Listing correction
Surprise Lake: Swimming Prohibited
Greenwood Lake (NY), West Milford (NJ), NJ
Do not swim here
Do not swim in Surprise Lake. NJDEP permits State Park Service swimming only in designated areas with lifeguards on duty; the site-specific njHiking route also explicitly identifies swimming here as prohibited.
We previously described this location as a swimming spot. That recommendation was incorrect. We have removed it from our swimming recommendations, directory results, and swimming maps. This page remains available to correct that information for anyone following an older link.
Do not treat older directions, photographs, or reports of people swimming as permission to enter the water. Check the managing authority's current notices and obey all posted access restrictions, including any park or trail closures.
Surprise Lake: a hiking destination, not a swim stop
This is the forest lake in Abram S. Hewitt State Forest near Greenwood Lake, not Lake Surprise in Watchung Reservation or the New York summer camp with a similar name. Our previous swimming recommendation and camp connection were incorrect.
Swimming is prohibited
NJDEP's statewide swimming advisory requires a designated area and lifeguards on duty. The site-specific route author explicitly says swimming in Surprise Lake is prohibited. Stay out of the water; old visitor photos do not grant permission.
Pick a route, not just a distance
The Trail Conference describes a strenuous 6.7-mile loop. njHiking describes a 4.1-mile loop and a 2.5-mile lake out-and-back. These are different published itineraries, not competing measurements of one short walk. Both require rocky climbing. Use a current map and choose a return route you can complete.
Correct the approach
The old directions omitted the yellow Ernest Walter connection from State Line. ATC's Prospect Rock description also uses State Line from the marina area, but its destination is different. Do not follow that hike expecting it to be a direct lake route. Check signs and authorized parking before setting out.
Plan without assumed amenities
The retained coordinates locate West Milford approximately, not a lake entrance. Carry your own water and navigation. Current toilets, parking terms and camping permission have not been established by this review. This page remains available to correct outdated advice but is excluded from swimming recommendations.
Visitor questions
Can you swim at Surprise Lake in New Jersey?
No. Swimming is prohibited. Hiking access and photographs of past swimmers do not authorize water entry.
Does State Line Trail alone lead to the lake?
The published lake routes use an Ernest Walter Trail connection. Consult a current map; the older directions on this site omitted that junction.
Why do hiking guides give different distances?
They describe different itineraries. Choose a specific mapped route rather than mixing a lake out-and-back, a loop and a separate Prospect Rock outing.
Is the map pin a verified parking area?
No. It is an approximate West Milford town location, not a verified lake or trailhead pin. Confirm parking using the route map and current signs.
Is this Lake Surprise in Watchung or Surprise Lake Camp?
No. Those are different places. This listing concerns Surprise Lake in Abram S. Hewitt State Forest near Greenwood Lake.
Official sources
Rules checked: