Passaic Falls

After over four years of living in Jersey City, we finally made the trip up to visit. We came on a Sunday around 11am and was able to find parking in the small lot. The bridge is still closed for construction, but you get a really good view of the falls from the main walking observation area. We had wanted to scope out the handicap accessibility of the observation area, because we wanted to take my FIL there sometime. Perfectly A-OK if you're just looking to view the falls. The falls are actually quite impressive and I would love to come back when the weather is a little it nicer so we can see some foilage.

Paterson Falls was an enjoyable visit. There is so much history, here, and is still productive. These falls generate clean energy for over 11,000 homes and the Parks Service has done a good job at getting visitors close to their beauty. Make sure to wear walking/hiking shoes, because you will be adding quite a few steps to your pedometer. Enjoy your visit to this valuable site, which helped launch the Industrial Revolution, and I look forward to visiting again, in the winter.

Nice photo location. Beautiful water fall. Area was clean. Enjoyed the view. I would return there.

1/22/24: Update- Visiting the Great Falls is always a great experience. Visiting the Falls in the wintertime is a "Spectacular Experience". It's like you're in a live winter scene from a Thomas Kincaide painting. Now is the time to catch the most incredible views of ice formations. (Please wear boots as it's very slippery). You'll even catch an invigorating cold mist facial from the falls. : ) Nature has created such beauty from our erratic weather. You can enter the Great Falls from 46 West to Mary Ellen Kramer Park or from local streets of downtown Paterson. While you're in the area, check out the historical Paterson Museum. The museum has free admission and free parking.

Here's a really cool place to visit! Guess how I found it?!?! Google maps ahaaah :P In search of some naturescapes while not knowing any names of places, this area came up looking like a mass of greenery. I zoomed in the map and found "Great Falls". Then, I recalled others mentioning it before. It landed on my list of musts when visiting New Jersey. The thimg that made my visit lovlier was I went with my cousins. All the more merrier cuz they hadn't been to Paterson Great Falls either, and they're from the east coast! The views are fantastic! You can even climb up the staircase or hike up the street to see the reservoir. There are viewpoints above the treetops too. With a great camera you may be able to get some awesome captures. The only sucky thing was the observation bridge directly above the falls remained closed since COVID. Construction or renovations around the lower observation area was in progress as well, so some photography shots were photo-bombed by nets, gates, and equipment. Their parking lot is a bit small and gets packed. You'd be lucky to find street parking or a spot nearby. It's a nice walk around where you can find information booths. There's a shaded grassy area, pleasant for relaxing.

One of my favorite places to visit when i'm in New Jersey. Majestic waterfalls with no hardcore hiking involved. You can park & see the waterfalls almost right away. This is the first time we visited on the spring & we spotted flowering cherry blossoms which was an unexpected treat. Some of the bridges was being repaired this time that hindered us from viewing the falls at some of its beautiful vantage spots but it was still a beautiful visit. The area feels a little sketchy but there are lots of park rangers around enough to make us feel safe. No bathroom available, only porta potties.

Another national park site checked off my list. Parking is easy, but parking for the site was unclear. We figured it out. Signage in general was unclear. The foot bridge is closed. Check the park's website before you visit. There's interesting history about hydro power, Hamilton, Paterson, and EPA's efforts to clean the polluted water due to industry dumping. The water now serves as drinking water for the local area. I visited the park on Boxing Day aka day after Christmas aka the holiday Monday. No one was working on-site. The visitor center is open Wednesday through Sunday so we missed out but got brochures and passport stamps left at the door. A nice touch! Accessibility: Poor accessibility route signage. My brother use crutches and the route we took to the falls led us up a set of stairs or you had to walk all the way back to the parking lot to access the sidewalk on the other side of the fence. We took the sidewalk on our way back but it empties into the parking lot road. The other option is to use the ramp to the visitor center but there are stairs down to get to the walkway leading to the parking area. You can see the falls from the parking lot but if you want to get closer, it's not clear if there's another parking area or better access. Bathrooms: There were portable restrooms but they were locked. It's too bad there wasn't more open. It was a cold day which made things more exciting because the spray froze an entire section of the falls. I'm sure it's a lovely picnic spot in warmer weather.

No matter the season, Paterson Great Falls is magnificent. Today the grass was green and the trees were lush, but it's also stunning in fall or when everything is covered in ice. The national park service was giving a tour today, and explained the hydroelectric plant and how the river has been used in the past to run silk mills. Efforts to clean up and make more of the nature areas around the river usable park space, is going well. Coming here is always a pleasure.

Great place in Paterson. Beautiful areas to walk around and see the waterfall from different view points. Great posts that let you learn of the types of wildlife around and about the history of the waterfall. There is parking but can get quite full. There's street parking in the surroundings business and homes, if you don't mine a small but doable walk. The main bridge over the falls were closed for safety, hopefully gets fixed soon. The only thing that made it less than fun was that towards the backside of the falls, there were more than group of people drinking beer and leaving their bottles and cans thrown around. I do recommend for the same of the falls and history.

There is potentially a spectacular natural beauty here in the heart of Paterson New Jersey. They are still improving the site...it's taking a few years to accomplish this. There's a lot of history here from Alexander Hamilton, one of the founders to William Paterson. I didn't get a chance to see the museum since it was closed due to the holidays and shortness of staff.

It's a nice place to take a walk and enjoy the beautiful waterfall. The place can be somewhat crowded. There is a parking lot but it can get full. It's worth visiting if you live in the area.

This is a pretty substandard NPS site. Falls are pretty, but interpretive content is lacking. Rangers did not seem interested in engaging (need to knock on a locked door to talk to a ranger). This is a place only worth checking out if really into NPS sites.

I would go with 2.5 stars but the app does allow it so I'm rounding up. The area overall is very disappointing as it's really ghetto. There is nothing to do other than look at the falls leave. The area around the falls itself it's full of trash, food, and clothes. Definitely don't plan a day around going to this place. It's more like if you're in the area, then go. Parts of the walkway were closed but the area is so small walking around wasn't a big deal. I think this place can be so much more if they wanted it to be.

Paterson's Falls are right outside downtown Paterson. They are the biggest falls around. There is a lot of history in this area and the park offers tours. Of course you can go by and check out the falls on your own. You can park and enter by Hinchcliff stadium as well. There's some picnic benches and plenty of areas to view the falls and take pictures. There's a short path around the area for you to take a walk as well. If you go here at night, you will surely find people doing illegal things.

Finally got to visit the Paterson Great Falls! I've been putting it off because I've heard that the neighborhood it's located in is not so great. But I think as long as you come during the daytime, it should be fine. We came by on a Saturday at around 2:30. There's a medium-sized parking lot, which I can see getting full during warmer months. We visited in February on a day it was 9 degrees, so I don't think it's a very popular attraction on a day like that. But since it was so cold, we wanted to come see if it froze over. The falls themselves weren't frozen but the mist from it that splashed onto the other side, was. It was a pretty cool sight to see. You can get pretty close to the falls but just be careful because it gets icy/slushy over there. It was so cold, that the droplets that splashed onto our coats froze immediately. The bridge to get across is awaiting repairs due to unsafe conditions (yikes!), but you can walk around the park to get to the view of the falls, which only takes about 10 minutes or so. While visiting the falls isn't going to become one of my pastimes, I'm really glad I finally got to see it.

The falls are impressive - however, the national historic site is under construction so I couldn't really see any exhibits. Rangers were very friendly (the reason I give four stars... as the content at the site really wasn't accessible due to construction ) and suggested I go to the Paterson museum nearby - I'm so glad they did because it really had some interesting exhibits, including local rock specimens from the quarrying days.

Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park is unique to the area. Located in the heart of Paterson is a magnificent waterfall! Paterson was once a big industrial city -- in fact, Alexander Hamilton was the one who decided on selecting this site as the country's first planned industrial city. So, a mill was built centering these falls which helped the city become more progressive. Neat historical fact about NJ! The falls really are a site to see. Hearing the roar of the water was refreshing and peaceful. I'm glad they have chosen to preserve this as a national natural landmark. You can get a closer view of the falls by climbing up to the bridge by way of a staircase. If you don't like heights, you can still manage to get a great view on the lower level. The surrounding area is a bit dirty though, and you'll see a lot of litter which is disappointing to see in a park of such a natural beauty. They should try more with the upkeep to maintain cleanliness. There is a parking lot but on a weekend in the summer, it was very busy so keep that in mind. Not all folks adhering to the mask guideline during the pandemic, just an FYI. I probably wouldn't go out of my way again to see this, but if I was in the area, it would make for a nice visit!

I feel weird giving Mother Nature anything less than 5-stars. But if Niagara Falls in all its overwhelmingness is your metric for 5-stars in regards to water falling from somewhere higher to lower and the likes of Yellowstone or Yosemite as "5'ers" for national parks... well, Paterson Great Falls is a 3 at best. There's some really beautiful views (although past visitors do their best to ruin it with an abundance of litter pretty much everywhere you look) but you'd be hard-pressed to milk even 30 minutes here, even at a slow pace to take everything in. Twice. Also worth noting (and worrying about): on the rickety bridge that you cross people are mimicking Pont des Arts in Paris and I don't think it'll take too many more "love locks" till this bridge winds up in the Passaic River.

I LOVE WATERFALLS!!! It was my intent to visit Great Falls all summer after only hearing about it since last year. How did I not know this place existed before now?! 4 stars instead of 5 because it can be misleading and confusing how to exactly get close to the waterfalls. It was a beautiful, bright day and I did not mind the excessive walking to figure things out. I had to park in two different locations to be close to all of the falls. It was worth it! I stumbled upon some great people and we all took each other's wonderful falls photos, laughed, and had small talk. The falls themselves were loudly breathtaking and peaceful. I loved it!!!

These were pretty cool waterfalls in a totally random part of Paterson! The great thing about it was that you can see the falls within a few minutes of the parking lot, so it is very kid friendly. It is possible to walk a little bit to get a better view near the top of the falls, and that was not a challenging walk at all. Several reviews mentioned the area being filthy, so I was initially a little apprehensive. However I found it to be okay (there were a few littered bottles, but it was not terrible). I wouldn't go out of my way to see this, but if you are in the area it may be worth stopping by.

What a nice afternoon. The falls from the parking lot is something to see. There aren't any places to sit and eat other than some benches that I could see. But the bridges are cool to walk over and it seems pretty safe with the fences and barriers. I left my kiddos Nat'l Park Book at home so they couldn't collect their stamps. Don't be like me! There was a boxing exhibition or fight happening in the park so that was also pretty nice. I am not sure this is or will be a regular thing. It's not what we went to see, but my littles enjoyed the show as we walked by. It's still so shocking to me this waterfall and national park is in the middle of a city. I know they are all over, but for all the traffic due to construction surrounding this place, once you get in there it's quite nice. Also parking is limited we walked about .25 mile from a parking garage to get here since there was an event going on. I can't speak on a normal day, but I gather it's pretty busy from the traffic signs around claiming parking.

I have been here a few times already since first visiting a few months ago. I thought it was cool to see Alexander Hamilton founded Paterson, New Jersey. You get to see some cool public art on the walls and you can't miss the falls from the sounds. The walk is short, but it's pleasant and you get to be outside and observe a lot of nature. When you're by the water, you might get a few splashes of water here and there taking pictures! It's good to stand there for some time and just observe the scenery. You can read a few facts on the history of the place on the rocks or behind the statues when you pass by. I read up on the artists who created the public art. It's pretty recent in the past few years and I like the creative initiative approach they took because it brings the place together.

I absolutely loved it here, it was really cold, so cover up and wear non slippery shoes I had a lot of fun.

It was just 20 miles from my home but I was never been there. My parents are here from India and I took them to this fall on one fine evening. The Great Falls in Paterson is a 300-foot wide, 77-foot high waterfall that propels up to two billion gallons of water per day over its edge. There is one small bridge right above it which can give you a splendid view of fall. There are small picnic areas. I recommended First stop at the visitor center and then visit Falls which is just across the road. You can find parking either at the visitor center or near to fall ( Overlook park). Ample parking is there. At the visitor center, you can watch a video of how Paterson park gets established, area's history and more. Employee at the visitor center provided us info : "Due to the power, the Falls provided, Paterson can boast many industrial "firsts": the first water-powered cotton spinning mill in 1793, the first continuous roll paper in 1812, the Colt Revolver in 1836, Rogers Locomotive Works in 1837, and the Holland Submarine in 1878. On November 7, 2011, the Great Falls became the country's 397th national park and to this day, provides power to residents and businesses via the Great Falls power station. " Alexander Hamilton statue is erected here. You won't face much crowd so good spot to spend your evening having fall in the backdrop

The waterfalls were beautiful I will give it that, but I expected so much more. Being a National Historical Park, I thought there was more to explore, see and do. Again the falls were lovely to look at, we even saw a rainbow, but it was a quick in and out thing and not really anything to do after you check out the falls. There are a few picnic tables where you can bring your lunch or snacks and an ice cream truck was parked there when we went. Rangers on site. Again, a beautiful site, but in my opinion don't make a day trip out of it or anything.

A must if you are nature lover. Beautiful and very photogenic views of the falls. There is a trail for walking and biking. I expected the trail the be longer. There's also picnic tables.

Short little hike with views. Great place to visit with family and kids. There is also parking near by and a few ice cream trucks if you're looking for a not too strenuous hike with family on a weekend.

We went here a few years ago and it was really nice not busy not a lot of people and the waterfall was really peaceful I think people should go here!

My roommate Angela V. and I stopped by the Great Falls last week after work on a weekday, because: #1. It was LITERALLY on the way between work and home for us #2. We were in disbelief that WATERFALLS exist in the middle of Paterson (?!?!) Here's the verdict. YOU SHOULD ONLY GO IF #1 IS TRUE FOR YOU. Because after you get over the initial five minutes of amazement over the sheer existence of a waterfall in the middle of a pretty bustling area, you realize that the surrounding space is pretty freaking dirty and kind of.....gross. As we walked along the very short path to get to the edge of the falls, we couldn't help but notice the empty chip bags, candy wrappers, and water bottles on the floor. It was also pretty hard to ignore the occasional scent of weed wafting through the air. Overall, the falls themselves are beautiful to see (and look great in photos) but the surrounding area kind of ruins it all. If you still plan on visiting (REMEMBER MY REASON #1), I would set your Google Maps to route to "Mary Ellen Kramer Park" - there's at least 10 parking spots there.

Continuing our journey of waterfalls, my partner and I came to this location not far from our home. Historically promoted by Alexander Hamilton as an industrial hub of the New York area and located in Patterson, NJ, the waterfalls are not as spectacular or massive as, say, Niagara Falls, but they're pretty impressive in their own right. The Passaic River drops down by over 70 feet creating this wonderful spectacle. The geological formation is quite pretty and impressive. The best viewpoints would be from the overlook with a lot of mist coming up or the bridge over the falls. It's a small park in an urban setting and maintained by the National Park Service. People do try to maintain their distance and most wore their masks. Park rangers were visible. There were metal picnic tables near the office where some visitors were enjoying their lunch. If you are in the area, it's a nice place to visit for an hour.

can't believe this wonderful scene is right in the middle of new jersey! if you like waterfalls (and who doesn't) go check it out. there 's a small parking area on Mcbride Ave. combine this with a visit to nearby Lambert Castle (currently closed for renovations) and it's a decent day trip.

Born of molten lava which formed into Basalt, the Great Falls emerged 13,000 years ago after the last ice age. At 77 feet tall and 300 feet wide it is the second most powerful falls east of the Mississippi. The most powerful falls is Niagara Falls. I have visited the falls many times but this past Sunday was truly spectacular. There are many photographic opportunities. If you are interested in photography this is a must. Views can be had from multiple positions including a bridge footpath that takes you over the falls. I suggest the first stop should be the visitor center which is across the street from the falls. At the visitor center you can learn about tours and programs, buy gifts, watch a video as an overview, view photos and artifacts and use the restrooms. Limited parking is also available here and just up the road at the entrance to Mary Ellen Kramer Park.. Mary Ellen Kramer Park offers scenic views from bridges which cross over the falls. Unfortunately, Overlook Park is now closed for construction but is going to afford additional views of the fall. Tours of the entire complex are available throughout the summer. Between Fall and late Spring reservations are required. If you are somewhat of a nerd like me there are alternatives. A pamphlet entitled "Paterson Great Falls National Park" is free and can be obtained at the visitor center. It has a map and a written narrative for each stopping point. Additionally, you can download the "Mile Mill Tour" audio app on iTunes or Google Play or access the tour via your cell phone by dialing 973-582-0654 at each stop enter the stop number by the # sign. It is narrated by "Brian Williams, Victor Cruz, Junot Diaz and others. Paterson was the vision of Alexander Hamilton and came to fruition in 1792. If you have time visit the Paterson Museum near the Falls. A $2 donation is recommended and it is well worth the price, There is a great display of Colt firearms, the submarine "John Philip Holland" and other "Silk City" industries. Paterson was one of the major early industrial hubs of a fledgling country which would become an industrial and technological beacon to the world.

Wow, What an unexpected find in the middle of Paterson! The falls are beautiful, especially in the middle of a city and the history is fascinating. The visitor center is closed due to the pandemic, but the short walk across the pedestrian bridge to an overlook gives really good views of the falls. You can feel the gushing water and the power of the falls. This is a natural source of power in the old days! There is an industrial building that shows how the mill works with the falls. An excellent way to spend a couple of hours to see both nature and history.

A surprising gem. The falls themselves are beautiful and there's a nice walkway to see a lot of them. The little blurbs were informative, and the National Park Service visitor center was also informative.

We had the good fortune of arriving at 1:55 with out out of state guests, and heard there was a ranger tour at 2:00. Although I have made a number of visits to the falls, this was my first tour. It wS very interesting and informative. There's the beautiful waterfall, picnic tables free parking. I highly recommend a visit.

Truly a hidden gem in NJ, as in hidden I had no idea this place existed until this year neither did any of my party. It was easy to get to but the parking lot turn was quick so be prepared. Ample parking, and a very short walk till you see that knock out view! The beautiful sounds of the water, you almost forget you're in NJ, and in the middle of a large city in fact. There was a ice cream truck there the day we were there. The bathrooms (porta potties) were locked at 4pm FYI (the park closes at sun down). Many opportunities/areas to get close to the falls, there's a staircase to go down below; or you can simply walk over. Or there's a short walk to a bridge to get really close. The bridge may be scary for those with fears of height but it felt safe. Yes, not the cleanest park but it was free and a great spot. Lots of little history touches and nods to Alexander Hamilton (founder of Paterson).

I loved the view of the water fall and you can get close enough to feel the water splashing off of the rocks if you like to watch nature do its thing this is a great place to go. there is more than one entrance to the park on one side you will be parked on a street with no sidewalks or anything and on the other side there is a parking lot but on that side you further away from the falls.

Park rangers were very friendly as was the park service volunteer The falls themselves were pretty impressive - perhaps it makes sense to figure out when in the year they are most impressive and visit then as sometimes there isn't much water flowing Paterson is pretty rundown though so be careful if you venture around there at all

Great historic location! The newly renovated park is simply terrific, easy parking, a slice of NJ history and of our industrial revolution. And you can walk to Libby's Lunch for their epic Texas Weiners!

I've been to the Great Falls a few times now. Sometimes it's weak and disappointing and other times it truly is "great". I suggest visiting after recent rainfall so that the water is really flowing. If you go after a dry period you'll likely be disappointed. There is a bridge that spans the top of the falls which allows for some great views. I wish the base of the falls was as accessible as the top. Perhaps it is but I haven't ventured enough to discover how to get there. There isn't much to do in the surrounding park, but hey, it's in the middle of Paterson. That being said the park is littered with trash. It's a shame really. Rating the falls individually, I'd probably go 4 stars. However the dirtiness of the surrounding area and lack of activities outside of viewing the falls brings it down to 3. Definitely worth a visit some day if you live relatively close.

Great! Fix bridge, get public bathrooms, more benches. Needs more gardening and landscaping.

Ehhhh it's okay. It's a short walk down about a flight of stairs to see the waterfall. Nothing spectacular but something to see if you are bored or want to let the kids out of the car to run around.

Overall review: This cool park to visit. There is not much greenery and it is near a busy street, but it is cool to take a look at the enormous waterfall flowing. There is usually parking also.

Took my 2 kids to visit the park for the first time. It is very small, but well-kept and beautiful. We walked on the bridge to catch the fall close up. There are arrows directing visitors to the bridge. The visitor's center is very small also, but Glen gave us a nice talk of the history of Paterson. There is a lot more to see, but we didn't have time today. We will definitely go back in fall to see the nice foliage, and visit the museum.

Who would have thought there'd be a waterfall in the middle of Paterson, NJ? The waterfall is beautiful and amazing but the surrounding town is not great - it's empty and vacant and there is not even a place to get lunch. We were lucky to find a Burger King around the corner. There is a small area with a picnic table facing the falls. It was lovely to have our lunch with the falls in the background, albeit a bit cold and windy on this visit. The site is small; It took us only an hour to walk through in its entirety and take pictures at a leisurely pace. We started at the picnic table and then walked to the top where there is a footbridge. Here, you can really appreciate the power and strength of the rushing water. From this angle, we saw a prominent rainbow (on St Patty's day!) and we felt the mist of the water. We then walked to the bottom and viewed the falls from there. It's nothing compared to the falls in the Poconos but it's unique in that it sits in the middle of a downtown-like city. I'd recommend coming only if you have plans in the neighboring area. We made a day of it by going to a Funplex in nearby East Hanover.

I didn't know we had waterfalls like this in NJ and I've lived here all my life. It's such a bizarre/cool location because it's a waterfall in the middle of a urban area. I wish they upgraded the surrounding landscaping and took care of the garbage a bit more but it's Paterson so that might be asking for too much. Overall great experience and

Beautiful waterfalls gorgeous park .... not sure about the neighborhood ... it's better if you only stay around the waterfalls only !!!! I wouldn't suggest going into hiking park areas ... extremely dirty and scary seriously !!!! We decided to go for walk and there were very suspicious ppl ‍ .... such a shame gorgeous park though

Love this place .. Beautiful waterfall and bridge.Few years back it gone through some renovation. Over here it feels like ur in 1800 .. old factories , bridge n old buildings ... makes me nostalgic.. They don't have any food options or restrooms on the vicinity.Hope in the near future they will consider this ..

Awful. The park is littered with trash and debris. The visitor center is locked with barred windows and nobody working there (but you can get a map outside the door). Most of the trails were closed (as of 3/21/15) and we could not walk over the bridge. The only thing open was the overlook and the views of the falls are obstructed from that point. We drove to the second parking area on the map but it is under construction. This has been on my must see list for quite some time but since 1 it is in the middle of Paterson and 2 it is almost an hour drive for us we didn't have a chance to get there. This was a major disappointment for us. Patersons elected officials and residents should be ashamed to let what could be a beautiful area and an oasis in the city look like this. This park really should be a community clean up project. Unless you are nearby don't waste your time. This is not a nice park and not a nice area. We tried to make the best of our trip and see the falls and park from every point, driving to multiple spots but everything was blocked off.