West Orange extends from older neighborhoods near Orange and Montclair into the wooded ridges of the Watchung Mountains. Interstate 280 crosses the township and connects it with Newark, the Garden State Parkway, and Morris County. The community is known for the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, the Turtle Back Zoo, the South Mountain Recreation Complex, and extensive parkland along the western side. Eagle Rock Reservation offers broad views toward Manhattan, while South Mountain Reservation forms part of the township’s southeastern landscape. West Orange includes apartment buildings, established single-family neighborhoods, retail centers, healthcare institutions, schools, and office properties. Different sections have noticeably different characters, from denser areas near Main Street to lower-density neighborhoods along the hills. The township borders Montclair, Livingston, Roseland, Essex Fells, Verona, Orange, and several other Essex County communities.