Editor’s Note:
Update November 2023: We are happy to add a new guest contributor – This cool video, write up and the photo above is from @lilroamingexplorers from IG:
Ross Dock Picnic Area and Playground in Fort Lee has the most beautiful backdrop for a picnic, play or a walk. The playground is right along the Hudson River with the George Washington Bridge right in the background. There are easy walking trails right along the river to continue all the way to the Englewood Boat Basin and Bloomer Beach or all the way under the bridge. The drive from the Edgewater entrance is beautiful itself. Driving along the cliffside you will see little waterfalls coming down the rocks. 🐕 dog friendly
📍 Henry Hudson Drive, Fort Lee, NJ
From “The Bergen County Playground Guide”: (original post was May 2009)
ADDRESS: Henry Hudson Dr in the Palisades Interstate Park System
DIRECTIONS: I-80 E to the George Washington Bridge (GWB). Keep left and take I-80 Express towards I-95 NJ Turnpike/GWB. The take I-95 N exit on the left towards the GWB. Merge onto I-95 Express N/NJ Turnpike N. I-95 express N/NJ Turnpike N becomes I-95 N/NJ Turnpike N. Take exit 73 toward Fort Lee. Keep right at the fork in the ramp. Turn left onto Bruce Reynolds Blvd. Turn right onto Hudson Terr. Hudson Terr turns into River Rd. Make a left onto Henry Hudson Dr at the entrance to Palisades Interstate Park.
DESCRIPTION: Large playground overlooking the Hudson River. The playground has tall towers and is full of climbing from rings, repellers, walls, and chains. There are tons of slides and playthings but you just can’t beat the view.
PARKING: Large paved lot close to the playground
PICNICKING: This is a picnic area so there are a lot of tables and grills
CLIMBING: One corkscrew poles, climbing wall, rings, swinging bars, parallel bars, uneven bars, monkey bars
PLAYTHINGS: Steering wheels, call boxes, height measurers
SLIDES: One corkscrew, four chute, two toddler
SPORTS: Fishing
SWINGS: Eight full size, two toddler
WALKING PATHS: Paved around the park with benches to sit and enjoy the view
WATER: Hudson River
MAKE A DAY OF IT: Travel along Henry Hudson Dr from Fort Lee to Alpine. There are several locations to stop and park that include boat basins, picnic areas, and some of the best scenery of NYC.
Henry Hudson Drive, Fort Lee, NJ. For directions, you can click on njpalisades.org site.
B U TEA FULL. Thanks hobokenmetromom for inviting us to crash the party. Our drive to Ross Park was so exciting for my boys since we went under a cross-section of the George Washington Bridge. I wish I took a picture of it, but it’s one of those things you don’t think about. My oldest is very attached to one of the suspension bridges from Thomas the Tank (he’s brought it to bed with hiim on more than one occasion). Once you got there, it was playground heaven! Great for big kids and there is also a smaller structure. Take a look at the pictures to see all of the equipment. My boys had a blast. Lots of kids, grilling, and bathrooms are next to the parking lot. You can’t beat the view, lovely! Bring your mosquito repellant, at night we started to get some bites.
PS: Kids love feeding the ducks from the rocks (if they are there) but you should be very careful with the rocks on the edge.
From 2009:
I use to visit this park as a child for birthday parties and bbqs. A few months ago, I rediscovered it. I can’t believe how nice it is now. It is now my family’s and friend’s favorite park. It is our meeting spot on nice Sunday afternoon. Thank you!
I took my one year to this park and he had tons of fun. I like the fact that he can play and take good good pictures too. The Bridge is in the background of ever picture. Nice place for outdoor parties too.
I just got back from this playground..yes there are a lot of people grilling and picnicking…they made a day of it with the nice views. Also one thing I wanted to let you know is they charge to get in the lot per car…it was 10.00 on the weekends and 5.00 during the week…there are also nice restrooms and a small concession stand where you can get ice cream, popcorn and drinks also there are some vending machines
I’m now 85, and remember what was called Ross Camp, on the Hudson, in the ’30s.We summered there for three months,every year, first living in tents,that were erected over wooden floors ….Later the Park district erected log cabins for rentals. If you lived in your tent the rental was $3.00/month. If you could afford the log cabin, it was $8./month.
There is still, a large log constructed building on that property, that was our general store, for non perishable canned food, candy, etc,,
All the log cabins, the shower cabins, the male and female toilets (log cabins), are gone.
No electricity or gas. All cooking was done in the rough.
We all swam in the Hudson River, got sunburned, picked crab apples, wild peaches, rasberries. and peaches, to our heart’s content. All had tomato gardens.
At night we could hear the beautiful music that floated down from the top of the cliffs…from Ben Marden’s Riviera Night Club and Casino.
The Dykeman Street Ferry boat took us from Dykeman street, New York to the Jersey side. The ride cost a nickle, each way. Autos were also ferried at a cost of 25 cents.
World war 2 put an end to the availability of that campsite due to war time shipping using the Huson River as access to the Atlantic,
We were not permitted access to our cabins or personal goods. The campgrounds were off limits to civilians.
I revisited the grounds, but there is no remainder of all the structures built there, except the building that was our general store. Ben Martins Casino is also long gone.
I asked people in the area if they remembered it… but I asked younger people and they had no idea of what I was asking about.
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Really enjoyed seeing the pictures & reading the stories about the long-gone homes along this area of the Palisades. As a child, my parents would drive up along the winding roads that led to many of these very areas. There was a park in the vicinity, called Allison State Park that we would stop. The gentleman who talked about Ross Camp also mentioned Ben Marden’s Riviera Night Club. I remember when it was Bill Miller’s Riviera & rumors about it being a “mob” hangout. I also remember when there was a colony of small houses/cabins and even house boats, along the Hudson River, somewhere in that area, with outstanding views of Manhattan. I wonder if it was the Ross Camp that the gentleman was talking about. Does anyone else remember that and/or when it was removed? Your web site has great pictures, wonderful stories (loved the one about the huge hotel that burned down & can see it as a novel or motion picture) & great shots of the beautiful Palisades. I am researching silent films since my father and his sisters were very often “extras” in movies filmed in the Hoboken area and the Palisades area. Thank you for your great web site, brings back memories! Now living in Arkansas, but once a Jersey Girl, always a Jersey Girl!
I woould like to know what date the park is closed this year