Located in Kittatinny Valley State Park is the highly underrated Lake Aeroflex (also known as New Wawayanda Lake). While this is far from the largest lake in the state, it is actually the deepest natural lake, at 110 feet deep. Not only is this the deepest natural lake in the state, but it is also adjacent to a small airport; it is not uncommon for visitors to see small airplanes taking off and landing from the lake. For those wanting to paddle here, there is a small, free, easy-to-use boat launch at the southern end of the lake. Continue reading to learn more to learn about paddling at Lake Aeroflex.
Kittatinny Valley State Park
Background
Lake Aeroflex
Lake Aeroflex is the deepest natural lake in the state, with a depth of 110 feet, and the fourth deepest in the state overall, behind Merrill Creek Reservoir (225 feet), Round Valley Reservoir (180 feet), and Morris Lake, also known as the Newton Reservoir (119 feet). This may come as a surprise to visitors, as the lake is not large at only 119 acres, which is a far cry from the largest in the state, Lake Hopatcong at about 2,500 acres.
Aeroflex-Andover Airport
Adjacent to the southern end of Lake Aeroflex is the Aeroflex-Andover Airport. This small airport features just one 1,981-foot runway.
The airport was initially privately owned and was acquired by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in the 1990s and is currently operated by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The airport is currently open to public use and serves as a base for aerial wildfire suppression in the northern part of the state.
Paddling the Lake
Parking
Parking at Lake Aeroflex is easy, with a large parking area near the boat launch and adjacent to the Aeroflex-Andover Airport. If you input Kittatinny Valley State Park, most GPS devices will direct you to the wrong section of the park. While geographically close, this is actually 10 minutes away from the boat launch due to vehicle restrictions caused by the airport. The correct address is 265 Limecrest Rd, Newton, NJ 07860.
The Put-In
Lake Aeroflex has a small gravel ramp at the southern end of the lake. There is also a small dock next to the ramp, though there is no specialty kayak launch on it, such as the ones you can find at Splitrock Reservoir or Wawayanda Lake. The ramp itself features a small cul-de-sac marked with no parking signs. The official park website states that vehicular access is not permitted, but it appears to be okay to quickly unload your vehicle, then park it in the neighboring lot.
The Lake
As previously stated, Lake Aeroflex is not large, and a paddle around the perimeter is about 2.5 miles. For this reason, I recommend exploring the whole lake. The front half of the lake is easily the more scenic side, as it follows a mostly wooded perimeter. Unfortunately, there is some road noise here, but luckily Limecrest Road is not a super busy road and it is not visible.
Near the back side of the lake, the lake thins significantly and goes under some power lines. After the power lines, the lake widens out again, though not as wide as before.
Honestly, the section behind the power lines is not great, and if you are short on time, you can easily skip it and not miss much. The back half features a handful of houses that are not very pleasing to look at. I decided not to take pictures of other people’s private homes, but none of them are in exactly great shape and are an eyesore. Other than the houses, this section of the lake is mostly lily pads.
The highlight of Lake Aeroflex and what makes it unique is the airport directly next to it. While not a busy airport, you can frequently see small airplanes taking off and landing from the lake.
Another highlight is the abundance of wildlife. During my visit, I saw numerous turtles sunning themselves and a variety of birds. The water is impressively clear, so you’ll be able to get a good view of underwater creatures as well, such as fish and the aforementioned turtles.
Review
Lake Aeroflex is a good, small lake. The highlight and most unique feature is easily the airport adjacent to the lake. Due to the runway layout, it is very common to see planes either landing or taking off right above you on the lake. Aside from the airport, the impressively clear water is a nice surprise. Unfortunately, the experience is slightly diminished by the homes at the far northern end of the lake
If you want a small lake and a unique airport setting, this lake is perfect. If you want something a little larger, consider the nearby Swartswood Lake.
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