I love going to parks here in New Jersey. We have amazing local, county and state parks here in the Garden State. We also have 12 national parks for you to enjoy.
12 National Parks in New Jersey:
- Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park
- Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
- New Jersey Pinelands National Reservation
- Morristown National Historical Park
- Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
- Great Egg Harbor River
- Ellis Island (part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument)
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Gateway (Sandy Hook) National Recreation Area
In terms of state parks, New Jersey has many. According to Google “In addition to New Jersey’s national parks, the State Department of Parks and Forestry operates about 31 State Parks, 11 Forests, 6 Marinas and 48 Historic Sites offering a wide variety of outdoor activities.”
The very first state park here in New Jersey is over 100 years old. This is a park I haven’t visited yet but will have on my list. According to Google “Swartswood State Park in Sussex County was established in 1915 as the first state park in New Jersey. It was created to provide public access to the state’s third-largest freshwater lake. Swartswood Lake offers boating, fishing and swimming.”
Sussex County is located in northwestern New Jersey. Nestled between New York and Pennsylvania and about a two hour drive from parts of Ocean County, Sussex is a beautiful rural part of our state.
When you visit Swartswood State Park, you are visiting a piece of history, our very first state park, established in 1915. The nation’s first-ever state park, according to Google, “The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New Yorkestablished in 1885.”
Check out my series Hiking in New Jersey and check out our trips across the state visiting wonderful parks to hike and enjoy
If you’ve visited Swartswood, give us your review of our state’s oldest park.
APPEARANCE: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America’s national parks
Today, these parks are located across the country in 25 states and the US Virgin Islands. The land surrounding them was either purchased or donated, although much of it was occupied by Native Americans thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about nature and places of exploration.
Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that showcase the beauty of America’s national parks.
