From sweeping views to exhilarating trails and stand-up paddle boarding to eco-cruises, Hudson County has an outdoor experience for everyone. Take a bike ride along the waterfront Hudson Loop. Stroll through history at the expansive Liberty State Park. Or kayak, paddle, and even jet ski along the Hudson River with local outfitters who know our county well. From the tranquil Mercer Park and Lincoln Park, to the Manhattan-view Pier A Park, Hudson County is full of invigorating green space.
Get the latest scoop on Hudson County’s Parks & Nature over on the HC Sights & Bites blog!
Learn more about amenities available at Hudson County Parks at each park below.
Each Hudson County city has its own array of impressive green spaces. In North Bergen, the 167-acre lakefront Braddock Park offers trails, sports facilities, and a dog run. Jersey City’s Lincoln Park, one of the oldest and largest Hudson County Parks, greets visitors with historic monuments, trails, athletic facilities, and children’s areas. Stephen R. Gregg Park in Bayonne boasts tennis courts, basketball courts, a running track, and horseshoe pits, not to mention greenery along the Newark Bay waterfront.
Bayonne’s Mercer Park is another option for tranquil green space, while West Hudson Park in Kearny offers 46 acres of sports facilities, pathways, and a serene lake. And, over in Hoboken, the park options don’t stop. From the island-like Pier C Park to the expansive Pier A Park, which attracts everyone from sunbathers to fishing enthusiasts, the Mile Square City is brimming with green space, too.
The 1,212-acre Liberty State Park offers unparalleled views of the Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Park attractions include cruises to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, an Interpretive Center, a two-mile promenade, the Liberty Walk, as well as the Empty Sky 9/11 memorial. Outdoor performance areas occupy the northern section of the park, while the western portion is dominated by the state-of-the-art Liberty Science Center.
Liberty State Park’s Interpretive Center takes visitors on an immersive journey through the area’s natural history, with programming like walks and education for schools and the general public. The Friends of Liberty State Park is another great resource; this non-profit runs events like 5K runs and local cleanups. Check here for up-to-date event information.
Hudson County is adjacent to two of New Jersey’s most renowned Scenic Byways, which highlight transportation corridors that boast outstanding nature, recreational, cultural, historic, or archaeological significance. These stunning drives, including the Palisades Scenic Byway and Western Highlands Scenic Byway, offer some of the Garden State’s most serene scenery.
The closest byway to Hudson County, Palisades Scenic Byway winds through 42 miles of forests, mountains, and river vistas. It goes from the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge up north to Bear Mountain State Park in New York, a hiker’s paradise that connects with the Appalachian Trail.
The New Jersey portion of this byway is located in Palisades Interstate Park, a wild and serene 2,500-acre stretch of steep cliffs and Hudson River shorelines.
Traveling through thousands of acres of protected open spaces, the Western Highlands Byway is brimming with scenic lookout points and recreational opportunities. This byway runs through the Newark Pequanock Watershed, the Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and Wawayanda State Park. It travels from Route 23 north through Hardyston and Vernon Townships, with the Appalachian Trail intersecting just north of Vernon.
Experience everything from birdwatching and biking to hiking and golfing along this scenic 23-mile byway.
