Island Beach State Park Ready For Memorial Day Weekend

ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK - Island Beach State Park will be open on Memorial Day weekend and fully staffed with lifeguards, a state Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson said.

The park will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., only on weekends, from Memorial Day through June 15, at swimming area 1, spokesperson Larry Hajna said.

Starting on June 16 through Labor Day, the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week at swimming areas 1 and 2, he said.

After Labor Day, Island Beach will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends only.

The Fisherman's Walkway will open on June 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., for seven days a week through Labor Day.

Visitors should be aware that Island Beach and other state parks often reach "full capacity" on holiday and summer weekends and should plan ahead, according to the DEP's website.

When a park's capacity has been reached, the park will close and traffic will be turned away from the park entrance, according to the DEP's website.

"When the park is closed due to being full to capacity, only individuals and groups with shelter and/or camping reservations will be admitted, as parking is reserved for those purposes," the post states.

Friday will be sunny and Saturday's forecast is for partly sunny until later in the day, when isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected to move in. Showers and thunderstorms are also expected on Sunday and Monday, the National Weather Service says.

The entry fee per carload per resident is $6 on weekdays, and $10 on weekends. The weekday fee for non-residents is $10 and $20 on weekends.

Photo: Courtesy of Friends of Island Beach State Park