Discover Wanaque: Reservoir, Rail Trail, and Ironmaking

Wanaque can be explored through its water, outdoor activities, and industrial history. Wanaque Reservoir stretches through the lowlands of the Ramapo Valley and is fed by the Wanaque River. Its surface extends for ten miles. Another side of the town is represented by the first phase of the Highlands Rail Trail: a safe greenway for walking and cycling. There is also Freedom Furnace, connected to the area’s ironmaking tradition. Together, these offer different ways to experience the destination, from landscape and outdoor activities to the history of work in earlier times.

The Reservoir and the Changing Landscape

Wanaque Reservoir replaced a paper mill and numerous homes scattered across the hills and valleys. Its long expanse of water is therefore also connected to a transformation of the earlier landscape. If you are interested in a place’s history, you can see a concrete connection here between today’s reservoir and the area’s former use. The homes scattered across hills and valleys are part of this story, as is the paper mill that gave way to the reservoir.

For planning your trip, this contrast can offer a helpful perspective: Wanaque can be understood not only through its body of water, but also through the landscape that existed before it. The reservoir stretches through the lowlands of the Ramapo Valley and is fed by the Wanaque River. Its location in the valley and its connection to the river are important features of the local landscape.

Exploring the First Phase of the Highlands Rail Trail

The first phase of the Highlands Rail Trail runs for about 1.72 miles from Union Avenue to F.A. Orechio Drive. It transforms a former railroad corridor into a safe greenway for walking and cycling. Its approximate length and two endpoints provide a clear guide if you would like to choose a section of trail for your stay. This description refers to the first phase of the trail; it does not automatically include additional sections.

The Rail Trail suits a stay that includes walking or cycling. Its former role as a railroad corridor and its present use as a greenway also make the route’s transformation visible. If you are considering Wanaque while searching for a vacation rental, this trail may be one reason to consider the town for a trip focused on outdoor activity.

The Wanaque River and Wild Brook Trout

A four-mile section of the Wanaque River at Back Beach Park in the Borough of Wanaque was added to the Wild Trout Stream program in 2008. A thriving population of wild brook trout was found in the river at Back Beach Park. Surveys caught 74 and 81 brook trout, respectively. These figures refer to the river section described and make it noteworthy if you are interested in rivers and native fish populations.

The Wanaque River is also known for its wild trout below Wanaque Reservoir: this section is considered one of the places that produces some of the largest wild trout in the state. The river offers another natural point of interest in the description of the town. These statements refer both to the section at Back Beach Park and to the river below the reservoir; its trout history is not limited to a single brief mention.

Traces of Ironmaking

Freedom Furnace connects Wanaque with the area’s ironmaking tradition. Iron ore has been mined and smelted here since colonial times. This history complements the themes of water and outdoor activity with a cultural and industrial perspective. If you are interested in how a place developed and was used, Freedom Furnace’s connection to ironmaking offers a distinct way to learn about Wanaque.

These varied themes can help you get a sense of the destination’s character without limiting your stay to just one kind of experience.

More places to discover: Haskell, Woodland Park, West Milford, Wayne, Ringwood, Paterson, Totowa, Little Falls Township.

For the broader travel overview: Passaic.