Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

State: New Jersey. Type: National Park Service unit in Paterson, Passaic County, protecting the 77-foot Great Falls of the Passaic River. Established as the 397th NPS unit on November 7, 2011 (authorized 2009). Also a National Historic Landmark District (1976) and National Natural Landmark (1967). Admission is free; park size is about 36.30 acres.

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park protects the 77-foot Great Falls of the Passaic River, one of the largest waterfalls in the United States, and the historic industrial district that grew up around it. The falls formed roughly 13,000 years ago when glacial retreat forced the Passaic River into a new course through the Watchung Mountains, cutting through 200-million-year-old basalt. Alexander Hamilton visited the falls in 1778 and recognized their industrial potential, which led to the 1791 founding of the Society for Establishment of Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.) and the creation of Paterson as one of America's first planned industrial cities. The falls powered 19th-century cotton mills, locomotive works and firearms manufacturing that made Paterson a major American manufacturing center. Congress authorized the park in 2009 and the National Park Service formally established it in 2011, and it is jointly interpreted with the City of Paterson. The site is compact, centered on public overlook parks a short walk from downtown Paterson, and had 189,721 visitors in 2025.

The park sits in the city of Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey, with an address of 72 McBride Avenue Extension, Paterson, NJ 07501. The falls and viewing areas are reachable via Haines Overlook Park and Mary Ellen Kramer Park, with an administrative/visitor contact point at Spruce and McBride avenues.

Paterson has a humid continental climate typical of northern New Jersey, with cold winters and warm, humid summers. Specific seasonal temperature figures were not confirmed from the sources used for this entry.

Spring, when snowmelt often increases the falls' flow, and fall, for cooler walking weather, are commonly favored times to visit an outdoor waterfall site like this. The park grounds are open year-round from sunrise to sunset.

Alexander Hamilton visited the Great Falls in 1778 and saw its potential to power industry, leading to the 1791 founding of the Society for Establishment of Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.), which built Paterson as one of the nation's first planned industrial cities. Through the 19th century, the falls powered cotton mills, locomotive works and firearms manufacturing, making Paterson a major center of American industry. The falls and surrounding district were designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1976 and a National Natural Landmark in 1967, recognizing both their industrial history and natural significance. Congress authorized the park in 2009, and the National Park Service formally established Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park as its 397th unit on November 7, 2011, co-managing the site with the City of Paterson.

Visitors view the 77-foot Great Falls from Haines Overlook Park and Mary Ellen Kramer Park, walk the grounds, and can obtain a National Park Passport stamp at the park's administrative office when staffed. Rangers staff an orientation table with a stamping station when weather permits. The surrounding Paterson historic mill district offers additional industrial-heritage sites to explore on foot.

The Great Falls overlooks at Haines Overlook Park and Mary Ellen Kramer Park are the park's central attractions, along with the surrounding National Historic Landmark District of former mill buildings tied to Paterson's 19th-century manufacturing history.

The park is located at 72 McBride Avenue Extension in Paterson, NJ, reachable by car from northern New Jersey highways. Public parking is available in a park lot that closes after dark and reopens between 7:45 and 8:45 a.m. daily; some nearby municipal parking garages charge for parking.

Park grounds are available 24 hours a day, though the National Park Service recommends visiting between sunrise and sunset. The main parking lot closes after dark and reopens between 7:45-8:45 a.m. daily. The park currently has no traditional indoor visitor center; portable toilets are available 9 a.m.-4 p.m., staffing permitting.

Admission to the park is free, per the National Park Service.

Most visitors spend 30 minutes to an hour viewing the falls from the overlook parks; more time can be added for a walk through the surrounding historic mill district.

Paterson and the surrounding Passaic County area have a range of chain hotels; the park itself sits within a short drive of northern New Jersey's broader lodging options, including those near Route 80 and the Garden State Parkway. Specific properties were not verified from the sources used for this entry.

Downtown Paterson, a short distance from the falls, offers a variety of casual dining, reflecting the city's diverse population. Specific restaurant names were not verified from the sources used for this entry.

The wider Paterson National Historic Landmark District, with its 19th-century mill buildings, surrounds the falls and is worth exploring on the same visit.

Paterson is served by NJ Transit bus routes and is accessible by car from Interstate 80 and Route 20; the nearest major rail connections run through Newark, roughly a 20-30 minute drive away. Specific transit routing was not verified in detail from the sources used for this entry.

Stay behind railings at the overlook areas near the falls, as the rock surfaces can be slippery, especially after rain. Drones are prohibited in the park, as are smoking, alcohol, barbecues, open fires and fireworks; pets must be on a six-foot non-retractable leash. The park asks visitors to 'pack it in, pack it out.' For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking shoes, a camera for the falls, and layered clothing appropriate to the season, since there is limited indoor shelter on-site. Cash or a card may be needed for nearby municipal parking garages.

Since there is no traditional visitor center, check ahead for ranger staffing hours if you want a passport stamp or in-person orientation. Combine your visit with a walk through Paterson's historic mill district to get the fuller industrial-history context behind the falls. Confirm parking lot hours in advance, since the main lot closes after dark.

Dial 911 for any emergency. The park's administrative office can be reached at 973-523-0370 for visitor information.

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (National Park Service) - https://www.nps.gov/pagr/index.htm

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.