Liberty State Park is a green oasis in the middle of Metropolitan northern New Jersey. With the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as a spectacular backdrop, Liberty State Park is one of the state's most dramatic parks.

The park opens daily at 6 a.m. and off a view of New York City's dramatic skyline from Liberty State Parkers a variety of recreational uses. Take advantage of the miles of walkways by walking, jogging, biking, or rollerblading. Get fit with the par course that runs along Freedom Way. Bring your binoculars and look at the numerous species of birds which frequent the park. You may also bring your family and picnic at one of the playgrounds. There is always a nice breeze for flying a kite, or you may enjoy the waters by fishing or crabbing, boating or kayaking. Hop on a ferry and visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, or stop by and participate in one of our Natural or Historical Interpretive programs.

The historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ), a grand setting for much of New Jersey's transportation history in the northeast, sits prominently at the north end of the park. A two-mile promenade, Liberty Walk links the picnic area, Interpretive Center and the CRRNJ Terminal while presenting visitors with a sweeping view of the Hudson River. A new outdoor performance area and other improvements mark the northern section of the park, while the western portion is dominated by the state-of-the-art Liberty Science Center.

Liberty State Park also is the only location in New Jersey with Ferry service to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

Richard J. Sullivan Natural Area (36 acres)

Adjacent to the Interpretive Center lies a 36-acre state Natural Area consisting mainly of salt marsh, one of the few remaining tidal marshes of the Hudson River Estuary. A self-guided nature path offers opportunities to observe and experience this unique wildlife habitat.

For nearly 9,000 years, the area now known as Liberty State Park was a quiet cove. Communipaw Cove, as the natives and early settlers called this site, was known for its oyster beds and good fishing. When Henry Hudson first explored this area in 1609, he described the location as offering safe harborage.

Throughout the Colonial Period and into the 19th century, little changed in the area. The cove was surrounded by settlements of various sizes ? to the north was Bergen (now Jersey City), to the west Communipaw (now a section of Jersey City), and to the south was Caven Point. In 1661, the first chartered ferry was established near the current location of the Liberty Science Center, connecting these settlements with the larger one at the tip of Manhattan.

The 19th century witnessed a second American Revolution ? the Industrial Revolution. New Jersey once again played a major role in this movement.

Transportation was the key to this period. Raw materials had to get to the factories and finished products had to get to markets. The once quiet Communipaw Cove soon evolved into a major transportation hub to fulfill this need. First to arrive in this area was the Morris Canal in 1836. The canal connected the Delaware River at Phillipsburg, NJ to the New York Harbor.

Soon the railroads saw the need to reach the markets offered via the Jersey City Waterfront. After getting permission, the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) purchased and began filling Communipaw Cove. Between 1860 and 1928, as the need to expand their facility grew, they continued filling the cove. At its peak, the area of the park was crisscrossed by nearly 100 miles of railroad tracks and surrounded by a web of docks and piers. The site was a virtual beehive of activity with hundreds of trains, ferries, barges and tugboats, and a variety of other water and land crafts arriving and departing daily.

The end of ?The Age of the Railroad? was in sight, however, and the industry, which had peaked by 1929, rapidly declined. Better highways, competition from the trucking industry, and the shift from coal to oil and gas led to the demise of the railroads. Finally in 1967, the Aldene Plan called for the rerouting of all train traffic to Pennsylvania Station in Newark. The CRRNJ declared bankruptcy and the Terminal ceased passenger operations in April 1967.

Through the efforts of local advocates, the deserted rail yard was transformed into New Jersey?s first and largest urban park, opening to the public in 1976. The park has become an oasis in the heart of one of the most densely populated areas of the country. It is a haven for local residents and wary travelers, human as well as a wide variety of birds, fish, and other small animals.