Van Saun County Park in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, is one of the region's most visited public green spaces — and one of the most accessible sober activity destinations for people in recovery. Spanning approximately 146 acres in the heart of Bergen County, the park offers a wide range of family-friendly, substance-free recreational options within about 15 minutes of Valley Spring Recovery Center's facility at 830 Broadway, Norwood, NJ 07648.
This page covers the park's history, attractions, practical visit information, and the evidence-based reasons why outdoor recreational activities like visiting Van Saun Park can be a meaningful part of a recovery lifestyle.
History of Van Saun County Park
Established in 1961 on approximately 70 acres, Van Saun County Park was named after Bernard Van Saun, a prominent Bergen County landowner whose property formed the original core of the park. The park has expanded considerably since its founding to reach its current size of approximately 146 acres. It is managed by the Bergen County Division of Parks, a department of the Bergen County government, which oversees more than 9,500 acres of parkland across Bergen County.
The park's location in the geographic center of Bergen County — bordered by residential neighborhoods in Paramus, River Edge, and Washington Township — reflects a deliberate early commitment to providing accessible green space to one of the most densely populated suburban counties in the United States. Bergen County has a population of approximately 955,000 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate), and Van Saun Park serves as a public gathering space for communities across the county.
Attractions and Amenities at Van Saun County Park
Van Saun County Park offers a broad range of attractions that make it suitable for visitors of all ages and interests. Key amenities include:
Bergen County Zoological Park
The Bergen County Zoo, located within Van Saun Park, is an 18-acre facility home to over 200 animals representing more than 50 species. The zoo features North American and international wildlife, a carousel, a miniature train ride, and year-round educational programming. Admission is low-cost and free for children under 3. The zoo is one of Bergen County's most visited family destinations and is well-suited to sober outings involving children or family members in different age groups. The structured, scheduled nature of a zoo visit provides the kind of purposeful activity structure that supports early recovery.
Walking and Jogging Trails
Van Saun Park features a 1.5-mile paved perimeter loop suitable for walking and jogging at all fitness levels, plus additional naturalistic paths through wooded areas of the park. The level terrain and paved surface make the main loop accessible to people with limited mobility and to those just beginning to reintroduce physical activity into their lives. Walking groups — both informal and organized — regularly use the park's paths. Physical activity, even moderate walking, is associated with improved mood, reduced anxiety, and better sleep, all of which are relevant to people managing early recovery.
Picnic Areas and Pavilions
Multiple picnic areas and reservable pavilions throughout the park make Van Saun an excellent destination for group gatherings. These spaces are used by recovery community organizations, alumni groups, and families for sober celebrations, recovery milestone recognitions, and community cookouts. The ability to reserve a private pavilion space for a group is practically valuable for people who want to create a structured, intentional social gathering in a safe, outdoor, alcohol-free environment.
Washington Spring Garden
The Washington Spring Garden is a historic formal garden within the park, featuring ornamental plantings, a small pond, and quiet seating areas. Named for its proximity to the historic Washington Spring — a documented stop during George Washington's northern New Jersey campaign — the garden provides a contemplative, low-stimulation environment that many people in recovery find supportive for mindfulness practice and stress reduction. Time in natural environments is associated in the research literature with reduced cortisol levels and improved psychological well-being.
Athletic Fields and Courts
Van Saun Park includes multiple baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and tennis courts available for organized and informal use. Group sports participation provides social bonding, physical health benefits, and structured competitive activity — all positive recovery supports. Many Bergen County recovery programs and alumni groups use the park's athletic facilities for informal pickup games and organized team activities.
Seasonal Programming and Community Events
The Bergen County Division of Parks organizes seasonal events at Van Saun throughout the year, including holiday-themed zoo events, outdoor concerts, cultural festivals, and environmental education programming. The park's calendar provides a reliable source of substance-free community activities that change with the seasons. Attending scheduled community events provides the social structure and novelty that can support early recovery by filling time previously occupied by substance use with meaningful shared experiences.
Why Outdoor Recreation Supports Addiction Recovery
The connection between time spent in natural environments and improved mental health is well-supported by research. A 2019 study published in Scientific Reports (White MP et al.) found that spending at least 120 minutes per week in nature was associated with significantly better health and well-being outcomes compared to no nature contact. For people in recovery from substance use disorders, the benefits of outdoor activity are particularly relevant:
Stress Reduction and Craving Management
Chronic stress is one of the primary triggers for substance use and relapse. Physical activity and time in natural environments are both associated with reduced cortisol (the primary stress hormone) and increased endorphin and serotonin levels. Regular outdoor activity — even moderate-intensity walking — can help manage the physiological stress response that often underlies craving episodes.
Rebuilding Social Connections
Social isolation is both a cause and consequence of addiction. Visiting parks and recreation areas with family members, recovery peers, or support group friends provides opportunities for the kind of informal, low-pressure social interaction that helps rebuild relationships and social confidence. Van Saun Park's family-oriented design makes it particularly appropriate for people who are working to repair relationships with children, partners, or extended family.
Establishing Healthy Routine
Recovery benefits from routine and structure. Incorporating regular visits to Van Saun Park — a Sunday morning walk, a weekend family outing, a weekly jogging group — creates positive habitual patterns that replace time and activity previously associated with substance use. Behavioral psychology research supports habit formation as a core mechanism of sustained behavior change.
Mindfulness and Present-Moment Awareness
The natural environment of Van Saun Park — its trails, gardens, and open green spaces — provides an excellent setting for mindfulness practice, which is an evidence-based component of many addiction treatment approaches. Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) and similar approaches use present-moment awareness techniques to manage urges and reduce reactivity to stress. Practicing mindful walking or observation in a natural setting can reinforce these clinical skills in everyday life.
Practical Visitor Information
Address: Van Saun County Park, Forest Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652
Hours: The park grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk. The Bergen County Zoo has seasonal hours; check the Bergen County Division of Parks website for current zoo hours and seasonal event schedules.
Parking: Multiple free parking lots are distributed throughout the park, accessible from Forest Avenue, Colonial Road, and adjacent streets. Parking is free for Bergen County residents with a current Bergen County park permit (available at county administration offices); non-resident parking fees may apply seasonally.
Accessibility: The main perimeter loop trail is paved and accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. Many park facilities including restrooms and picnic areas are ADA-accessible.
Getting There from Valley Spring Recovery Center: Van Saun County Park is approximately 15 minutes by car from Valley Spring Recovery Center at 830 Broadway, Norwood, NJ 07648. Take Broadway south to Westwood, then Route 17 south to the Paramus/Forest Avenue area. The park is also accessible via NJ Transit bus routes serving Paramus.
Bergen County Zoo admission: Fees are low-cost for adults and free for young children; current pricing is available on the Bergen County website. The park grounds themselves are free to enter.
Van Saun Park as Part of a Broader Sober Recreation Routine
Van Saun County Park is one destination within Bergen County's extensive park system. A well-rounded sober recreation routine in northern New Jersey might combine regular Van Saun visits with hikes at Palisades Interstate Park, visits to Ramapo Valley County Reservation, cultural outings to museums and arts venues, and participation in AA, NA, or SMART Recovery communities that organize their own social activities.
See our NJ Sober Activities guide for a broader overview of substance-free recreation options across Bergen County and statewide.
Professional Treatment Support at Valley Spring Recovery Center
Sober activities like visiting Van Saun Park are a valuable part of recovery, but they complement — rather than replace — clinical treatment when it is needed. Valley Spring Recovery Center provides CARF-accredited outpatient addiction and mental health treatment to residents across all 21 New Jersey counties from our facility at 830 Broadway, Norwood, NJ 07648, approximately 15 minutes from Van Saun Park.
Programs include Partial Care (PC), Intensive Outpatient (IOP), standard Outpatient (OP), and virtual telehealth. Dual NJ licensed for both SUD (#200887) and mental health (#70420104) treatment. Most major NJ insurance plans may cover treatment. Call (855) 924-5320 for a free insurance verification and clinical assessment — same-day admissions are available.