Wanaque is a borough in northern Passaic County within the wooded hills and river valleys of the New Jersey Highlands. The municipality includes the communities of Wanaque and Haskell, which developed around early industry, transportation routes, and the Wanaque River. The Wanaque Reservoir forms a major part of the local landscape and regional water system. Ringwood Avenue and county roads connect the borough with Ringwood, Pompton Lakes, Oakland, and Interstate 287. Residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, municipal facilities, local businesses, and industrial properties are distributed along the valley floor and surrounding slopes. Wanaque's terrain becomes increasingly wooded and mountainous toward the north, while denser development is concentrated near Haskell and the southern border. The borough's industrial history, reservoir setting, and proximity to extensive open land distinguish it from the more urbanized communities farther south in Passaic County.