Hackensack River-Teaneck to New Milford

Trip Overview

The day: The forecast predicted a high of 85 with sunny skies. The high tide was to be about 3 pm. I used the tide chart for New Milford to plan my paddle time: https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/New-Millford-Hackensack-River-New-Jersey/tides/latest

The launch area: Having scouted the location in a past year, I knew that high tide would be best for both launching and landing, so we launched while the tide was still coming in, heading north.

There is a tall fence with a gate between the parking-at a dead end- and the Hackensack River. I saw no sign of a padlock or a sign, but the area would clearly be dangerous in the dark, due to the steep rocky slope to the River. The amount of slope and number and shape of rocks are easiest to launch over at high tide. When I was reconnoitering last year, it was low tide, and the rocks were large and pointed and closely placed, looking like ankle-spraining territory. For this reason, I do not recommend using a tandem kayak or a canoe from this location.

At the time of day we began the paddle., there was a dry shelf of rock available for standing while we launched. That same shelf was about 15-18 inches above the water level when we later returned to launch site. At both times, the mud surrounding the area was very slippery, and we needed to take great care not to fall.

My goal: I was interested in paddling north as far as Van Buskirk Island Park*, the south end of which has a couple of dams. I wanted to explore them from the down-stream side.

The paddle: The paddle was easy in both directions. The River wound sinuously, going under bridges (including the Swing Bridge at New Bridge Landing, under which we saw the mud nests of the insect-eating birds swooping over the river), by the New Milford Swim Club, by homes, by undeveloped lands full of reeds.

We went only as far as Hard Castle Pond, where we landed on the east side of the Hackensack River. There was a concrete launch there. The underwater parts of that were slippery with mud, but -with care- we were able to leave the water to view the little park with gazebo and pond, just west of the Dorchester Lane condos in New Milford, which was east of -and across the River from the Kenneth B. George Memorial (baseball) Park. The launch MAY be part of the New Milford Recreation Department and those adjoining baseball fields, but I cannot be certain. There were no signs. There may be parking close enough to the launch so that you can put in a canoe or kayak. (See “Future Exploration” section, below)

The river itself was muddy and sinuous, but teemed with small fish at its edges, and some large ones jumping in the middle. Trees edged sections of the river, providing some shade for us. Belted Kingfishers, Egrets, Herons, Cormorants, Crows (which cawed at the mature Bald Eagle we saw on our trip back downstream), and many other birds made use of the waterway.

I paddled to the edges for a better view of the flora. Besides the typical phragmites reeds which have taken over many of our waterways, I saw pink Marsh Fleabane, yellow Sneezeweed, white Wild Cucumber, and what Google Lens suggested might be Wingstem.

Getting to the Launch Site:

When I used Google Maps to seek directions to the launch itself, it took me to a dead end road (Academy Lane), where I could neither park nor launch.

Using the directions to the entrance of the Grenville Ave. Teaneck Greenway (with the location shown above), will get you where you want to be. After you get to this spot (see location, continue to the west end of this road to park and launch your single kayaks.

40°54'24.2"N 74°01'25.4"W

Future Exploration:

Since we didn’t paddle all the way to the south end of Van Buskirk Park (my goal) during this trip, I’d like to continue the trip north from the concrete launch at Hard Castle Pond.

Find the concrete launch area with parking to the right of the uppermost baseball diamond when you look at map of the location of the New Milford Recreation Department.