Located in Stillwater Township, Swartswood State Park is a moderately sized park with a unique history. As New Jersey’s very first state park, it offers plenty to do, mostly centered around the 519-acre Swartswood Lake, where visitors can boat, swim, and fish. Away from the water, guests can also enjoy hiking trails and a dedicated camping area.

Basic Information

Pros and Cons

Points of Interest

• Swartswood Lake
  • The 520-acre centerpiece of the park. Also the third largest freshwater lake in New Jersey
• Little Swartwood Lake
  • A 84-acre lake just next to Swartswood Lake
• Keen’s Gristmill
  • A historic gristmill at the outlet to Swartswood Lake
• Duck Pond
  • A seasonal, sinkhole-created pond located in Swartswood Natural Area

Trails

Swartswood State Park features hiking trails spread across three main zones: the Swartswood Natural Area, Keen’s Gristmill, and Willow Crest. Located across the street from the day-use area, the Swartswood Natural Area is the park’s most popular section, featuring a seasonal sinkhole pond known as the Duck Pond. Keen’s Mill features a rarely trafficked and somewhat underwhelming trail that starts at a historic gristmill. Since we haven’t explored the Willow Crest zone yet, we can’t comment on that portion of the park.

Boating

Boating is arguably the most popular activity on the lake. Boaters can enjoy both the 519-acre Swartswood Lake and the 84-acre Little Swartswood Lake. Both lakes are similar (ignoring the size difference), featuring a shoreline with a mix of state land and private houses, creating a varied but developed shoreline.

Car-top boats, as well as boats with electric motors, are allowed on the lakes. There are numerous free, public launches surrounding Swartswood Lake for boaters to access the water. A list of all access points for both lakes can be found here.

Camping

Swartswood State Park features a large campground with a mix of tent, RV, and cabin sites. We have never camped there, so we cannot comment on the quality, but from passing through, it seems nice and has its own boat launch in the middle of the camping area.

Parking

There are numerous parking areas surrounding Swartswood Lake. Parking areas for boating access can be found here. All other parking can be found below:

• Day Use Area $ – 1091 E Shore Dr, Newton, NJ 07860
  • Swimming, Picnic Areas, Beach Volleyball, Playground; Very large parking area that rarely, if ever, fills up.
• Duck Pond – Duck Pond Rd, Newton, NJ 07860
  • Swartswood Natural Area Trails; Small parking area holding about 10 cars. Rarely fills up.
• Keen’s Gristmill – 932 Co Rd 521, Newton, NJ 07860
  • Keen’s Gristmill and Gristmill Trail; Small parking area holding about 5 cars. Rarely fills up.
• Willow Crest – 931-921 Hampton Rd, Newton, NJ 07860
  • Willow Crest Trail; Explore North Jersey has not yet visited this location and cannot comment on it.

Crowds

Crowds at Swartswood State Park tend to be manageable, as it is often overlooked in favor of larger and more well-known nearby parks. Even with the swimming beach, Swartswood rarely fills to capacity, even when other state parks with swimming frequently do. As for boating, you are unlikely to be alone, thanks to the numerous boat launches and houses around the lake, but again, it never feels overwhelming, and there are always places for some peace.

Maintenance

Maintenance at Swartswood State Park is okay. It is another case of a park charging admission but not justifying it in its presentation; the park is clearly dated and in need of a refresh. This is to be expected, as it is the oldest state park in New Jersey, but simple things like fixing the many broken benches and grills would go a long way. While the state can argue that these fees go towards maintenance, there is nothing to show for it. Again, the park doesn’t look bad, but it could look better.

The hiking trails are well marked, but some, most notably the Gristmill Trail, receive little-to-no foot traffic, leading to some overgrowth.

Who is this park for?

This park is best for those interested in water activities on Swartswood Lake, such as boating, fishing, and swimming. While none of these are the best in the state, the experience is good, with fewer crowds than at other more popular destinations.

Final Thoughts

Swartswood State Park is perfectly fine. It isn’t going to blow anyone away, but it serves its purpose and features a wide variety of activities. My biggest gripe is that it holds the distinction of being the oldest state park in New Jersey, yet nothing about it makes it feel like it earned that title. Yellowstone was the first national park and feels like it earned that distinction, whereas Swartswood just feels like any other park.

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