New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites

New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites The official page for New Jersey State Parks. No matter what your interest is, there is something for everyone!
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The New Jersey State Park Service administers over 438,000 acres of land comprising parks, forests, historic sites and other recreation areas. We strive to provide our visitors with a variety of recreational opportunities including hiking, biking, camping, swimming, boating and picnicking. Our historic sites offer the visitor the opportunity to journey back through time to experience life of a for

egone era. We invite you to take advantage of all our recreational, natural and historical resources and Open your Doorway to Adventure!

06/14/2026

Fifty years ago today, on June 14, 1976, Liberty State Park opened to visitors as New Jersey’s bicentennial “gift to the nation.”  

The park’s initial phase spanned 35 acres along Morris Pesin Drive and featured 20 benches, 50 picnic tables, 83 flagpoles, parking for 200 cars and 20 buses, a dock, an information center and restrooms.  

Join us today in celebrating the park’s 50th anniversary with a full day of family-friendly programs and events. Visit Liberty State Park for details.

Lifeguards will be on duty at Island Beach State Park this weekend, June 13 & 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additional swi...
06/12/2026

Lifeguards will be on duty at Island Beach State Park this weekend, June 13 & 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Additional swimming areas are expected to open in mid-June. New Jersey State Parks is recruiting and training additional lifeguards statewide. Learn more at: nj.gov/dep/workinparks

🏖️Island Beach State Park – Open Saturday & Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
🏖Atsion Recreation Area (Wharton State Forest) – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 19.
🏖Bass River State Forest – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 19.
🏖Belleplain State Forest – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 19.
🏖Cheesequake State Park – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 17.
🏖High Point State Park – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening date to be determined.
🏖Hopatcong State Park – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 17.
🏖Parvin State Park – Swimming closed for the 2026 season.
🏖Round Valley Recreation Area – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 17.
🏖Swartswood State Park – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening date to be determined.
🏖Wawayanda State Park – Swimming closed. Anticipated opening June 18.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
🏊🏻‍♂️Swimming is only permitted when lifeguards are on duty.
♻KEEP IT CLEAN AND GREEN! Protect local habitats by taking your trash with you. Whatever you carry into the park, plan on carrying it out too. Bring a bag or two for trash, recycling and cleaning up after your pet. There are no trash receptacles in the park.
🦺Any lifejackets used in state park swimming areas must be US Coast Guard approved.
🏊🏻‍♂️If you are interested in becoming a New Jersey State Parks lifeguard, please visit: nj.gov/dep/workinparks

Looking for some plans this weekend? New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites have a variety of programs for you...
06/12/2026

Looking for some plans this weekend? New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites have a variety of programs for you to enjoy! 👇🏻

Saturday Fun in the Sun! - Bass River State Forest
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 at 9:30 a.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BS2qMuqS8/

Arts in the Park – Bulls Island Recreation Area
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E3HUjyH1T/

Blooming Bog Walk – High Point State Park
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 from 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/18cXU3WRmz/

History of Parvin State Park Hike – Parvin State Park
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 at 2 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARJip1iK2/

Grounds and Garden Tours - Ringwood Manor
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1M8yUqf6DZ/

Flea Market at Allaire - Allaire State Park
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/17kHMxiWFm/

What’s Happening in the Water? Harmful Algal Blooms Explained - Parvin State Park
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 at 9 a.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/18z3RibHAy/

Tai Chi by the Delaware – Washington Crossing Park Association, Inc.
⏰When: Saturday, June 13 from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/17XxKAqmkY/

Native Plant Discovery Walk - Parvin State Park
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 at 2 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DoQAtdzAA/

The Black Bear and the Bobcat - Brendan T Byrne State Forest
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HSU5Ny9Us/

Meet Francis Hopkinson and Hear the Story of our Flag - Washington Crossing Park Association, Inc.
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 at 1 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BTtNjdWtP/

Sunday Fundays: Bee a Pollinator Pal - Double Trouble State Park
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1bsmijA3XY/

FOMB 2nd Sunday Lecture: Famous Secondary Leaders at Monmouth – Friends of Monmouth Battlefield
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 at 2 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Lnqmp7tci/

Grounds and Garden Tours - Ringwood Manor
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/17hd7E9fL5/

Craig House Tours – Friends of Monmouth Battlefield
⏰When: Sunday, June 14 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
✍Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CbK9T4Raf/

- Horseshoe CrabsHere they come, millions of breeding horseshoe crabs. In fact, the biggest concentration in the world...
06/11/2026

- Horseshoe Crabs
Here they come, millions of breeding horseshoe crabs. In fact, the biggest concentration in the world, beaching themselves on Delaware Bay beaches to lay their tiny green eggs in the sand. And following the crabs are vast flocks of small shorebirds and gulls feasting on the eggs!

It happens every May and lasts into June, sometimes early July. The horseshoe crab (not a crab but an ancient, completely harmless cousin of the scorpion) beaches itself to lay its eggs. Huge female crabs drag one or more males ashore to “nest.” The eggs incubate in the sand and hatch the next full moon, one month later, if they don’t get eaten by greedy birds.

The screams of feeding laughing gulls is deafening, but what’s really exciting are huge flocks of shorebirds that bounce back and forth across the Delaware Bay as they migrate. These shorebirds include the red knot, ruddy turnstone, sanderling and semipalmated sandpiper. Some of these birds spent the winter all the way in Tierra del Fuego in southern South America! They are on their way to the Arctic tundra to nest, flying nonstop from the tip of South America to the beaches of Brazil to feed on small invertebrates. They then fly four days nonstop to the Delaware Bay to feast on horseshoe crab eggs. Then again fly nonstop to the Bay of Fundy in Canada, feast again and spread out across the Arctic to nest. Have you witnessed any recently?

Written by Matt Pelligrine, Naturalist, Cape May Point State Park

06/10/2026

Liberty State Park celebrates its 50th anniversary this Sunday, June 14. Today, we are taking a look back at how an abandoned rail yard in the shadow of Lady Liberty transformed into a green oasis and New Jersey’s first urban state park.  

Thanks to the vision of community advocates including Morris Pesin, Audrey and Warren Zapp, Theodore Conrad and J. Owen Grundy, on Flag Day in 1976 Governor Brendan T. Byrne opened Liberty State Park to visitors as New Jersey’s bicentennial “gift to the nation.”  

Celebrate at Liberty State Park this Sunday, with a full day of free community events. Learn more on the  account.

As summer visitation increases across New Jersey State Parks please remember to be patient with staff and fellow visitor...
06/10/2026

As summer visitation increases across New Jersey State Parks please remember to be patient with staff and fellow visitors, follow park rules and treat everyone with respect to help ensure a safe an enjoyable experience for everyone exploring New Jersey State Parks’ oceanfront or lakeside beaches, forests, trails and recreation areas this season!

♻️ KEEP IT CLEAN AND GREEN
Protect plants and animals and care for the park by taking your trash with you. Whatever you carry into the park, plan on carrying it out too. Bring a bag or two for trash, recycling and cleaning up after your pet.

🏊🏻‍♀️ SWIMMING IS ONLY PERMITTED IN DESIGNATED AREAS WHEN LIFEGUARDS ARE ON DUTY
Lifeguards at lakefront beaches at state parks and forests statewide are expected to return to the stands beginning in mid-June. A full list of anticipated opening dates for lakefront swimming areas is available here: https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/swimming-schedule/

🚫 PLAN AHDEAD FOR PARK CLOSURES
Parks may close during busy summer weekends and holidays when capacity is reached. Once closed, no additional visitors or vehicles will be allowed to enter, including those joining others already inside. If traveling separately, please arrive together. Filled to capacity closures can be viewed at: https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parkstatus/

🚶PLANNING A HIKE
Explore the more than 1,000 miles of trails in New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites with Trail Tracker, an online application that allows you to track your current location, view trails and points of interest, search for park activities and download PDF maps before entering areas with limited cell service. Check out Trail Tracker: https://spstrailtracker.nj.gov/

🕷 TICK PREPARDNESS
Learn how to prevent tick bites, recognize various tick species and how remove them safely and effectively.

🔥 HEAT AWARENESS
Be prepared for the heat! Bring extra water, a hat and umbrella for unshaded areas.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites safe, clean and enjoyable for all visitors throughout the summer season. Let’s have a great summer in New Jersey State Parks!

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States by experiencing the annual reenactment of the Battle of Monmouth on...
06/10/2026

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States by experiencing the annual reenactment of the Battle of Monmouth on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, at Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

Family-friendly activities throughout the weekend will include military encampments, cannon and musket firing demonstrations, children’s musket drills, colonial-era music, a program about Molly Pitcher and a memorial service hosted by the Sons of the American Revolution. The weekend’s featured event, the Battle of Monmouth reenactment, will take place on both days, recreating one of the largest and longest battles of the American Revolutionary War.

The two-day living history event will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 20, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 21.

A donation of $15 per vehicle is suggested.

The annual reenactment is made possible through a partnership with the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield State Park, a New Jersey State Parks Officially Recognized Friends Organization.

🔗 Learn more: https://friendsofmonmouth.org/reenactment.html

This year’s event commemorates the 248th anniversary of the battle, with its 250th anniversary coming in 2028.

Located on the northern tip of Long Beach Island, Barnegat Lighthouse, known locally as Old Barney, stands as a reminder...
06/09/2026

Located on the northern tip of Long Beach Island, Barnegat Lighthouse, known locally as Old Barney, stands as a reminder of New Jersey’s maritime history!

The original lighthouse that stood in this location was constructed in 1834, was a mere 40-feet-tall and offered only 10 miles of visibility. Eventually it toppled into the water. In response to countless shipwrecks along the New Jersey Coastline, in 1858 the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed a new lighthouse standing a towering 172 feet above sea level, with 19 miles of visibility and a flash pattern of once every ten seconds.

The lighthouse played a critical role in navigation and was used to guide ships through Barnegat Inlet, which was notorious for its shifting sandbars and strong currents. From 1941-1945, the lighthouse was used as a lookout tower for enemy ships during World War II and was officially decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1944.

In 1957, Barnegat Lighthouse was dedicated as a New Jersey state park and was formally opened to visitors. On January 1, 2009, exactly 150 years to the day that it was originally lit in 1859, the lighthouse was illuminated again thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, who raised funds to purchase a U.S. Coast Guard approved lens.

In 2022, the lighthouse underwent an extensive restoration project that involved a complete exterior restoration of the lighthouse, masonry recoating and repairs to the brick facade, interior lantern steel platform repairs, roof repairs and the installation of new windows.

Open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the 172-foot lighthouse offers visitors the opportunity to climb to the top for just $3 for adults and $1 for children ages 6–11 (children under 5 are free). From the top, visitors can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, Barnegat Bay and Island Beach State Park. The park also provides critical habitat for many rare and endangered shorebirds and is home to one of Long Beach Island’s last remnants of maritime forest.

🎥Check out the view from the top of Old Barney right now with our new livestream cameras: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-er9n4Alag

🔗Learn more about Barnegat Lighthouse State Park:
https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/state-park/barnegat-lighthouse-state-park/

The Redcoats invaded Haddonfield! This past Saturday, hundreds joined in front of the Indian King Tavern Historic Site f...
06/08/2026

The Redcoats invaded Haddonfield!
This past Saturday, hundreds joined in front of the Indian King Tavern Historic Site for a reenactment of the Haddonfield Skirmish in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Hosted by the Friends of the Indian King Tavern Museum, this year’s event commemorated the 248th anniversary of the skirmish. Visitors also had the chance to explore the historic tavern, where in 1777 the New Jersey Assembly officially entered the Declaration of Independence into its minutes and adopted the Great Seal of New Jersey.

From marching troops and battle reenactments to aspiring young spymasters decoding secret messages and wooden musket demonstrations, the day offered plenty of memorable moments for visitors of all ages.

From the streets of Haddonfield to the rooms of the Indian King Tavern, take a look at the scenes that brought history to life!

More than 80 New Jerseyans celebrated National Trails Day today with a guided walk and visioning session along the futur...
06/06/2026

More than 80 New Jerseyans celebrated National Trails Day today with a guided walk and visioning session along the future Bloomfield segment of New Jersey’s newest state park, a nine-mile greenway spanning Essex and Hudson counties.

Participants walked just over a mile along the future Bloomfield segment of the park, learning about its rail history and discussing plans for its transformation, as outlined in the park’s Vision & Action Plan released earlier this year.

Thank you to US Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, US Congresswoman Analilia Mejia, Acting Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Potosnak, Bloomfield Mayor Jenny Mundell for joining us!

The day was made possible through a partnership between the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and New Jersey State Parks.

Learn more about the future vision for the project: dep.nj.gov/greenway/

Address

Mail Code: 501-04, 501 E State Street, PO Box 420
Trenton, NJ
08608

Telephone

+18008436420

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