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Woodland Park is a small, densely settled borough in southern Passaic County, New Jersey, within the New York City metropolitan area. It lies along the Passaic River and the lower slopes of Garret Mountain, bordered by Paterson to the east, Clifton to the south, and Totowa and Little Falls to the west and north. Its location near the junction of Interstate 80, Route 46, and the Garden State Parkway gives it unusually direct access to the region's road network. The borough is best known for its recent name change. For most of its history it was called West Paterson, but after a narrowly decided local vote the community officially became the Borough of Woodland Park on January 1, 2009, choosing a name that evoked its parkland setting. The transition generated years of civic discussion, and today residents use both names, though Woodland Park has become firmly established on maps and official documents. The community's defining natural feature is Garret Mountain Reservation, a 310-acre Passaic County park that rises more than 500 feet above sea level and extends into neighboring Clifton. The reservation offers hiking trails, scenic overlooks, picnic areas, and Lambert Castle, a nineteenth-century stone mansion that is now a museum and event space. Its ridgeline views stretch across Paterson to the New York City skyline, and the park functions as the borough's backyard, drawing residents throughout the year. Woodland Park is home to about 13,000 people and has a dense, working-class suburban character. Housing ranges from older single-family homes to a significant share of two-family and multifamily buildings, giving the borough a somewhat more urban feel than many of its Passaic County neighbors. Its schools, parkland, and highway access make it a practical and increasingly recognized community for families and commuters alike.

Population 13,355

County Passaic

Active Listings 92

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Woodland Park in?

Woodland Park is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, in the northeastern part of the state. It borders the city of Paterson and the borough of Totowa, and lies within the New York City metropolitan area near major highways including Interstate 80.

What was Woodland Park called before?

Woodland Park was known as West Paterson until January 1, 2009, when the borough officially changed its name. The renaming followed a narrowly decided local vote, and the community has worked to establish its new identity ever since.

What school district serves Woodland Park?

Woodland Park's students attend the Woodland Park School District for kindergarten through eighth grade. For high school, they attend Passaic Valley Regional High School, a regional school that also serves Little Falls and Totowa.

What is Garret Mountain Reservation?

Garret Mountain Reservation is a 310-acre Passaic County park that rises more than 500 feet above sea level, with trails, lawns, fishing, and Lambert Castle. It offers scenic views of Paterson and the New York City skyline and was designed in part by the Olmsted Brothers firm.

What is the population of Woodland Park?

Woodland Park has a population of about 13,000 residents. It is a compact, densely settled borough along the Passaic River, with a mix of single-family homes and multifamily buildings that give it a slightly more urban feel than some Passaic County neighbors.

City Guide

About Woodland Park

Real Estate & Housing

Woodland Park's housing stock is a mix of single-family homes and multifamily buildings, reflecting its development as a working-class suburb of Paterson. The borough contains older single-family houses, Cape Cods, and ranches on modest lots, along with a substantial supply of two-family homes, apartments, and garden-style complexes. Many homes date to the early-to-mid twentieth century, and the borough is largely built out, so new construction is limited to infill and redevelopment. This established, denser fabric makes Woodland Park a comparatively attainable option in Passaic County, appealing to first-time buyers, multigenerational households, and commuters looking for proximity to major highways.

Neighborhoods

Woodland Park's neighborhoods are compact and tightly interwoven, reflecting the borough's small footprint between the Passaic River and Garret Mountain. Residential streets fan out from commercial corridors such as McBride Avenue, with older single-family blocks and multifamily properties sitting side by side. The area near Garret Mountain Reservation offers homes close to the park's open space and ridgeline views. The borough borders Paterson to the east, Clifton to the south, and Totowa and Little Falls to the west and north, so many residents shop, work, and attend school across municipal lines, and neighborhood identity often blends into the wider Passaic County community.

Lifestyle in Woodland Park

Woodland Park offers a close-knit, family-oriented lifestyle with a strong local identity shaped by its recent renaming from West Paterson. Community life revolves around the borough's schools, youth sports, and the daily use of Garret Mountain Reservation, where residents walk, picnic, and take in views of the city skyline. The borough's dense residential neighborhoods and local shopping corridors along McBride Avenue and the surrounding roads give it a convenient, walkable feel, while neighboring Paterson, Clifton, and Totowa broaden dining and retail options. Its affordability relative to nearby Bergen County towns and its quick highway access make it popular with commuters and families seeking a stable Passaic County base.

Schools & Education

Woodland Park's public schools are organized into a local K–8 district and a regional high school. The Woodland Park School District operates School One, Charles Olbon School, Beatrice Gilmore School, and Memorial Middle School, serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. For grades nine through twelve, students attend Passaic Valley Regional High School, located in neighboring Little Falls, which serves Woodland Park along with Little Falls and Totowa. This arrangement gives families a stable local elementary and middle school pathway followed by a shared regional high school. Private and parochial options are available across Passaic County, and nearby William Paterson University is a significant higher-education presence in the immediate area.

Getting Around

Woodland Park is exceptionally well connected by road. Interstate 80 runs through the borough, providing direct access across northern New Jersey and toward the George Washington Bridge, while Route 46, Route 19, and the Garden State Parkway are all within immediate reach. This highway network makes the borough convenient for commuters heading to jobs in Paterson, Newark, and New York City, though peak-hour traffic is heavy. NJ Transit bus routes serve the borough, and the nearby Montclair-Boonton Line provides rail options from neighboring towns. Newark Liberty International Airport is roughly 25 to 30 miles away. The tradeoff is that the borough has no rail station of its own.

Parks & Recreation

Garret Mountain Reservation is the heart of outdoor recreation in Woodland Park. The 310-acre county park offers hiking and walking trails, open lawns, picnic areas with grills, fishing, and basketball courts, along with scenic overlooks that take in Paterson and the New York City skyline. Lambert Castle, a landmark stone mansion within the reservation, hosts a museum and cultural events. The park was designated a National Natural Landmark as part of the Great Falls of Paterson–Garret Mountain listing. Beyond the reservation, residents can reach the Great Falls of Paterson, Garrett Mountain's network of trails, and Passaic County's broader park system within minutes, while the borough's own neighborhood parks host youth sports.