Hopatcong State Park

Hopatcong State Park

Hopatcong State Park is a State Park located in Landing, New Jersey. At the center of the park lies Lake Hopatcong. The lake is nine miles in length and covered by 2,500 acres of freshwater. Hopatcong State Park is at the southwest end of the lake and is a popular spot for fishing, boating, and swimming. Lake Hopatcong was originally created as part of the Morris Canal, a 90-mile waterway that ran from Newark to Phillipsburg and was the chief means of transporting coal, iron and zinc across New Jersey in the 1860s. The lake was the canal’s major source of water. Since the more efficient Morris and Essex Railroad was established, the canal was abandoned. The historical museum is located in the old Morris Canal locktender’s house and offers exhibits on local American Indian history, the Morris Canal and the history of the lake.