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.