Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Caution Overlook Park Parking Lot - Vehicles Must Be Parked in a Designated Spot

Parking is extremely limited on weekends & event days. Overflow parking is available at the Paterson Museum, located at 2 Market Street. On weekends only, additional parking is available at the lot across from the Museum.

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Information Note About Using GPS for Directions

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park is located at 72 McBride Avenue Extension, Paterson, NJ 07501. Use this full address when searching using a GPS device or map app or use GPS coordinates N40.91533° W74.17992°

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Information Overlook Park Lot Unavailable After Dark

The park parking lot at 72 McBride Extension is open from dawn to dusk every day. Any vehicles left in the parking lot after dusk (i.e. sunset) are subject to towing at owner's expense.

Overview

Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 1792, Paterson was established as America's first planned industrial city, centered around the Great Falls of the Passaic River. From humble mills rose industries that changed the face of the nation.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Cultural Demonstrations
  • Food
  • Dining
  • Guided Tours
  • Junior Ranger Program

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

General Park Hours: Grounds are open 7 days a weel and Rangers are available 9:00AM-4:30PM Wednesday-Sunday . Please call 973-523-0370 or 201-458-3475(park cell number) the day of your visit to ensure tour availability. Grounds open suggested time for visiting grounds between sunrise-sunset. The National Park's main visitor parking lot at 72 McBride Avenue Extension will be closed every day sometime after dark and reopened every morning between 7:45am and 8:45am.

Getting there

From: Garden State Parkway (New Jersey) North: Take exit 155P on left to Route 19 TO WEST Route 80 Paterson. South: Take Exit 159 (Saddlebrook) on your right. After taking the exit, make your second right onto I-80 West (Paterson). From: Interstate 80 I-80 West: Take Exit 57 A-B. Taking (Exit 57- B) (Downtown Paterson) follow the Downtown Paterson sign. I-80 East: Take (Exit 57- B), take exit Route 80 west Grand St./ Del Water Gap KEEP RIGHT exit. Stay to the right for Grand Street exit ramp.

Weather

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=40.91475800178142&lon=-74.1678490947591#.VusP4uIrK71

Phone: 973-523-0370

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Sunny day and waterfall view
Find Your Park at Paterson Great Falls! · NPS Photo/Brady O'Connor
snow covered hydro plant and waterfall
Winter Wonderland · NPS Photo/Ilyse Goldman
Man overlooking the falls while taking a selfie
Selfie at the Falls · NPS Photo/Terry McKenna
Mist coming up from where the water drops into the passaic river
Misty Overlook · NPS Photo/Terry McKenna
summer foliage surrounding a bridge
Green Day at the Raceways! · NPS Photo/Terry McKenna
Walking path behind the falls, during sunset with cherry blossom trees in full bloom.
Cherry Blossoms · NPS/VIP Terry

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