8 Mountain Ave. & Park Rd., Woodland Park (Passaic County)
Offering a number of wooded trails in an otherwise urban landscape, Garret Mountain remains a favored stopover point for songbirds and a magnet for birdwatchers and nature lovers. From its location on First Watchung Mountain, the park offers impressive views of Paterson and the New York City skyline. The park is also home to Lambert Castle, a 19th-century landmark that serves as a reminder of the park's Gilded Age beginnings.
High Point State Park
1480 Route 23, Sussex (Sussex County)
High Point State Park is most famous for the 220-foot monument to New Jersey's war veterans atop the state's peak elevation at 1,803 feet. The park's summit offers a panorama of three states that includes the Pocono (Pennsylvania), Catskill (New York), and Kittatinny (New Jersey) mountains. The park offers many wonderful trails as well, including the 1.5-mile Cedar Swamp Trail that we suggest trying. The path encircles the highest-elevation swamp of its kind in the world at 1,500 feet, but is still mostly flat and easy to walk.