Fairway Oaks Park
Fairway Oaks Park
Fairway Oaks Park
Fairway Oaks Park, located off of Paramus Road in Paramus NJ was a pleasant surprise the day I discovered it. I explored it on bike during a trip to nearby Saddle River Park. Fairway Oaks Park, located to the west of the Fairway Oaks housing development contains a playground, Dogwood Grove and a walking path around a detention basin.
Detention Basin
The grasses and wildflowers of a detention basin serve a two fold purpose. They help to soak up urban runoff and provide a home for birds and small mammals such as groundhogs, chipmunks, squirrels and rabbits. Urban runoff is held in the detention basin and released in a regulated fashion into drainage systems. The grass and wildflowers of a detention basin are cut annually to help ensure next year’s growth. While exploring the path around the detention basin I saw quite a few groundhogs, rabbits and many birds of different species.
Cottontail Rabbit
The Borough of Paramus Shade Tree & Parks Commission provided educational signage regarding aspects of the natural environment that is found in Fairway Oaks Park.
Sweetgum Tree Signage
Sweetgum Tree
The park is a pleasant and educational experience for residents of the Fairway Oaks development, Paramus and nearby communities to enjoy.
The park is located off of Paramus Road in Paramus NJ near the Fairway Oaks housing development.
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 view maps of the six areas 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
Canada 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.
Hiking/Ecology Books!
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!
Reid Park Nature Trail!
Welcome to Reid Park!
Paramus Wetlands (location of Reid Park Nature Trail)
Welcome to Paramus’s Reid Park Interpretive Nature Trail!
The nature trail, created in 2004 by Boswell Engineering, meanders about .20 of a mile through part of an estimated 59 + acres of forested wetlands. The trail stretches from the Reid Park fields and playground area to Soldier Hill Road.
Most of the forest is under threat of development. Saveparamuswetlands is leading the fight to help preserve the whole forest. As of this writing there was a partial clear cut in November 2009 which the borough of Paramus has since halted.
Two footbridges and 3 boardwalks were placed over the more saturated soil on the trail. The boardwalks actually rise with the water level and were installed without heavy machinery.
Forested Wetlands Interpretive Signage
Interpretive signage describing the flora & fauna found in Reid Park has been placed throughout the entire length of the trail. Most of the signs are intentionally placed next to the items they describe.
Lichen and Moss Interpretive Signage
Lichen
Moss
Eastern Skunk Cabbage with interpretive signage
Others are more of a chance encounter. For example, moments after reading the below Red-Tail Hawk sign on my last visit, there was a screech from a Red-Tail Hawk soaring above.
Red-Tailed Hawk Interpretive Signage
Red-Tail Hawk (a bit on the blurry side)
Flora found along the Reid Park Nature Trail includes:
- White Ash
Ground Pine
Fauna includes the below among others:
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Black-Capped Chickadee
Red Admiral Butterfly
Reid Park is located at the end of Spencer Place in Paramus, New Jersey and is definitely worth checking out.
Click here for directions
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