Forget The Jersey Shore, Visit New Jersey's Former Landfill Turned Park Gem For Wildlife, Trails, And NYC Views

Just beyond Manhattan's borders across the Hudson River, New Jersey's natural beauty isn't limited to the sandy beaches — and packed boardwalks — of the Jersey Shore. Even closer to New York City than the seaside tourist hub, Richard W. DeKorte Park offers walking trails, wetlands, and views of migratory birds, all with the Manhattan skyline on the horizon. The park could make for a refreshing alternative to a beach day at the Jersey Shore without straying too far inland, especially for visitors more interested in birdwatching and hiking than sunbathing.

The landscape of Richard W. DeKorte Park has an interesting backstory. The stretch of land was earmarked for a landfill, but plans shifted toward preserving open space and creating a place for wildlife and visitors. In the late 1970s, plans for the area envisioned a mix of landfill development and marshland, per the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. While the plan didn't go through, there is a section of the park that was built over an existing landfill: the Anthony Scardino Jr. Overlook Trail. According to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, it was the first landfill to ever be converted into a park in New Jersey. The site was capped with an engineered liner made partly from recycled plastic bottles and replanted with native vegetation, which has since matured into habitat for wildlife. Elsewhere in the park, visitors can wander more trails, follow interpretive signs, birdwatch, and stop by a butterfly garden, making it one of the best underrated destinations to visit less than an hour from New York City.

Richard W. DeKorte Park is part of New Jersey's Meadowlands, an estuarine district spanning over 10,000 acres, featuring wetlands, grasslands, and tidal mudflats. About a 30-minute drive from Midtown Manhattan, the park offers visitors a serene nature-focused escape without the long journey. There's no admission fee and on-site parking is free, so it's a doable option for a budget-friendly outdoor activity around NYC.

There are around 3.5 miles of walking trails that weave around the wetlands. The half-mile Marsh Discovery Trail follows a boardwalk over the Shorebird Pool with bird blinds and observation docks available to pause and watch for wildlife. You might spot great egrets and blue herons stalking through the shallows, tree swallows swooping overhead, and ospreys hunting for fish, per New Jersey Audubon. Aside from birds, foxes, skunks, rabbits, and snakes are also known to frequent the park.

For a longer walk, the Transco Trail stretches about 1.2 miles alongside tidal mudflats, where shorebirds can often be seen. Meanwhile, the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve has a shorter trail through what was once a garbage-filled island, now a pocket of upland forest and lawns. Even if you don't hike the trails, you can appreciate some of the park's attractions near the entrance. The World Trade Center Memorial Cove features a wooden deck extending toward the marsh, with two projecting piers designed to evoke the shadows of the Twin Towers. It also has a viewing spot where you can look out towards the NYC skyline with a steel silhouette showing where the Twin Towers once stood. After a park visit, explore more of New Jersey's lovely suburb of Lyndhurst, which brims with unique attractions and greenery.