Parks Lake Beach
Rockaway, New Jersey · on Foxs Pond · Park Lakes
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- pond
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $30 per person
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Parks Lake Beach
Parks Lake Beach is the local and mapped name for what Rockaway Township, New Jersey officially operates as Mount Hope Beach, a supervised municipal swim beach on Mount Hope Pond at 65 Mt. Hope Road. It is a township-run, fee-based freshwater swimming hole open to residents only, with lifeguards during the summer season.
The site sits on Mount Hope Pond off Mt. Hope Road in Rockaway Township, Morris County, New Jersey, within a township park/recreation area rather than a state or federal land unit.
Swimming at Parks Lake Beach
Official designated swimming area on a small township-managed freshwater pond, staffed by lifeguards during the operating season; suited to family/local swimming rather than a wilderness swim, with the shoreline outside the beach area reserved for fishing.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 65 Mt. Hope Road in Rockaway Township; the beach/pond is accessed directly from Mt. Hope Road.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a municipal drive-up beach at 65 Mt. Hope Road; the swim area is reached directly from the road/parking area with no trail or hike involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Township-run, lifeguard-staffed swim beach on a small pond; children age 5 and under are exempt from the badge requirement, indicating the facility is set up for young families. No cliffs or rapids reported; it is a calm pond setting.
Hours
Memorial Day weekend through June: weekends only, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Daily operation begins mid-June (exact date announced by the Township based on lifeguard availability) and continues through summer, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
On the water
Restrictions: Boating (motorized and non-motorized, which the Township's own materials say includes kayaks and paddleboards) is governed by a separate local boating ordinance (referenced as O-25-14 in Township materials). The specific text of that ordinance could not be retrieved, so exact permitted craft, launch rules, or seasonal restrictions are unconfirmed.
Given the pond's small size and residents-only, lifeguard-supervised swim-beach model, recreational boating (if permitted at all) is likely limited to small non-motorized craft outside the swim area, but this is not confirmed by a retrievable source.
Parks Lake Beach: FAQ
Does Parks Lake Beach charge a fee?
Beach badge required: $30 per person for the season; children age 5 and under are free. Badges are registered/purchased through the Community Pass system and picked up at the municipal building. Access is limited to Rockaway Township residents.
Is Parks Lake Beach kid friendly?
Township-run, lifeguard-staffed swim beach on a small pond; children age 5 and under are exempt from the badge requirement, indicating the facility is set up for young families. No cliffs or rapids reported; it is a calm pond setting.
Do I need to hike to reach Parks Lake Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Parks Lake Beach?
Site address is 65 Mt. Hope Road, Rockaway Township, accessed directly off the road; no source specifies lot size, surface, or cost.
When is the best time to visit Parks Lake Beach?
Memorial Day weekend through summer; weekends-only operation in the early season, transitioning to daily operation by mid-June, with hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily operation depends on lifeguard availability after the school year ends.
What are the rules at Parks Lake Beach?
Residents-only beach access; a beach rules and regulations document is maintained by the Township. Shoreline fishing is permitted outside the designated swim/beach area; boating is governed by a separate local boating ordinance.
What water body is Parks Lake Beach on?
Parks Lake Beach is on Foxs Pond, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Rockaway
Mount Hope Pond Swimming Area
Rockaway, New Jerseypond
★ Top verifiedBirchwood Lake
Mountain Lakes, New Jerseylake
Drewes Beach at Lake Parsippany
Parsippany, New Jerseylake
🛶🏄🚤
Mount Arlington Municipal Beach
Mt Arlington, New Jerseylake
⛺
Hopatcong State Park
Landing, New Jerseylake
⛺🛶🚤
★ Top verifiedSunrise Lake Beach Club
Morristown, New Jerseylake
🏄