Ridgewood’s Grove Park
Grove Park Village of Ridgewood, NJ
Grove Park
Grove Park is a 32 acre deciduous forest and wetland owned by the village of Ridgewood, NJ and maintained by the Ridgewood Wildscape Association.
Grove Park
The forest was purchased with Green Acres funding. Grove Park has dense residential development to the west, the confluence of the artificial paths of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River to the south, Grove Street to the north and the Saddle River Pathway and Saddle River to the east.
Saddle River Pathway next to Grove Park
In 1996, the Ridgewood Sports Council proposed to destroy a portion of Grove park for a sports field. Residents from the nearby developments and the Ridgewood Council opposed this proposal as the woodland is environmentally sensitive and the remnant forest was preserved.
Trails
Grove Park Trail Map
The park contains several trails. I found (as listed in the picture above) the best combination is to do a loop trail by combining the .34 of a mile White blazed trail with .28 of the .36 of a mile Yellow blazed trail for a total of .62 of a mile. From the entrance on Grove Street, walk to the white trail which traverses the western portion of the park through a wetland area. I usually spot white-tail deer in this area running away with their white tails upheld high.
Deer Hooves in the mud
Take the white trail until it terminates on a White Oak near the yellow trail to the east of the woods.
White Trail Terminus on White Oak
Follow the yellow trail north back to the entrance on Grove street. Be careful, during my last visit there were several large blowdowns blocking the trail. I just ducked and went under some and crawled over others.
Blowdown on the Yellow Trail
The interesting thing about blowdowns is eventually all that dirt that surrounds the root structure will eventually come down and form a sort of pillow near the tree. These pillows, if left undisturbed, can last hundreds of years and are a way to determine if a forest is old growth. A forest that lacks these pillows was most likely farmed within the past hundred years or so.
Another way of reading the forested landscape is looking at bizarre tree formations. This American Beech tree in the picture below (found on the White Trail) was tipped by the wind and eventually was able to righten itself.
Wind-tipped American Beech (White Trail)
Grove Park provides much needed habitat for the fauna that inhabit this densely developed area of north jersey. Just like with the deer prints, I found evidence of raccoon prints (which look like little hands) in the mud.
Raccoon Prints
Plus I’ve have seen these other characters during my travels in this urban woodland:
Mallards on Vernal Pond
American Robin
Eastern Chipmunk
Red-belly woodpecker
Red Tail Hawk
Salamander
Grove Park features quite a diversity of flora. Flora I’ve found include:
- American Beech
- Black Birch
- Red Maple
- Northern Red Oak (NJ’s State Tree!)
- Tulip Poplar
- White Ash
- White Wood Aster
- Skunk Cabbage
- Virginia Creeper
- Spicebush
- False Hellebore
- Dwarf Ginseng
False Hellebore
White Wood Aster
Trout Lily
The entrance to this park is available from Grove Street or off of the nearby Saddle River pathway. Parking is available on Berkshire Road which is located to the west of the park and is a quick walk away from the entrance. Click here for directions.
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Saddle River County Park!
Bergen County’s Saddle River County Park is a wonderful 577 acre linear greenway which parallels the Saddle River. There are six park areas and a historic site which are all linked by a paved path which may be used by bicycles, pedestrians and roller skating. Click here to see a map of the trail. The total length of the trail is six miles. Mileage signs appear every tenth of a mile on the path to help see how far you have progressed.
Fishing is allowed throughout the park with a license at the trout stocked Saddle River and Ho-Ho-Kus Brook as well as the three ponds found throughout the park. (The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook is trout stocked from Whites Pond in Waldwick until its confluence with the Saddle River).
Saddle River Pathway BEGIN
The northern section of the park begins in Ridgewood at the Wild Duck Pond Area. The Ridgewood Area of the park features the Wild Duck Pond, Dog Run, picnic area and playground.
Wild Ducks at Wild Duck Pond
- The trail continues through to Glen Rock, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Saddle Brook and Rochelle Park. On the way to Paramus and Glen Rock areas the trail passes by Ridgewood’s Grove Park, a 32 acre Beech-Oak forest which features hiking trails.
Saddle River County Park Glen Rock
The Glen Rock Area features a pond, playground and tennis. The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook flows to the east of the park. The brook has no mow zones to help clean the water and provide habitat for wildlife.
Heading south from the Glen Rock Area will go to the Fair Lawn Area which features soccer and a section for hangers/gliders and to the Dunkerhook Area of the park in Paramus. Dunkerhook (which means “Dark Corner”) was named by the Dutch who first settled in this area in the early 18th Century. This section of the park features a beautiful waterfall at the confluence of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook with the Saddle River in addition to a picnic area and playground.
Waterfall at confluence of Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River
Saddle River County Park Dunkerhook Area
Just south of the Dunkerhook Area and after passing underneath Route 4 is the Easton Tower.
Easton Tower
The Easton Tower was initially built in 1900 to pump water for the estate of Edward Easton who made his fortune as a founder in the recording industry and was president of the Columbia Phonograph Company. Water from the tower was pumped to several fountains. Construction of nearby Route 208 divided the estate and isolated the tower. The tower was acquired by Bergen County in 1956 and restored a few years later. An earlier red mill tower which stood in its place sometimes leads to the present tower being mistakenly called the “Red Mill”.
Once pass the Easton Tower, the trail leads to the Otto C. Pehle Area in Saddle Brook. This section features a pond, model boating (permit required), ball fields, playground and picnic areas.
Otto C. Pehle Area
Canadian Geese
The final and most southern area of the linear park is the Rochelle Park Area.
Saddle River County Park Rochelle Park
This section of the park features basketball, tennis, and a picnic area. The trail’s terminus is at Railroad Avenue.
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Trail Terminus at Railroad Ave
Flora at the park include:
- Fauna includes the below among others:
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Groundhog
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Great Egret
Cottontail Rabbit
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Painted Turtle
For more information check out the NY NJ Trail Conference description.
Resources:
Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Other Resources:
1. 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City: Including northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and western Long Island – Packed with valuable tips and humorous observations, the guide prepares both novices and veterans for the outdoors. From secluded woods and sun-struck seashores, to lowland swamps and rock-strewn mountain tops, this practical guidebook contains all the information needed to have many great hikes in and around New York City.
Click here for more information!
2. Take a Hike New York City: 80 Hikes within Two Hours of Manhattan – In Moon Take a Hike New York City, award-winning writer Skip Card shows you the best hikes in and around The Big Apple—all within two hours of the city.
Click here for more information!
3. Eastern Deciduous Forest, Second Edition: Ecology and Wildlife Conservation – This book is a useful tool for anyone who wants to know or hopes to help one of North America’s great natural resources.
Click here for more information!
4. Protecting New Jersey’s Environment: From Cancer Alley to the New Garden State – With people as its focus, Protecting New Jersey’s Environment explores the science underpinning environmental issues and the public policy infighting that goes undocumented behind the scenes and beneath the controversies.
Click here for more information!
Ridgewood’s Dunham Trail!
Dunham Trail
Ridgewood’s Dunham trail is roughly .41 of a mile and cuts through an estimated combination of 9.61 acres of deciduous forest and wooded wetlands. The trail is named after Dr. Dunham who was a nature consultant for the Ridgewood school district. The Dunham trail is owned by the village and maintained by the Ridgewood Wildscape Association as one of six wildscape areas found in the village. The Ridgewood Wildscape Association helps to raise awareness for the remaining natural areas in the township.
Ho-Ho-Kus Brook
The trail is bordered by the Ho-Ho-Kus brook to the east, dense residential development to the west, Grove Street to the south and Spring Ave to the north.
The Dunham trail is flat and follows the artificial path of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook (a tributary of the Saddle River) for its entire length and features uplands and an estimated 3.6 acres of remnant wetlands. The wetlands are found near the Grove Street entrance.
Some notes of interest on the trail include sandstone which was mined from Totowa which was placed alongside of the Dunham Trail for unknown reasons.
Sandstones mined from Totowa
The trail also features several massive American Sycamores that are at least two hundred years old.
Massive American Sycamore
Other flora includes:
Trout Lily
Common Blue Violet
Animals that have been observed on the Dunham Trail include
Mallard on Ho-Ho-Kus Brook
Downy Woodpecker
The Dunham trail ends at Spring Avenue.
Ridgewood Dunham Trail
The Dunham trail is located between Grove Street and Spring Avenue along the Ho Ho Kus brook and the public service right-of-way. Parking is available on South Irving Street.
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
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