The lifeguards are back.

Starting this week, New Jersey State Parks are posting guards at lakefront swimming areas across the state, from Cape May County all the way up to the Highlands. Swimming hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, and the rule is the same at every location: you swim when the lifeguard is on the stand, not before, not after.

If you have been waiting for a reason to get out of the house and away from the Shore crowds, this is it.

SEE ALSO: The best swimming in NJ this summer — no ocean required 

Seven parks, seven lakes — here’s what to know

Cheesequake State Park in Matawan opened today, June 17. The swimming area sits on Hooks Creek Lake, a six-acre freshwater lake tucked inside one of the more geologically interesting parks in the state — it sits right at the boundary where the northern hardwood forest meets the southern pine barrens ecosystem, which is not something you find anywhere else in New Jersey. If you have kids who want to crab, the crabbing bridge is a short walk from the swimming area.

Hopatcong State Park also opened today. Lake Hopatcong is the largest freshwater lake in New Jersey — 4 square miles of water, 45 miles of shoreline, restaurants and marinas along its edges. The state park beach is your access point for lifeguarded swimming, with volleyball courts and a concession nearby.

Round Valley Recreation Area in Readington, Hunterdon County, opened today as well. This one is worth the drive. Round Valley Reservoir covers 2,350 acres and reaches approximately 180 feet deep, making it the second-deepest lake in New Jersey and the largest reservoir. The swimming area is a separate impoundment from the main reservoir. The water is brisk, clear and cold. Four state fishing records have been set here. If your family likes to go deep, Round Valley also offers wilderness camping accessible only by hiking or boat. 

Wawayanda State Park in Hewitt opens June 18. The clear waters of Lake Wawayanda draw visitors from across the state. Swimmers can catch glimpses of fish as they swim by. Adjacent to the beach are changing stations, restrooms, a first-aid station, and a concession stand. Twenty miles of the Appalachian Trail run through the park, so pair the swim with a hike if you have the legs for it. 

Three South Jersey gems open Thursday

Atsion Recreation Area at Wharton State Forest opens June 19. This is the one I grew up closest to, and if you have never been, you are missing something. Atsion is a recreation area within 115,000-acre Wharton State Forest — a 100-acre lake, a swimming beach, 50 campsites, and a mansion that remembers when iron was king in the Pine Barrens. The water is naturally tea-colored from the tannins in cedar and pine — not polluted, just the Pines doing what the Pines do. Canoe and kayak rentals are available on Atsion Lake. 

Bass River State Forest in New Gretna opens June 19. Bass River was the first of New Jersey’s state forests, established in 1905 for public recreation, water conservation, and wildlife and timber management. Bald eagles and osprey have been seen over Lake Absegami. The lake sits inside the Pinelands National Reserve and the Batona Trail — 53 miles of pink-blazed trail through three state forests — runs right through the property. 

Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine, Cape May County, opens June 19. The swimming lake here is Lake Nummy, which sounds like a children’s book character and delivers on that promise. The CCC converted Meisle Cranberry Bog into Lake Nummy, a popular swimming, boating and fishing area. Belleplain is also internationally known for spring birding migration, with Prothonotary and Yellow-Throated Warblers nesting in the forest during summer. If you are heading to Cape May and want a detour on the way down, this is the stop. 

Before you go

All seven parks enforce the same basic rules: no inner tubes, rafts, or flotation devices in the swimming area. Coast Guard-approved life jackets only. No pets on the beach. Swimming stops when the lifeguard leaves the stand.

Parks close temporarily when they hit capacity on busy weekends and holidays. Check the New Jersey State Parks Facebook page before you leave — they update closures in real time. Bring cash for parking, haul out your own trash, and get there early on weekends.

The water is ready. The guards are on the stand. Go.

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