Bergen County Dog Park-Wild Duck Pond Ridgewood

Nice park to walk and use the dog park. I wish the pond was more well kept through out this time of year. Plenty of geese on the area so beware of geese droppings!

My experience with this place has not been great and I am indifferent towards it for several reasons, despite the fact that it is a convenient short few blocks from my home. Let’s start with cleanliness. The dog run has a mixed dirt/​gravel surface that is ripe with soaked in urine, feces and fleas — not exactly what I want plastered all over my groomed white bichon. Equally unpleasant are the many aggressive small dogs I’ve encountered whose owners are either oblivious to dog etiquette, or busy bodies who give unsolicited advice about how to raise and handle your animal. It seems to me that fervid dog owners — as a group — have the need to share their strong opinions about dogs whether you want to hear them, or not.
OK – so I’ve become a dog snob. I admit it. I suppose that if I still had my Aussies — who loved to horse play with others in the mud and such — I might think differently about this place. But I spend way too much time grooming my foo foo dogs to waste the effort here.
That said, the rest of the park is a fine place to walk, bike or run (with or without dogs). The 6+ miles of paved paths that stretch from Ridgewood to Saddle Brook give you plenty of room to recreate — although it can get congested with bikers and runners on weekends.

Great park. I come to the dog park 4 – 5 times a week. The only criticism that I have is that the gap between the ground and the fences in the small dog park are a little too big. I see more and more dogs squeezing through every time I come.
UPDATE:
They have built up the gap with more dirt, but it’s quickly receding from the dogs scratching/​digging.

I refuse to go to any other dog park because I love this one so much. I come here for my pug meet ups and I also come here whenever I get the chance to come! My pugs love it and I never had an issue here before I will continue to come here!

Nice Park, pretty clean, access to water.
There are 2 separate parks, 1 for dogs over 25 lbs, 1 for under. Most of the people are cool.
One of the better dog parks in the area.

I have been coming here since I was a baby with my family and I have always loved this park. The park has provided me many years of entertainment whether it be fishing in the pond, riding bikes on the trail, bringing my dogs to the dog park or playing on the swing sets.
Pond: The pond is a good size and have some sunnies and maybe a bass or too in there but you must have a fishing license if I’m not mistaken. I always did catch and release here
Bike Trail: The trail here is pretty awesome. Stretches from Ridgewood through Saddle Brook and is a go to spot for me and my friends when we go through our spurts of biking
Walking area: The side walk goes all the way around the pond and it is a really nice place for a jog or a long walk with a friend. There are benches provided at various stops for resting.
Dog Park: My dogs enjoy coming here and socializing with there fellow furry friends. There are two sections one for small and one for large dogs. They have recently moved the location to the front of the park opposed to the back wooded section where it was previously located. I have been to both new and old and both were and are great. There are a few trees in the area to provide shade for your pup on a hot day. They provide poop bags which is nice in case you happen to forget your own.
Play Area: Large area with plenty of swings, slides, and obstacles to entertain a child. This was my go to park when I was a full time babysitter. Plenty of activities to keep kids occupied and a great place to take them to tire them out. 99% of the time my kids would be asleep by the time we got home from the park.
The park is always clean whenever I have been there and is really a great spot to check out with your furry baby.

LOVE this dog park. I will drive all the way up from Lyndhurst to bring my dog here. I’ve only ever visited since the park was relocated to the ‘front’ of the park along the road but have been very impressed by how well it is maintained, the manners of the people and their dogs, and the shade provided by the trees.
I will agree that the dogs and the owners are well mannered and the owners are well educated in dog behavior. They recognize what is normal and necessary for dogs to establish their pecking order and personal boundaries.
If the park is too busy, I’ll sometimes just go for a walk around the pond and down some of the paths to the creek so that the dog can cool off wading into the creek.
My 1-​star off is because of the parents/​kids that are hanging about without a dog. I did on one occasion have a set of parents come in with their young kids to the small dog area so they could ‘get used to dogs’ before they got their own… the signage does state that no kids under 12 are allowed in the run area. We are all trying to be responsible dog owners and it is a huge assumption on the parent’s part that all of the dogs are child-​friendly (especially the little dogs) I would nearly like to see that updated that you must have a dog to be inside the run also (just as it is in NYC dog runs)

My dog loves her time here! I only wish I lived closer so I could bring her more often.
The dog owners are sweet. I’ve had so many issues at other dog parks but I have yet to come across a mean dog or an irresponsible owner.
The park is divided for small dogs and big dogs, which is the best feature. People respect the divide and are very conscious of their dog size compared to the other ones around them.
It’s a lovely set up. No grass, only rocks, however loads of shade from trees. It would be nice if there were some benches for owners but nobody minds if you bring your own chair.
If I could, I’d bring my dog here twice a day. It really is a delightful place. It completely changed my attitude toward dog parks. And if your doggie isn’t feeling the other dogs, there’s a lovely path around the pond that is a great solo walk.
For the most part, the park is clean and there is plenty of parking. For easy access to the dog park, follow the bend all the way around and park in the last parking lot.
There are bags provided by the off-​leash area in case your run out.
The gates and fence are sturdy and of good quality. There’s a spacious pen before you enter the main area to get your dog ready to meet the others.
I honestly can’t say enough good things about this park. I wish all dog parks were similar.

I’m not a huge fan of the new move of the park. Before the dog park was located in the back of the park and there was a bigger large dog area with wood chips. Now the dog park is near the front and has a sandy ground and is slightly smaller. The big issue I have with it now is that the people in the park have easier access and it makes the dog park a spectacle of kids screaming and trying to stick their hands through the wall. For a skittish dog like mine she gets a little freaked out. I continue to come here because it’s the closest to my boyfriends house.

Another review for this dog run with correct map marker location at…

This off leash/​dog run is located inside the Saddle River County Park; more commonly referred to as the Wild Duck Pond Area. This was my first visit to the newly relocated dog run; it was previously located in the back/​northern section of the Duck Pond and was referred to as the «Bark Park» by residents who were bothered by the barking. It was relocated by the county after complaints.
The Duck Pond dog park features two separate dog runs for smaller and larger dogs (25 lbs or less for the smaller run). The area is an all gravel area with ample trees that provide shade on a hot day.
What I love about this dog run:
–Large area for your dog to run around
–Friendly dog owners
–An incredible variety of beautiful dogs: Some days it looks like the Westminster Dog show here! Labrador retrievers, Doberman pincers, Burmese Mountain Dog, Shiba Inu, Vizsla, Rhodersian Ridgeback and there are 3 gorgeous Great Danes that look like prancing ponies who frequent this location.
What I don’t love:
–No water source
–No seating, no benches in the actual run.
There are beautiful stone benches outside the run where Moms and their toddlers/​preschoolers will sit to watch all the dogs. It actually feels a little «Planet of the Apes» as you are behind bars with all these Moms and kids watching you and your dogs lol.
Finally, there is a paved road that wraps around the entire Park Complex and the woods behind the dog run has a creek (the Saddle River) with a sandy/​gravel beach that your dog can take a dip in to cool off after playing with some new friends.