Skip to content
The Green Adventures
Find my parkMapGreat Smoky MountainsZionYellowstoneSee all: ParksCaliforniaAlaskaUtahSee all: By stateNational monumentsSeashores and lakeshoresAll 412 Park Service sitesSee all: All sitesWhich park should I visit?Pass calculatorCampground finderSee all: Trip toolsAnnual pass 2026International visitorsFree days 2026See all: Fees and passes

National Historical Park · New Jersey

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

National Historical Park in New Jersey. No entrance fee.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypeNational Historical Park
StateNew Jersey
Entrance feeNo entrance fee
CampgroundsNone
Nearest national parkShenandoah (276 mi)
Closest airportTEB (8 mi)
Wind blows US Flag and surrounding area
Doesn't get more photogenic than this Photo: NPS Photo/ Terry McKenna

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park is a national historical park run by the National Park Service in New Jersey.

In the park service’s words

Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 1792, Paterson was established as America's first planned industrial city, centered around the Great Falls of the Passaic River. From humble mills rose industries that changed the face of the nation.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Mon Sunrise to Sunset; Tue All Day; Wed 9:00AM - 4:30PM; Thu 9:00AM - 4:30PM; Fri 9:00AM - 4:30PM; Sat 9:00AM - 4:30PM; Sun 9:00AM - 4:30PM. Grounds are open 7 days a weel and Rangers are available 9:00AM-4:30PM Wednesday-Sunday . Please call 973-523-0370 or 201-458-3475(park cell number) the day of your visit to ensure tour availability. Grounds open suggested time for visiting grounds between sunrise-sunset. The National Park's main visitor parking lot at 72 McBride Avenue Extension will be closed every day sometime after dark and reopened every morning between 7:45am and 8:45am.

Getting there

From: Garden State Parkway (New Jersey) North: Take exit 155P on left to Route 19 TO WEST Route 80 Paterson. South: Take Exit 159 (Saddlebrook) on your right. After taking the exit, make your second right onto I-80 West (Paterson). From: Interstate 80 I-80 West: Take Exit 57 A-B. Taking (Exit 57- B) (Downtown Paterson) follow the Downtown Paterson sign. I-80 East: Take (Exit 57- B), take exit Route 80 west Grand St./ Del Water Gap KEEP RIGHT exit. Stay to the right for Grand Street exit ramp.

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Teterboro Airport (TEB) Teterboro, NJ No road route 8 Regional
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Newark, NJ No road route 16 Large hub
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) New York, NY No road route 19 Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Weather

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=40.91475800178142&lon=-74.1678490947591#.VusP4uIrK71

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Shenandoah, about 276 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park?

No entrance fee.

Where is Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park?

In New Jersey. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Teterboro Airport, about 8 miles away.

More sites nearby

The first memorial erected to honor Abraham Lincoln Historical parksAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park National Historical Park in Kentucky. No entrance fee. 4 hikes listed. The Birthplaces of Presidents John Adams (right) and John Quincy Adams (left) Historical parksAdams National Historical Park National Historical Park in Massachusetts. $15 per person. TrailsAppalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic Trail in 14 states. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed. A brick two story home with white pillars and railings. Historical parksAppomattox Court House National Historical Park National Historical Park in Virginia. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed. Slater Mill, Wilkinson Mill and Brown House at Blackstone River Valley NHP Historical parksBlackstone River Valley National Historical Park National Historical Park in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. No entrance fee. 2 hikes listed. A desk with paper and two sets of quills frame a person in colonial wear standing in the aisle. Historical parksBoston National Historical Park National Historical Park in Massachusetts. No entrance fee.