A Special Place Settled by the Dutch, Bergen County was created in 1683 as one of New Jersey's four original counties. Located in the extreme northeastern comer of New Jersey, Bergen is bounded by the Hudson River on the east, New York State on the north, Passaic County on the west and Essex County on the south.
Rivers outline the county's picturesque and varied terrain.
The beautiful Palisades, which attracted the attention of Capt. Hendrik Hudson in 1609, rise 500 feet above the Hudson River. From there, the land slopes down to the broad Hackensack River valley, rising and descending again to the Saddle River and Ramapo River valleys. The steep slopes of the Ramapo Mountains rise in the northwest. A 20-mile area is visible from several of Bergen's highest points.