Overpeck County Park
More than 50 years ago, five Bergen County municipalities — Englewood, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, and Teaneck — donated hundreds of acres of land surrounding Overpeck Creek to the county for the creation of a park, including land that was serving as a landfill. Now, spanning more than 805 acres, Overpeck County Park is Bergen County’s premier recreational destination. Park amenities include multiple athletic tracks and fields (natural grass and artificial turf), picnic and fishing areas, a children’s playground, a canoe/kayak launch into Overpeck Creek, a grass amphitheater, 5 miles of walking/bike trails, and more.
40 Fort Lee Rd, Leonia
Map of Overpeck – Bergen Equestrian Center
Indoor/outdoor riding areas, boarding, lessons
Fort Lee Road, Leonia
Map of Overpeck – Leonia North Henry Hoebel
Multi-use pathway/Bicycle – Pedestrian Path:
Fitness enthusiasts are drawn to this site with its fitness field and jogging path. A 1.25-mile bicycle-pedestrian path forms a figure-eight beside the lake.
Amenities
- Athletic fields (permit required) – baseball/softball (1), football/soccer (1), soccer (2)
- All-weather running track
- Field events
- Off-leash dog-park area
- Andrew Kim Memorial Tennis Courts (4 with lights)
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Fitness Center
World Trade Center Memorial
The World Trade Center Memorial honors each county resident lost during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Roosevelt Street, Palisades Park
Map of Overpeck Palisades-Palisades Park Sportsplex
Amenities
- Athletic Fields (permit required)
- Multi-Purpose Turf Field
- Challenger Baseball League (1)
- NCAA (1)
- Little League (1)
- Softball (1)
- Field events (shot-put, discus, long jump, and others)
- ADA Accessible Playground
Entrance to the Ridgefield Park Area – 40 Fort Lee Road, Leonia
Amenities
- Athletic Fields (permit required)
- Baseball (1)
- Softball (1)
- Turf Multi-Purpose Fields (2)
- Children’s playground
- Five miles of paths for pedestrian and bicycle use
- Observation deck/nature overlook
- Canoe/kayak launch (car top only)
- Dock
- 3,000-seat amphitheater
- 40-acre open field
- Three tennis courts
- Three pickleball courts
- Three comfort stations
- Two concession areas
For over three hundred years, the area that is now the Teaneck Creek section of Overpeck County Park was drained, ditched, developed, and generally mistreated by human inhabitants. Most recently, in the early 1900s, the 46-acre property was meant to become a landfill. A clay material was placed on the property to serve as a base liner for the landfill, and while the landfill was never built, the clay material was never removed. In 1951, the Township of Teaneck transferred the property to Bergen County for the creation of a public park and recreation area in 1951. As a result of this past human disturbance, the natural hydrology of the site was disrupted, resulting in the colonization of invasive plant species on the property.
In 2020, the Bergen County Department of Parks & Recreation began a 20-acre wetland- restoration effort to repair the struggling ecosystem. The project included the removal of invasive plants species, the reintroduction of tens of thousands of native plants, and innovative natural infrastructure, including the first regenerative stormwater conveyance system in New Jersey, The project’s first phase was successfully completed in 2022.
The park has already seen a stunning return of wildlife and over the next couple of years, as the native flora continues to flourish so will the wildlife. To give the plants the best chances of success, the Bergen County Parks Department will take an active and aggressive role against invasive plant species in 2023 and 2024.
To continue improving this section of Overpeck County Park and bridge the gap between people and nature, the County of Bergen has retained a landscape architecture firm to make recommendations for park enhancements such as ADA accessible trails, future eco-art installations, outdoor classrooms, and wildlife viewing areas. Based on an existing conditions assessment and community input, conceptual design plans are under development in 2023.
For more information about the Capital Improvement Project at Teaneck Creek, please visit the Capital Improvements webpage.
Photo Gallery
Teaneck Creek Conservancy
Through a partnership that started in 2001, the non-profit Teaneck Creek Conservancy has organized citizen volunteers to care for the park while providing passive recreation and environmental education programs with a unique emphasis on Eco-Art community projects. For more information and a schedule of upcoming programs, please visit teaneckcreek.org or call 201-836-2403.