Get Your Shot at These Bergen Spots
You don’t need a photographer’s eye to capture a great shot at these half dozen Bergen County locations.
We’ve all aspired to be National Geographic photographers—you might even have a pic or two in your gallery that you swear could be published. Whether you care about cover shots or just shoot for fun, taking photos in and of nature can be exciting and peaceful at the same time.
And the good thing for Bergenites is we don’t have to travel far to capture great images; there are many places in the county with wonderful vistas and photo-worthy wildlife. On National Nature Photography Day, June 15, venture to one of these spots—they’re six of our favorite locations to capture shots that NatGeo would be lucky to have!
- Campgaw Mountain Reservation, Mahwah. Bergen’s lone ski resort is also a haven for photo-ops thanks to its hiking trails and more than 1,300 acres of woods. The ridgeline has plenty of spots for unobstructed views of the New York City skyline.
- Fort Lee Historic Park, Fort Lee. Located atop a cliff, the area includes a reconstructed Revolutionary War encampment and views of the Hudson River. You might see a few Instagrammers at the railing along the northeast corner of the park—the George Washington Bridge makes for a picture-perfect background.
- Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve, Franklin Lakes. This borough park is selfie central: Marked trails teeming with wildlife and a picturesque lake make ideal backdrops for any photo. Want a different perspective? Rent a kayak or canoe and snap photos from the middle of the lake.
- Palisades Interstate Park, Alpine, Englewood Cliffs. Shutterbugs will find an assortment of wildlife here, including deer, foxes and birds, but the natural waterfalls, cliffs and rocky shoreline are less-elusive photo subjects.
- Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Mahwah. Like Campgaw, “The Res” has several marked trails that cut through woods, navigate around boulders and go over streams. There are several lakes and vista points as well, including a popular spot just off of the main yellow and blue trails that gives trekkers a bird’s eye view of Bergen County and NYC in the distance.
- River Barge Park, Carlstadt. It may not be iconic like the “Hollywood” or “Welcome to Las Vegas” signs, but this park’s old “Barge” insignia is one of the most recognized in the county. The sign, along with the old boathouse and Hackensack River, create unique photo-ops for shooters with either DSLRs or selfie sticks.
