Visiting the Park
Overlook Park Closure Announcement; Other Areas of the Park Remain Open
- Please be advised that the much anticipated landscape improvement project for Overlook Park at 72 McBride Avenue will begin this week. The parking lot and all access to Overlook Park will be closed to the public on 9/14/17. The park is expected to re-open in the summer of 2018.
- The Welcome Center at 65 McBride Avenue remains open as does the footbridge across the Great Falls chasm, Mary Ellen Kramer Park and Upper Raceway Park. We are still offering park programming.
- Please see below for details.
Parking:
Limited parking is available at the following locations.
- 65 McBride Avenue
- Hinchliffe Stadium parking lot on Maple Street, approximate coordinates 40°55'03.2"N 74°10'53.3"W
- Paterson Museum, a short walk from the Welcome Center. The Museum is located on 2 Market Street.
- On weekends only, you may use the large lot next door to 72 McBride Avenue, with approximate GPS coordinates 40°54’56.80”N 74°10’43.91”W.
Though we are looking forward to a new and improved Overlook Park, we are sorry for the inconvenience.
Welcome Center Hours:
- At this time of year, the Welcome Center is open Monday-Sunday from 10:00AM - 4:30PM as staffing permits.
- Tours are provided at 11:00AM, 2:00PM, and as staffing permits.
- Please contact the park before your visit to receive the latest updates: 973-523-0370 Monday-Friday, or call the Welcome Center at 973-523-2210 Saturday and Sunday.
School Programming:
Interesed in a tour of the Great Falls with your students? Call 973-523-0370 for inquiries or e-mail us at PAGReducation for school related information. We are taking reservations now.
Guided Tour: A Stroll Through History
Join a tour and discover the greater story behind Paterson and its Great Falls. Our story is one of national importance. It demonstrates that the natural and cultural diversity of the area helped fuel the economic and social growth of a young nation. Discover how the natural world inspired a founding father, entrepreneurs, immigrants, poets and artists to build the nation's first planned industrial city and changed the world.
Logistics:
- Meet at the Welcome Center, 65 McBride Avenue
- Appropriate for adults and families.
- Please wear comfortable and weather-appropriate clothing. Wear sturdy shoes/sneakers.
- In most cases, tours will be conducted rain or shine, however, tours will be canceled in cases of severe weather, such as snow storms, nor'easters, dangerous electrical storms, etc.Tour will last 45-minutes to 1-hour over a distance of one mile.
- Guided tours led by the National Park Service, or its partners, can follow paved, wheelchair-accessible routes (assistance may be required, especially along narrow city sidewalks). If you have any concerns, please contact us at 973-523-0370 during the week, or 973-523-2210 on weekends.
- The tour route travels through parts of the Great Falls Historic District, which is administered by the City of Paterson and includes the Paterson Museum. For operating hours and guided tour reservations, please call 973-321-1260 daily. The museum is closed on Federal and City holidays.
Visit the Paterson Museum
The Paterson Museum, at 2 Market Street, has the following regular hours of operation. Parking is available on-site for Museum patrons, or you can park your vehicle at the park and walk. The Museum is about 2 minutes away.
Hours of Operation:
- Monday-Friday: 10:00AM - 4:00PM
- Saturday-Sunday: 12:30PM - 4:30PM (Please call 973-321-1260 the day of your visit).
- CLOSED: Federal and City Holidays, please contact the Museum directly for more information at 973-321-1260.
City Holidays:
New Year's Day
Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Day
President's Day
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Memorial Day
Fourth of July
Labor Day (call the Friday before for specific hours)
Columbus Day
Election Day
Veteran's Day
Thanksgiving
The Friday after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve (call that day for specific hours)
Christmas Day
Self-Guided Walking Tour
Listen to the history of Paterson as you stroll along the tour route at your own pace. Download the free walking tour app, "Mill Mile" or dial into the cell phone tour. Learn more about it.