Updated July 2026
Best Time to Visit New Jersey National Parks
New Jersey has 6 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
New Jersey parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a New Jersey park
Quietest months
- Paterson Great Falls — January
- Delaware Water Gap — January
- Morristown — January
- Thomas Edison — January
Most-visited
- Gateway — 7,696,939 visits
- Appalachian — 6,215,118 visits
- Delaware Water Gap — 3,986,709 visits
- Paterson Great Falls — 189,721 visits
Most-visited parks in New Jersey
Gateway
New York, New Jersey
View Gateway →Appalachian
Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
View Appalachian →
Delaware Water Gap
New Jersey, Pennsylvania
View Delaware Water Gap →Paterson Great Falls
New Jersey
View Paterson Great Falls →Morristown
New Jersey
View Morristown →Thomas Edison
New Jersey
View Thomas Edison →| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GatewayNational Recreation Area | 7,696,939 | October | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| AppalachianNational Scenic Trail | 6,215,118 | September | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Delaware Water GapNational Recreation Area | 3,986,709 | March | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Paterson Great FallsNational Historical Park | 189,721 | May | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| MorristownNational Historical Park | 183,001 | January | Apr | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park | 14,807 | September | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
New Jersey park crowd calendar (6 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 6 of New Jersey's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near New Jersey's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across New Jersey to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near New Jersey national parks
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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