Van Saun County Park is located in Paramus and River Edge, New Jersey. Operated by the Bergen County Parks Department, the park is home to the Bergen County Zoological Park. In addition, the park features picnic areas, a baseball field, a softball field, basketball and tennis courts, a soccer field, a playground, a carousel, and pony rides. The zoo is open all year round; from May to October, guests have to pay a fee to enter the zoo. From November to April, the zoo is free of charge. The zoo also features a train ride known as the Safari Express. The park, most notably the zoo, was slated for a major expansion as of 2016, which would nearly double the size of the zoo from 12 to 23 acres and significantly diversify its population of animal species, as well as add an ice-skating rink and expand automobile parking capacity at the park by hundreds of spaces.HistoryThe zoo opened in 1960. The railroad in Van Saun, the Safari Train was first built in 1963 and features three trains: the 388 train, which accompanied the opening, the 389 train, purchased in 1968, and the 520, added to the lineup in 1971. The train models are Iron Horse S-24 24 inch gauge trains by the Allan Herschell Company. The train is open from Tuesdays through Sundays (weather permitting) and closed Mondays for maintenance, unless it falls on a holiday, between April and October. The train passengers view the many different attractions in the zoo while going through railroad crossings and a tunnel. The train is also open during the Bergen County's Winter Wonderland event, which runs from November through January.
