"To gain entrance to social events, access to the lake, main dock, clubhouse, playground, tennis courts, ball field, lifeguarded beach and all surrounding properties associated with PLCC, membership is required."
That rule is on the Pinecliff Lake Community Club's own homepage. The club was founded in 1930 as a private community in the middle of West Milford, with the lake and its facilities set against the Bearfort Mountain range. On Sept. 29, 2026, the West Milford Messenger announced that the Pinecliff Lake Fall Fest will run from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1577 Union Valley Road. The notice said, "The event is open to the public."
You may have driven past that address hundreds of times. On Oct. 10 you can drive in. The Pinecliff gate is only one of the stops this month. Most of West Milford's October takes place on grounds run by a club, a church, a camp, the YMCA or a fire company. Three of those addresses are on the same road.
Union Valley Road hosts most of the month
Here's the calendar, built from the Messenger's Oct. 1, 2026 regional events roundup and the organizers' own pages.
| Date | Event | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesdays in October | West Milford Farmers Market | West Milford Presbyterian Church, 1452 Union Valley Rd. | 3 to 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Pinecliff Lake Fall Fest | Pinecliff Lake Community Club, 1577 Union Valley Rd. | Noon to 6 p.m. |
| Sun., Oct. 11 | Upper Greenwood Lake Fall Fest | 435 N. Lake Shore Dr., Hewitt | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain date Oct. 18 |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | The Y Fall Fest | YMCA Outdoor Education Center, 131 Germantown Rd. | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Thu., Oct. 22 | Not So Spooky Halloween Party | Camp Hope, 1792 Union Valley Rd. | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Spooktakular and Haunted Hallway | 16 Nosenzo Pond Rd. and 70 Highlander Dr. | 5 to 8 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Trunk or Treat and Pumpkin Race | Fire Dept. Company No. 2, 2970 State Rt. 23, Newfoundland | 6 to 9 p.m. |
The farmers market at 1452, Pinecliff at 1577 and Camp Hope at 1792 are all on Union Valley Road. Those three are the backbone of the month, and the other events branch out to Germantown Road, Route 23 and the Upper Greenwood Lake shoreline.
What's known about Pinecliff on Oct. 10, and what isn't
The Messenger's events guide lists food vendors, fall activities, live music and a beer garden at the Pinecliff Lake Fall Fest. That's as far as the published details go. The announcements available so far don't name any vendors, bands or beer garden partner, and they say nothing about admission or parking. The club's Sept. 29 notice asked prospective vendors to contact the club by email, so the lineup may still have been coming together when it ran.
There's one practical wrinkle worth knowing before you go. The club's homepage still shows its general rule that membership is required for social events, and the Messenger notice says this particular event is open to the public. The event-specific notice is the newer and more direct of the two. It covers the Fall Fest grounds, though, not the beach or the dock on any other day. The beach schedule on the club's site is from the 2025 season. It also says membership badges must be worn and pets must be leashed on the beach property.
Upper Greenwood Lake runs the next morning, with fewer details posted
Sunday, Oct. 11 brings the Upper Greenwood Lake Fall Fest to the clubhouse at 435 N. Lake Shore Dr. in Hewitt from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If it rains, the date moves to Oct. 18. The Messenger describes it as a chance to support local vendors, crafters and businesses selling homemade goods. The 2026 event listing calls it a UGL Clubhouse event with crafters, vendors and food.
The Upper Greenwood Lake Property Owners Association's older website shows a Fall Fest on Sept. 21, 2024. This year's event is about three weeks later in the season. Unlike Pinecliff, none of the 2026 listings say whether this fest is open to the general public or only to members, and none mention admission or parking. If you don't live in the Upper Greenwood Lake community, confirm with the organizers before you drive up the lake road. That's the honest answer until they post more.
Even with that open question, the two lake fests sit on back-to-back days. Pinecliff runs Saturday afternoon and Upper Greenwood Lake runs Sunday morning, so a household can plan for both.
The farmers market's last Wednesdays sit between the two weekends
The West Milford Farmers Market opened its 17th season on June 3. Its website describes a summer market that runs every Wednesday from June to October, 3 to 7 p.m., at West Milford Presbyterian Church, 1452 Union Valley Road, next to the library. The site doesn't list a closing date. If the season runs through the end of the month, the remaining market days are Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28.
The market says more than 20 vendors are returning this season. The ones it names are Hope Cress Farms, Orlando's Bakery, Pesto Joe, The Macaroon Lady, The Empanada Lady and DeMarco's Pizza. The church lot is a little more than a hundred house numbers down Union Valley Road from Pinecliff's clubhouse. On Oct. 7, the Wednesday before the Pinecliff fest, you can see both addresses on one stretch of road.
The second half of the month turns to costumes
Once the lake fests are over, the hosts change. The YMCA, Camp Hope, the school campuses and a fire company take over, and the events shift toward young children and Halloween.
- The Y Fall Fest, Saturday, Oct. 17. The YMCA Outdoor Education Center at 131 Germantown Road has crafts, a bounce house, face painting, a pumpkin patch with pumpkin decorating, family games, food trucks and a costume parade from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organizers encourage attendees to wear Halloween costumes.
- Not So Spooky Halloween Party, Thursday, Oct. 22. This one starts at 1 p.m. at Camp Hope, 1792 Union Valley Road. It's limited to children 6 and under and requires preregistration through passaiccountynj.org. The program includes a live performance by Miss Jolie and an interactive presentation by Lokai Rose about Halloween candy and why spiders aren't so scary.
- Spooktakular and Haunted Hallway, Saturday, Oct. 24. From 5 to 8 p.m. there's a free trunk-or-treat in the West Milford High School parking lot at 16 Nosenzo Pond Road and a ticketed haunted hallway at Macopin School, 70 Highlander Drive. Organizers appreciate candy donations.
- Trunk or Treat and Pumpkin Race, Friday, Oct. 30. West Milford Fire Department Company No. 2, at 2970 State Route 23 in Newfoundland, hosts children of all ages from 6 to 9 p.m. Pumpkins from the patch cost $5 each or $20 for five, cash only. The race starts at 7:30 p.m., with prizes for first, second and third place.
The Camp Hope party is the only event on this list with a hard registration requirement and an age limit. It's also the only one on a weekday afternoon, so it's the one to put on the calendar now.
Before you head out
- Pinecliff, Oct. 10. It's open to the public according to the club's Messenger notice. No admission or parking details have been published, so expect to find out when you arrive.
- Upper Greenwood Lake, Oct. 11. Public access hasn't been confirmed. Check with the organizers before you go, and watch the weather, since the rain date is Oct. 18.
- Camp Hope, Oct. 22. Preregister at passaiccountynj.org. It's for ages 6 and under only.
- Newfoundland firehouse, Oct. 30. Bring cash for pumpkins.
- Farmers market. The season's last Wednesdays fall in October, 3 to 7 p.m., at 1452 Union Valley Road.
At The Only Orly Group, we've watched West Milford's lake communities from the inside for decades. That includes how their clubs, associations and membership rules shape daily life around the water. If an October afternoon at Pinecliff or Upper Greenwood Lake leaves you with questions about how these lake communities work, we're glad to walk through them with you. Schedule a Free Consultation.
