Wawayanda is the Lenni Lenape name meaning "winding water". The park is located in the Northern New Jersey town of West Milford. It is a large park with an area of 34,359 acres and 60 miles of scenic hiking trails. Of the 60 miles of hiking trails, 20 miles are part of the Appalachian which runs from Georgia to Maine. Governor Murphy has declared all State Parks in New Jersey this year, 2022 to be free of admission costs. On this day I was interested in kayaking. You can bring your own kayak to the boat launch area or rent a kayak. The rental cost is $15 for a single or $25 for a double. You can keep the kayak for 2 hours. Canoes, row boats, electric powered boats and paddle boards are also available. There is ample parking although it can fill-up to capacity during the summer months. They have e toile. changingt and shower pavilion on Lake Wawayanda. The swimming area has beautifuk sand, the water is clear and during the summer months fairly warm for New Jersey. Outside the swimming area there is an abundance of lake plants. Life guards are on duty at selected hours. Aside from swimming there are hiking, picnicing with tales and grills, playgrounf for the kids, fishing, hunting, and wildlife and birding opportunitiies. In one part of the park you will find an 1843 iron furnance. There are a number of trails to hike. A popular hike is the Lake Loop Hike. It is 6.7 miles long and can be hiked in 2.5 hours. For the most part the trails are well nlazed but as a precaution you can download an All Trails Map. read more

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Hermoso muy lindo y agradable . Todo à la perfection la naturaleza lo es todo . Para compartir en familia read more

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The boathouse was closed so kayaks and boats were unavailable, but the beach was open and it was beautiful. It opens by 10 and if you are there early, you'll get a nice spot and time to enjoy the water before the crowds get there. read more

Wawayanda State Park - Parks Near Me - Hewitt, New Jersey

Beautiful park and lake. Entrance time is not the same on the site. Got there and waited for them to open the side entrance. It seems like the other entrance is open on time but its a good distance from each other. But there is plenty of space. Go equipped with EVERYTHING. Tent, cooking. Swimming is great. Water is clean. Wawayanda will be part of the visit, swim rotation every summer. read more

Happy weekend my fellow Adventurers! I got to camp out overnight here for the Ragnar (24 hour overnight race) relay over the fall and had a blast! The grounds themselves are beautiful, well kept, and great for hiking. We happened to be there at the perfect time for fall foliage while it was turning. The photos were spectacular and amazing to be in the wilderness. I would recommend going here during fall for nature and leaves overall. They have facilities on ground and trails that go for miles. The body of water is pretty cool from what we could see, since it was blocked off for the relay. read more

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Love the park, went here for a reunion & I had a blast with family & friends. Went kayaking & seen such beautiful views. I definitely recommend this park to have a beautiful gathering & do different activities read more

The only reason I'm giving this place three stars and not less is because the lake/ sand area is nice and clean. The grounds are also nice. Playground for the kids, grills available. It does get crowded so you want to be there by 8 am or before. No swimming until the lifeguards arrive at 10. Free admission. Bathrooms.... Now that was a different story. When arrived they were usable but towards the later afternoon, let's just say they were absolutely disgusting and turned me off and I was ready to leave! People can be real slobs and some advice to the park, would be to have cleaners cleaning them every couple hours. What I saw I definitely feel bad whoever had to clean them. If this was based solely on the bathrooms it would be Zero stars. But bc the lake area and rest of park were nice and clean i gave it more. Besides the restrooms it was a great time at the lake. read more

I lost my phone and photos so I can't add any photos but I think the other yelpers caught enough images for a good representation of this park. This is a great place to go for a BBQ and a swim in the lake. There's plenty of beach area, lifeguards, public path rooms and a food truck with burgers, hot dogs, drinks and snacks. They have charcoal grilles for you to grill on your own as well. There's a boathouse for you to rent a canoe. Check out their website for specifics. There's a lot of picnic areas, some camping areas and trails. The Appalachian trail runs through this park and there is a historical iron mill. There's some beautiful ponds in addition to the lake. This is a great place to go for a hike or a bike ride, a swim or ride in the lake or a BBQ. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth checking out. read more

Had a great day with our kids here. The 'beach' was very clean and the lifeguards were attentive. The volleyball court sand was pretty soft, well kept and the playground near the lake had small rubber chips like mulch that made everything pretty safe. The bathrooms were open and clean for a park in the woods. The only thing even remotely disappointing was the food truck being closed. Overall it was a great experience and we'll definitely be back. read more

Great park. Park rangers are nice, lake is lovely and the woods are beautiful. Great place to hike.

Really lovely state park. Wish I got to stay longer but the locals here are very friendly and you can see they care about safety. Didn't get to experience the trails but we went to the beach by here and they have lifeguards. The beach was so clean and not too deep. They set up buoys so you can't go too far off and close the waters at a certain time (6pm on a Saturday). I was told there's people who sell food in the area too but only saw an icecream cart. Tons of people were camping with tents nearby as well. read more

Great Park Mostly Unspoiled Nice Trails Place Is Huge I go in the fall, winter and spring when the place is empty, this is when I can really enjoy the outdoors in quiet. Keep The Parks Clean And Your Dog On A Leash! read more

Wawayanda State Park - Burning Bush (heat wave edition) - Parks Near Me - Hewitt, New Jersey

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We were looking for a good local spot to bring our kayaks for the day. A few things to note: Parking is free before memorial weekend. After that it's $10 for a NJ plate car, and $20 for any other state (on weekends.) During the week I believe its $5/$10. I called the number on google, and surprisingly, they answered and were very informative. They do offer seasonal passes which is around $30 for NJ resident. This is a great place to kayak- there are several "islands" to explore and just great scenery all around. We also noticed tons of fishers out there on their boats, so I'm assuming it's a good place to do that as well. This lake is huge, we were tired before we could even make it around the whole thing. I'm not sure how great this would be for swimming, when we were kayaking we noticed tons of seaweed type plants in the water that would probably get wrapped around your legs. There's nothing worse than something unknown touching your leg in the water. Also, while the sand near the water is nice and clean, the grassy area (see pic) was covered in duck poop. It was really gross. If you're planning to bring your kids here make sure they wear shoes on the grass. They have actual bathrooms- but the toilets are those you find in porta potties; a scary unknown dark hole. read more

Wawayanda State Park - Great location to kayak - Parks Near Me - Hewitt, New Jersey

Fantastic spot to hike, walk, swim, and of course, take your doggies! The entire park is clean and kept extremely well!

I really enjoy exploring Wawayanda. It's really a lovely place to get out into nature. The beach is ok. It gets super busy quite quickly in the summer so come early and be prepared to be surrounded by people. It could use some covered pavilions. It has tables and a few BBQs. Every time I have gone the playground is in disrepair. The rest of the park is great for fishing, hiking and picnicking away from the beach area. The boats go early too but when you can get one, it's decent price and worth it. read more

Absolutely stunning!! Nice and peaceful area..very laid back. Pleasant views and hiking trails!! Definitely worth visiting!

Ok...I have mixed feelings about this one! The lake and the scenery is beautiful. The water was very clean. The sand and the beach however, had lots of poop. I guess they were geese poop but they looked bigger than what I would typically see in parks and fields. I don't get grossed out easily but if you decide to bring kids who want to play in the sand, it is pretty gross. I wish that they would clean it up every morning prior to opening. Besides, they open at 10 and the beach is not that big. So there should be enough time to scoop out the poop. Aside from that, the kids loved it and the lake was really fun for them. It doesn't go deep quickly and parents can enjoy watching their kids swim more as compared to going to an actual beach (ocean) where you worry about the waves. We went on a weekday and it wasn't crowded. read more

Wawayanda State Park - Little explorers at Lake Wawayanda! - Parks Near Me - Hewitt, New Jersey

Love this park. Nice rangers, boat rental, and beautiful scenery. I've been coming here for year's and it's always been a nice solace. The weekends do get packed and sometimes they reach capacity so go early or wait the rush and go later in the day. read more

Just came back from a wonderful day at Wawayanda with my hub. We got here before 9 at someone's suggestion, bc apparently they turn people away if the parking lot is full. We boated, hiked and picnicked on a lovely cloudy Sunday. Some key facts: --Opens at 8 on Sundays --$10 to get in if you have NJ plates. I think it's enforced only in the summer --$17/hr to rent a rowboat. Kinda expensive considering they're not in great shape --Lots of hiking trails right off the beach/picnic area --Tons of grills and picnic tables --Scary compost bathrooms (but at least there are options besides the woods) -Lots of wildlife: deer, possums, snakes, rabbits etc The drive here is also very beautiful. Definitely a great place to come for the day and enjoy nature! read more

The lake is great for fishing and paddling. The hiking trails, particularly east of Clinton Road, are some of the best in NJ. Great views, varied terrain. Trails throughout the park range from easy walks on old carriage roads, to heart pumping, rugged steeps. The wildlife I've encountered in Wawayanda includes bear, snakes of many kinds (including rattlesnakes), bobcat, bald eagles and beaver. Not to mention the variety of fish that roam the waters of the main lake. Trout, landlocked salmon, bass, pike, pickerel, catfish and more. If you are just there to hike and don't feel like paying the entrance fee (Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend), find yourself the North Jersey trail map set from www.nynjtc.org and you'll see many trailheads and parking areas that don't require that you pass through the entrance gates. Nothing illegal about it. What's not to like here? The masses can hang out by the lake and if you want to get away from the crowds there is plenty of space to wander. read more

Absolutely gorgeous. Love this place. Peaceful, interesting.

Lovely north Jersey state park. Actives include, but are not limited to the following: Mountain biking Hiking Picnicking Wildlife watching People Watching (Summer) Autumn Leave gazing (Fall) Roam the woods alone (Winter) Smell the outdoors (Spring) ~Check this site for a quick guide: http://www.njskylands.com/pkwawayanda.htm read more

Always a great day when hiking here. Love being outdoors and getting fresh air. Can't wait to check out more trails. read more

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Great place to get away from the stresses of work. Lots of activities to do. Hiking, swimming, paddle boating, canoeing, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, camping. Most of it for free! (Bring your own horse) Parking may be extra. The beach on the lake is wonderful. It's well kept and the water is refreshing. The grills at the picnic area are mostly in great condition. Granted they're not covered, but it's nice to have more than a dozen relatively clean grills at your disposal. The biggest drawback is the park is relatively weak for hiking. Very easy trails. Not much incline. Trails are only about 1.5-2 mi then you have to hop onto another. We ended up off the beaten path in order to entertain ourselves. We did run into a snake while off the paths which was fun. Another drawback is the campsites appear to be right on the main trails. Expect hikers and mountain bikers to pass your camp by quite regularly. Overall, this place is a lot of fun and very relaxing if you know what to expect. read more

The lake is deep, The trails are long. The mountains are steep. But my directions were wrong. This place is huge and full of wildlife. Bears abound. Snakes in the summer. Bus loads of inconsiderate pricks leaving their garbage behind. read more

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Clear water and clean beaches is what you will find at this state park. They have lots of amenities here like a dog beach, fishing, boating, bathroom and showers.There is also a small snack stand and grills everywhere. Long hours let you spend the day here with lots of nearby attractions in Warwick, NY. Can't wait to explore this place more! read more

Wawayanda State Park - Enjoying a beautiful sunset! - Parks Near Me - Hewitt, New Jersey

I came for a swim at the lake with family. I give this a 2 bc we had a good time, people were socially distant on the grass and we got in with no hassle. However!! The bathroom was absolutely disgusting and not clean whatsoever. There was pee and feces all around the toilet, it smelled terrible and there was nothing but flies inside. That bathroom has NOT been cleaned for a long time, you can just tell. They only opened a small part of the water so a lot of people were closer together in the water than anything else. read more

Good hike around the lake. Trails are well marked and in the summer the have boat rentals. Lots of dogs. It's a carry out park and its relatively clean. It's a park not anything to write home about. read more

Wawayanda State Park - Big lake. Long walk around the whole thing. - Parks Near Me - Hewitt, New Jersey

Wow what a beautiful park! So much wild life. The views of the lake are breath taking. The hiking trail are pretty cool too. During the summer you can rent kayaks and boats to go into the lake. They also have life guards during the summer. read more

Great place on a hot day just make sure you bring cash for the snack shop. Low price and ton of time to relax in the sun. read more

The boat rentals in Waywayanda state park are horrible. This past weekend I was there at 8am when they were supposed to open but the two hungover workers decided not to show up until 9:30. After thirty min of them trying to help the long line of people that had been waiting they had to swap out several electric motors and batteries for my boat which none of which ended up working. It seems the motors were wrapped in fishing line since they aren't maintained. Since I couldn't go out on the lake I got a refund for the boat rental but they wouldn't credit me for the park fee "sorry bro my register will be short at the end of the day."- Justin AKA hungover moron... They wasted two hours of my time at the park plus two hours round trip in driving, wasted gas, money for fishing bait, money on the park etc... Other customers said this is typical for them... read more

Gorgeous, but do yourself a favor and come on a weekday if you can. Otherwise, you will probably not be able to secure a grill if you don't come mega early. Not only that, you may not be able to get in if they are full to capacity, and in that case they may reopen at around 3:00, depending. There's a great beach, concession stand, and boat rental. There are a few islands on the lake you can row to, also. It's dog friendly as long as your pup is on a leash- I've seen several people take their dogs for a swim outside the official swim area. Beautiful place! read more

The best place to Mtn Bike this side of the Rockies. Endless trails, lots of technical ones. Exposed roots. I love it! Well worth the drive if you have the day to ride. read more

This is one of my favorite hiking places. I usually go during the fall when the park isn't crowded.

I would recommend going during a weekday since weekends are very crowded and more double the price of entry. Also, go EARLY if you plan to go on a weekend because once the parking lot is full, they will NOT let you in. The lake is enormous but you can only swim in a small restricted area (hence it's crowded), which seems very unfair because the other side is restricted for fishing. OHHH and yes! There will be fish in the water swimming beneath you! On another note, I guess they do it as a safety measure so that swimmers do not get pierced by the fisher's fishing line lol. read more

Went for a nice long walk with the dogs today. Wonderful place, very clean. Lots of people at the beach but we avoided. Very quiet and serene on the trails. Historic furnace was very cool and interesting. Trails were clear and well marked. You don't have to pay to park of you walk in and jump on the trails that start at the entrance. The employees were all very pleasant even when we let the dogs off leash (a big no no) we were very politely reminded to put the back on. Trails were not tough at all so keep that in mind if you're looking to push yourself. I was only trying to sweat out a hangover and this was a perfect cure! Will absolutely be back! Also, don't be a jerk--take your garbage with you. read more

We tried to hike some of the trails before jumping in the lake but the lot was full by noon. Make sure you come earlier in the morning, especially if it's a weekend. We went on another hike in the area (there are tons), doubled back around 5pm and didn't have to pay an entrance fee, plus the beach was empty so win win. Nice lake, bathrooms are rather dirty though so knocked off a star for that. Tons of things to do around the area even if you do get stuck. read more

Went to the park on a beautiful day at the end of September. Very good trails,lots of parking space,lots of grills.We did a bit of all and it was a lot of fun. From a couple of reviews,we gathered that it is not crowded in fall,spring and winter.So chose this September day to visit the park with some friends. There were really a very few people. The parking is free after labor day. They have kayaks,row boats and paddle boats.So did a little bit of rowing :)The lake is beautiful and as the leaves had just started changing colors,it looked awesome with all the different hues. The trails are also well marked and are good for a hike ranging from an hour to 8 hours. We hiked on two of the trails. It has an old iron furnace,its just a structure but I guess it dates back to the 1800s. The grills were in a good condition and were many. There are a few along the lake as well. It is just about hour and 40 minutes away from NYC. All in all it is great fun. read more

Love this park! It was our family's first time there; the other lake we frequent was closed so we decided to take a chance on this one. It was fairly empty on a Wednesday in July. We brought our kayaks, grill favs and good old charcoal and made a day of it...it was great! There is a sandy area for the kids to enjoy by the water. There is lots of shade, picnic tables, bbq grills, and even a small playground for the kids. The bath house was fine and there was a food truck with ice cream, water, etc. For a $5 carload entrance fee, you can't beat it! If you are into the great outdoors and aren't too finicky about some poop on the grass (geese or what-have-you) then check this place out! read more

Great park! Kept clean and professional staff. The park wasn't packed on a Monday but I have heard it gets full on the weekends.