Saddle River County Park facts for kids
Saddle River County Park is a huge park in Bergen County, New Jersey. It's about 596 acres big, which is like having over 450 football fields! The park stretches from Ridgewood all the way to Rochelle Park and even reaches Glen Rock. It follows along the Saddle River and has five different parts. The cool thing is, all these parts are connected by a paved path where you can walk or ride your bike!
Contents
Exploring the Park's Areas
Saddle River County Park has five main sections, each with its own cool features. They are listed here from north to south:
Wild Duck Pond
Wild Duck Pond: Found in Ridgewood, this spot has a lovely pond. It's perfect for picnics and has fun playgrounds for everyone to enjoy.
Glen Rock Area
Glen Rock Area: Located in Glen Rock, this part also has a pond, picnic spots, and playgrounds. Plus, you can play tennis here!
Dunkerhook Area
Dunkerhook Area: You'll find this section in Paramus and Fair Lawn. It has picnic areas, playgrounds, and tennis courts. A special highlight here is a beautiful waterfall in the river!
Otto Pehle Area
Otto Pehle Area: This section is in Saddle Brook. It features a lake, picnic areas, a softball field, basketball courts, and tennis courts.
Rochelle Park Area
Rochelle Park Area: Located in Rochelle Park, this area is packed with things to do! It has picnic spots, a softball field, a playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, and even a roller hockey rink.
Fun on the Trails
The park is famous for its awesome walking and cycling trails.
Paved Paths for Walking and Biking
The main trail is 6.8 miles long and is completely paved. You can ride your bike or walk safely because no cars are allowed, except for electric wheelchairs and other medical devices. Along the trail, you'll find benches to rest on, and each park section has water fountains and bathrooms. The trail also has five underpass bridges that go under roads and five bridges that cross over water.
Off-Road Adventures
If you like exploring, there are also dirt paths that branch off the main trail into the woods. These are great for hiking or mountain biking! The longest of these trails is about 2 miles long and goes from Fair Lawn to Paramus, following the river on the other side of the paved path.
Cool Park Landmarks
Besides the different park areas, the Saddle River County Park Trail has some interesting landmarks to look out for:
The Waterfall
The Waterfall: This is a small but pretty waterfall located in the Glen Rock section of the trail. It's close to where the Glen Rock path joins the main trail. It's about half a mile from the Glen Rock Duck Pond.
Easton Tower
Easton Tower: Also known as "The Tower" or "The Mill," this is a 20-foot-tall old rotary mill. You'll find it under Route 4 in the Paramus part of the park. It's a popular spot for taking cool photos!
The "Hill"
The "Hill": This is the steepest part of the trail! It's about a 20-foot climb or drop, depending on which way you're going. You'll find this challenging spot in Fair Lawn, between the waterfall and Easton Tower.
Fishing Spots
If you enjoy fishing, the park's waters are stocked with trout and bass. Here are some popular fishing spots:
Glen Rock Duck Pond Fishing
Glen Rock Duck Pond: This pond mainly has bass and sunfish. Sometimes, people even catch carp and catfish here!
Waterfall Area Fishing
Waterfall Area: This is the most popular spot for fishing in the park. The water right after the waterfall moves fast, which is great for catching stocked trout and bass. You can also find sunfish, carp, and white suckers here. It's known as the best and widest spot to fish along the Saddle River.
Otto Pehle Lake Fishing
Otto Pehle: The lake at Otto Pehle mostly has bass and sunfish. Just like Glen Rock, some people have caught carp and catfish here too. It can get busy on weekends!
Ridgewood Duck Pond Fishing
Ridgewood Duck Pond: This used to be a fishing spot, but in recent years, the pond has become much drier, and there are very few or no fish left.
Images for kids
-
A map posted in Glen Rock outlining the park trail (left) and the Glen Rock Area (right)
