General Information 5/9/09 joint Wanda CC, HRCKC

River Edge to Ridgefield Park on the Hackensack River

 Contact Jim Mc Loone, kanoer@gmail.com or  Elana Fine erachel@earthlink.net for details.

            This is a seven mile trip on the Hackensack River Estuary suitable for first time trippers.  Note the tide will be aiding your paddling by about 1 mile per hour.  Paddling time about 2 ½ hours.   This is salt water so you will want to hose down your equipment when you return home.

             The area that we are paddling through is an important stop for migratory birds allowing them to rest and feed before proceeding on their migration.  As we head south we will pass the back end of the New Milford swim club on river left.  Soon afterward we will pass beyond a wooded stretch and approach New Bridge Road and Old New Bridge Road.  Click here for historical reference to the New Bridge Inn.

            Just beyond the Bridges we will see the Steuben House and Bridge historical reference.

            As we continue down river between Hackensack on river right and Teaneck on river left we will pass Riverside Square Mall on river right.  There is supposed to be a canoe launch near the flagpole, but it seems to be just a mud flat.

As we pass beyond the Rt. 4 Bridge we will see the Bergen County Academy on the right and Fairleigh Dickenson University on the left.  By the time we reach the Cedar Lane/Anderson Street Bridge we can see the urban downtown Hackensack commerce on our right followed by Foschini Park on river right and the beginning of Bogota on our left.  The railroad trestle just beyond the Salem street Bridge is low, but has one open area marked for boat passage.

Beyond the railroad we will see the USS Ling (submarine museum) on our right followed by the Court Street Bridge.  As the left bank starts to become wooded again look for a tree that is filled with roosting birds in the evening.  They looked like white Herron.

As you pass the Rt. 80 Bridge you will see a marina on the right. 

             Look for rubber matting to provide a "civilized footing" at the take out.  We should be off the river by 1:30 or so.  We can enjoy lunch at the take out.

Jim Mc Loone, kanoer@gmail.com