Explore Tenafly through its nature and culture. The Tenafly Nature Center offers trails, self-guided activities and a diverse bird population; the Tenafly Railroad Station and the African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers add their own historical and artistic dimensions. This gives you a choice of nature experiences, architectural history and African art as you plan your trip.
Nature on Different Scales
The Tenafly Nature Center is a facility covering 52 acres and borders the 330-acre Lost Brook Preserve. With more than six times the area, the preserve is on a significantly larger scale; the figures refer to separate areas that directly adjoin one another. The Nature Center is a facility; Lost Brook Preserve was acquired in 1975 through the Green Acres program and is among Tenafly’s municipal lands. More than 50 species of breeding birds are found at the Tenafly Nature Center. The birdlife thus gives the nature theme its own focus alongside the comparison of the two areas’ sizes.
Family Activities: Explore on Your Own or Read
Families can discover the Tenafly Nature Center in two different ways. The Nature Explorer Backpacks offer year-round, self-guided exploration of the trails and include an easy-to-follow guide and hands-on activities for children of all ages. The StoryWalk® Trail, by contrast, focuses on reading as you go: it winds through the forest and turns a nature story told page by page into an interactive experience. The trail is especially designed for young readers and families. The practical difference is the format: with the backpacks, you explore the trails and use the activities; on the StoryWalk®, a nature story accompanies you through the forest.
Natural History, Architectural History and Art
The John A. Redfield Building houses natural history exhibits. This offers another perspective on the nature theme within a building: exhibits take center stage alongside the trails and birdlife at the Nature Center. This approach differs from self-guided exploration and the StoryWalk® Trail, where outdoor trails and activities shape how visitors experience the natural world.
The Tenafly Railroad Station was completed in 1874; its stone structure was designed by Daniel Topping Atwood. The completion year and architect offer different points of reference: the date places the station in time, while the design draws attention to the appearance of the stone building.
The African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers is located in Tenafly and is one of five museums worldwide founded and maintained by the Society of African Missions. The location thus connects African art with an international institutional context: the Society is behind the founding and maintenance of this small group of museums worldwide. Unlike the Railroad Station, which can be placed in context through its completion year and architecture, the museum’s sponsoring organization shapes its distinctive identity.
Discover more destinations: Paramus, Little Ferry, Hasbrouck Heights, Saddle River, Elmwood Park, Palisades Park, Garfield, Lyndhurst
For the regional travel overview: Bergen.
