6 Abandoned Amusement Parks in New Jersey You Can Still Explore

New Jersey’s landscape is dotted with the forgotten remnants of once-thriving amusement parks. These abandoned playgrounds tell stories of bygone eras when families flocked to experience thrilling rides and carnival games.

While these parks have long since closed their gates, curious explorers can still find traces of their former glory hidden among overgrown paths and weathered structures. Here’s a look at six abandoned amusement parks in the Garden State that continue to fascinate urban explorers and history buffs alike.

1. Palisades Amusement Park: Cliffside Memories

Perched dramatically on the Hudson River cliffs, Palisades Amusement Park once reigned as New Jersey’s premier entertainment destination. The park’s 1971 closure broke hearts across the region, replaced now by luxury high-rise apartments that tower where roller coasters once thrilled generations of visitors.

Sharp-eyed explorers can still discover subtle remnants along Palisade Avenue. A commemorative plaque marks the former entrance, while sections of old staircases carved into the cliffside occasionally reveal themselves after heavy rains.

The famous saltwater pool that once accommodated 2,000 swimmers has completely vanished. However, local history enthusiasts maintain walking tours highlighting where attractions once stood, allowing visitors to imagine the sounds of the Cyclone coaster and carousel music that once echoed across the Hudson.

2. Jungle Habitat: Wild Ruins in West Milford

The eerie remnants of Warner Bros.’ safari-themed park lie hidden within West Milford’s forests. After operating from 1972 to 1976, this drive-through wildlife attraction was suddenly abandoned, leaving behind concrete foundations, crumbling animal enclosures, and mysteriously overgrown service roads.

Local legend claims some exotic animals were never captured after the park’s closure, though wildlife officials dismiss these tales.

The property, now part of Jungle Habitat Park, offers hiking and mountain biking trails where adventurous visitors occasionally stumble upon rusted signs and weathered structures.

The most prominent remains include the entrance plaza foundations and several large concrete pools that once housed aquatic animals. Nature has reclaimed much of the 800-acre property, creating a hauntingly beautiful contrast between manufactured entertainment and wild regrowth.

3. Rocky Glen Park: Pennsylvania Border Mystery

Straddling the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border, Rocky Glen Park’s skeletal remains whisper stories of summer revelry from the early 1900s through its 1987 closure. Concrete foundations peek through invasive vegetation, while rusted metal frameworks mark where roller coasters once dominated the landscape.

The park’s signature wooden coaster, “The Cyclone,” left behind massive support pillars that local explorers seek out. Once featuring a carousel, bumper cars, and a massive swimming pool, Rocky Glen attracted thousands of visitors during its heyday.

Financial troubles and changing entertainment preferences eventually shuttered this once-beloved destination. Today, adventurous visitors must navigate private property concerns, though determined photographers occasionally document the park’s decay through chain-link fences surrounding the property.

4. Action Park Remnants: Vernon Valley’s Dangerous Past

Nicknamed “Traction Park” and “Class Action Park” for its notorious safety record, parts of the original Action Park still haunt Vernon Valley. While much of the property transformed into Mountain Creek Waterpark, observant visitors can spot abandoned attractions from the park’s dangerous 1978-1996 era.

The infamous Cannonball Loop slide; a fully vertical water slide that injured so many test dummies it was rarely operational; left concrete footings still visible in overgrown areas. Hiking nearby trails reveals abandoned water slide segments, crumbling concrete channels, and the deteriorating track of the Alpine Slide.

The park’s resurrection under new management erased many original features, but concrete foundations of the wave pool and remnants of the notorious Tarzan Swing survive as grim reminders. These decaying structures stand as monuments to an era before stringent safety regulations protected thrill-seekers.

5. Olympic Park: Irvington’s Forgotten Playground

Tucked between Irvington and Maplewood, Olympic Park entertained New Jersey families from 1887 until its 1965 closure. Urban development has erased most evidence of this historic amusement center, though dedicated explorers can still uncover surprising traces.

Behind a shopping center stands a weathered brick power station that once supplied electricity to the park’s attractions. Several lamp posts along Chancellor Avenue originated from the park’s midway, repurposed by city planners during redevelopment.

The most significant remaining feature sits in a nearby municipal park; the Olympic Park carousel house foundation, marked by a small commemorative stone. Local residents occasionally report finding vintage tokens and ticket stubs after heavy rains disturb the soil in surrounding neighborhoods, tangible connections to this long-vanished entertainment complex.

6. Palace Amusements: Asbury Park’s Ghostly Grin

The grinning face of Tillie, Palace Amusements’ iconic mascot, survived the wrecking ball that claimed most of this historic indoor complex in 2004. Though the original structure at Asbury Park’s boardwalk has largely vanished, preserved fragments create a fascinating scavenger hunt for urban explorers.

The famous Tillie mural was carefully extracted before demolition and reinstalled on a nearby building’s facade. Inside the Silverball Museum, several original arcade games and vintage signs from Palace Amusements continue entertaining new generations.

Underneath Convention Hall, explorers occasionally glimpse the sealed tunnel that once connected the Palace to the boardwalk. Walking along Cookman Avenue reveals architectural elements salvaged from the complex incorporated into new construction; carousel horses mounted as public art and original wrought iron fencing protecting modern storefronts.