddle River County Park, also features a picturesque waterfall.

Other natural destinations focus on different experiences: The 81-acre James A. McFaul Environmental Center is a wildlife sanctuary with nature trails, gardens and natural science educational exhibits. The Marsh Discovery Trail runs across a half-mile boardwalk through a brackish marsh and is suitable for birdwatching. Model boating is available at Overpeck County Park, while Van Saun County Park has a bike path. Campgaw Mountain County Reservation also offers a disc golf course.

History and excursions with different characteristics

Fort Lee Historic Park is intended for visitors who want to combine scenery and history. From its viewpoints, you can see the Hudson River, Upper Manhattan and the George Washington Bridge. The reconstructed encampment includes an authentically reconstructed officers' hut; a visitor center explores the site's history during the American Revolutionary War. An annual event also illustrates the position of Washington and his troops in November 1776, as well as life in the 18th century.

Historic New Bridge Landing offers a more active historical exploration. A history activity includes eight information panels and a twelve-part QR code challenge. Visitors can cross an 1889 swing bridge over the Hackensack River there. However, the historic buildings are open only during events conducted by volunteers from the Bergen County Historical Society. Historic New Bridge Landing is preserved as a battlefield from the American Revolutionary War.

The Zabriskie-Steuben House is the only surviving house along the route of the British invasion and Washington's retreat through Bergen County in November 1776. During the American Revolutionary War, it served as a military headquarters. The building also displays a section of a pig iron bar found at New Bridge Landing. Bergen County has almost 200 arts and history organizations, so its historical focus extends beyond individual sites.

Family and group activities

Bergen County Zoological Park is also open to visitors from outside Bergen County. It offers reservable educational programs for groups. This makes it possible to plan a visit differently from a hike or historical tour: The focus here is on a zoological site and a scheduled educational offering, while Van Saun County Park provides the broader landscape setting.

For further comparisons of locations, you can visit Ramsey, South Hackensack Township, Edgewater, Woodcliff Lake, Rutherford, Saddle River, Little Ferry, Fort Lee, Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Lyndhurst, Hasbrouck Heights, Mahwah, Ridgefield and Ridgefield Park.

FAQ

Where is winter sports explicitly documented in Bergen?

Skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing are mentioned at Campgaw Mountain Reservation. The facts therefore establish a winter sports offering, but not any specific current opening hours, snow conditions, lift services or trail categories.

Which trails are suitable for longer walks or combined tours?

The combined bike and pedestrian trail in Saddle River County Park is approximately six miles long and runs between Ridgewood and Rochelle Park. Teaneck Creek Conservancy supplements this offering with more than two miles of maintained trails that can be used year-round for walking, jogging and nature observation.

What should you know about the historic buildings at Historic New Bridge Landing?

The buildings are not generally described as exhibition sites that are open at all times. Access is available only during events conducted by volunteers from the Bergen County Historical Society.

What historical significance does New Bridge have?

New Bridge is listed in the New Jersey registers and the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest road swing bridge in the state of New Jersey.

What kind of nature experience does the Marsh Discovery Trail offer?

The trail runs across a half-mile boardwalk through a brackish marsh. It is explicitly suitable for birdwatching and thus differs from trails in hilly terrain or along a river.

For the overarching travel overview: New Jersey.