Wawayanda State Park

Wawayanda State Park is a large protected natural area in the northern New Jersey highlands with multiple lakes, wetland areas, and dense forests. The park features more than 60 miles of marked hiking trails that wind through varied terrain and different ecosystems.

Lenape peoples inhabited this region for centuries before European settlement transformed the land. Artifacts and sites throughout the park preserve traces of their long presence here.

The park serves as an educational center where rangers conduct programs about local flora, fauna, and geological formations from the last Ice Age.

The park has multiple parking areas and restroom facilities spread throughout for visitor convenience. Swimming is allowed only when lifeguards are on duty at the main lake.

The Bearfort Mountain Natural Area contains a high-elevation pond ringed by rare Atlantic white cedar wetlands. These special marshes with their distinctive plants and wet conditions are uncommon in New Jersey.

Location: Jefferson Township

Operator: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Division of Parks and Forestry

GPS coordinates: 41.16602,-74.42598

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:58