Upper Greenwood Lake, NJ

Upper Greenwood Lake is a peaceful, wooded community tucked into the northern New Jersey Highlands, sitting right along the border of West Milford and Vernon. Home to around 3,700 residents, it has the relaxed feel of a classic mountain lake retreat. Winding residential streets wrap around the water, lined with everything from vintage cabins to updated year-round houses. Vast stretches of protected wilderness surround the area, with Wawayanda State Park to the west and Abram S. Hewitt State Forest to the southeast offering hiking and quiet nature trails right out your front door.

Because the community crosses two counties, school assignments depend on your address: most families are zoned for West Milford Public Schools (with Upper Greenwood Lake Elementary located right in town), while a smaller section attends Vernon Township schools. Getting around is easy enough, with local roads connecting quickly to Route 23. When you need a change of pace, the boutique shops, farmers markets, and restaurants in historic Warwick, New York, are just a short drive across the state line.