One of New Jersey’s great natural treasures you have to check out

I recently had the chance to check out one of the few New Jersey outdoor treasures that I had never been to before.

While looking for a good place to cast a lure or two and do some trout fishing, I ended up at Spruce Run Recreation Area in Clinton.

SEE MORE: The best Mediterranean/Greek restaurant in a great Jersey town

It's off season, so there was no admission and all of the concessions and beach facilities were not in operation. It was still breathtaking to see such a big, beautiful lake here in New Jersey.

In the summertime, this place is hopping with large crowds looking to cool off or enjoy a day on the water boating.

The reservoir was formed by creating a series of dams that allowed two major sources, the Spruce Run and its tributary, the Mulhockaway Creek, to flood the basin that was created.

In the 1920s, the Elizabethtown Water Company thought to buy the land and build a reservoir to provide for the growing water demands. The state of New Jersey resumed those plans to build the reservoir in 1956, and by 1964, construction of the reservoir was completed.

The state park offers fishing, hunting, camping, picnicking, and many beautiful walking trails are all available at this amazing park. No swimming allowed in the 2025 season.

You should know that in all New Jersey state parks, alcohol is prohibited within the park and reservoir. The park has 67 campsites, which come equipped with a picnic table, fire ring, and parking spot large enough for most camping trailers and RVs.

Campsites are $20 a night for in-state residents and $25 a night for out-of-state visitors. There are also three cabins that are available for rent at the park. You should plan to reserve those early if you're interested.

The campgrounds are open from April 1 through Oct. 31.

The reservoir offers a great variety of fish for anglers. It's home to 29 different species of game fish. The Division of Fish and Wildlife supplies annually trout hatchlings to the lake and its tributaries.

Other species that can be caught include largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, carp, hybrid striped bass, yellow perch, multiple different species of sunfish, and several types of catfish, including channel catfish.

Even if you're only interested in taking in the beauty and walking around this amazing state park, Spruce Run Reservoir is worth the trip from any part of the Garden State.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

Report a correction 👈