Leaves of New Jersey with Kids: A Nature Explorer Guide (+ Free Map)

New Jersey's trees are one of the state's most overlooked natural treasures — and one of its most spectacular. The Palisades along the Hudson River support some of the finest mature hardwood forest remaining in the New York metropolitan area — towering oaks, tulip trees, and sugar maples rising from the ancient traprock cliffs.  For families who learn to look up — and look closely — New Jersey's trees tell stories that are as remarkable as anything the state's famous coastline and national parks have to offer.

Engage your kids in outdoor exploration with Nature Explorer Club's Leaves of New Jersey Activity Book to track every leaf your family discovers.

Best Spots for Leaf Spotting in New Jersey

We mapped the best leaf spotting locations in New Jersey so you can plan your adventure before you go.

1. Palisades Interstate Park, Fort Lee — One of the finest mature hardwood forests remaining in the New York metropolitan area — a 2,500-acre park along the Hudson River with towering oaks, tulip trees, and maples rising from the ancient traprock cliffs. The Long Path trail along the cliff top gives families outstanding fall foliage views over the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline. The forest here has never been cleared — some trees are centuries old. The cliff face below the park, visible from the Palisades Parkway, turns brilliant red and gold in October.

2. Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Mahwah — A beautiful Bergen County park in the Ramapo Mountains with outstanding fall foliage across its varied hardwood forest. Sugar Maples, Red Oaks, Yellow Birches, and American Beeches all contribute to a spectacular autumn display from late September through early November. The Ramapo River corridor through the park supports riverside species including Sycamores and willows alongside the upland hardwood forest.

3. South Mountain Reservation, Millburn — A beautiful Essex County park with outstanding hardwood forest and fall foliage displays. The reservation's varied topography — wooded ridges, stream valleys, and wetlands — supports a diverse tree community including Tulip Trees, Red Oaks, Sugar Maples, and Sweet Gums. The Rahway River passes through the reservation supporting riverside species alongside the upland forest.

4. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside — A beautiful Union County park with outstanding hardwood forest and fall foliage. Sugar Maples turn brilliant red and orange in October. Yellow Poplars turn clear yellow. The reservation's mature forest and extensive trail network make it one of the finest leaf spotting destinations in northern New Jersey for families.

5. Duke Farms, Hillsborough — A magnificent 2,740-acre nature preserve with outstanding tree diversity across its woodlands, meadows, and designed landscapes. The mixed hardwood forest along the Raritan River corridor supports outstanding fall foliage from late September through November. The designed landscapes include specimen trees of unusual size and character. The trail network is excellent for families discovering the range of New Jersey's tree species in a single visit.

6. Cheesequake State Park, Matawan — A beautiful Middlesex County state park at the meeting point of northern hardwood forest and southern coastal plain — with the unusual tree diversity that results from this overlap. Northern species like Red Oak and Sweet Gum grow alongside southern Coastal Plain species like Pitch Pine and Atlantic White Cedar. The park's varied habitats include freshwater and saltwater marsh, upland forest, and pine barrens — each with its own distinctive tree community.

7. Rancocas Nature Center, Westampton — A beautiful Audubon Society nature center in Burlington County with outstanding woodland trails through mature hardwood forest. Red Oaks, Tulip Trees, and Sassafras all contribute to the fall foliage display. The center's educational programs include tree identification walks that are outstanding for families new to learning New Jersey's trees.

8. Batsto Village, Hammonton — A historic ironworks village in the heart of the New Jersey Pinelands with the distinctive coastal plain tree community surrounding it — Pitch Pines, Scrub Oaks, Atlantic White Cedars, and the unusual Pygmy Pines of the Pinelands. The Batsto River and lake support riverside species including Red Maples and Sweet Gums. The combination of colonial history and distinctive Pinelands tree community makes Batsto one of the most unusual and memorable tree spotting destinations in New Jersey.

9. Parvin State Park, Pittsgrove — A beautiful Salem County state park in the southern Pine Barrens with the distinctive tree community of the coastal plain. Atlantic White Cedars line the edges of Parvin Lake. Pitch Pines cover the upland sandy soils. The transition zone between the coastal plain and the outer Coastal Plain forest creates an unusual mix of tree species accessible in a single walk. The lake and stream corridors support Red Maples, Sweetbay Magnolias, and other wetland species.

10. Cape May County Park, Cape May — A beautiful park at the southern tip of New Jersey with the distinctive coastal plain tree community — Holly groves, Pitch Pines, and Sassafras — alongside ornamental specimens in the managed park areas. The American Holly — evergreen and brilliant with red berries in winter — is one of the most distinctive trees of the Cape May region. The park's location at the southern tip of the state means some southern tree species reach their northern range limits here.

 For the full guided experience with leaf checklist, games, and drawing pages, explore our Leaves of New Jersey Activity Book. Or get all five New Jersey nature books together with the New Jersey Nature Explorer Series.