Mercer County Park Marina Opens This Weekend

The marina at Mercer County Park opens for the season this weekend.

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Mercer County Park Commission invite residents to kick off the summer on Saturday, May 21, and Sunday, May, 22, at Mercer County Park.

“The marina on beautiful Mercer Lake and the surrounding picnic areas and playgrounds is one of our most popular destinations,” Hughes said Tuesday morning. “Come and see why Mercer County Park is one of the best parks in the state.”

The marina includes a lakeside boathouse, a free boat ramp for launching small boats, 1,000 square feet of docks, and rentals of kayaks, pedal boats and rowboats. Fishing is permitted from rowboats only. Anyone 15 years or older must have a valid fishing license.

The marina’s snack bar is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The snack bar includes hot dogs, pretzels, ice cream, soft drinks, coffee and more.

Pedal boat and rowboat rentals are $18 per hour for Mercer County residents and $20 per hour for non-residents; single-person kayak rentals are $18 per hour for Mercer County residents and $20 per hour for non-residents; and double-person kayaks are available for $22 per hour for Mercer County residents and $24 per hour for non-residents.

Pontoon boat lake tours will start on Saturday, May 21. Prices for Mercer County residents are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 62 and older, and $6 for children 11 and under.

Prices for non-residents are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 62 and older, and $8 for children.

The pontoon boat rides are a weather-permitting 50-minute lake tour on Saturdays and Sundays, May 21 through Labor Day (June 4, 5, 11, 12 and 18 excluded; marina will be closed for events on Mercer Lake).

Tours begin at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The boat has a 15-person capacity.

Marina hours of operation are Saturday, May 21; Sunday, May 22; Saturday, May 28; Sunday, May 29; and Monday, May 30, from noon to 6 p.m.; and from June 15 to Sept. 5 (Labor Day), Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

The marina will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the summer, and the marina boat rental will be closed Saturday, June 4; Sunday, June 5; Saturday, June 11; Sunday, June 12; and Saturday, June 18, for events on Mercer Lake. All boat rentals are weather permitting.

Mercer Meadows, Rosedale Park District in Hopewell Township, also offers a variety of outdoor activities.

The park is a prime fishing location as its 38-acre lake is stocked with trout and features a public-access boat launch open to rowboats, canoes and boats with electric motors.

Rosedale also has a picnic area, two playgrounds, 5-acre off-leash Dog Park and an extensive network of hiking trails.

For more information on activities at Mercer Lake and the marina, please contact the Mercer County Park Marina at 609-448-4004.

Also upcoming at Mercer County Park:

• Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship, June 3, 4 and 5 on Mercer Lake.
• U.S. Rowing Youth National Championship, June 9, 10, 11 and 12 on Mercer Lake.
• Paddle for Pink Dragon Boat Races, June 18 on Mercer Lake.
• Freedom Festival, the annual Independence Day fair, Saturday, June 25, from 3 to 11 p.m. at the Mercer County Park Festival Grounds.
• Summer Concert Series at the Festival Grounds: Saturday, July 23, 6 to 10 p.m. featuring Blue Meanies and Satisfaction; Saturday, July 30, 6 to 10 p.m., featuring Local Legends; Saturday, Aug. 6, 6 to 10 p.m., featuring The Prophets and 80’s UnderCover; Saturday, Aug. 20, 6 to 10 p.m., Human Wheels and Best of the Eagles.

For more information about guidelines and prices at the marina, please visit the Mercer County Park Commission website at http://mercercountyparks.org/facilities/mercer-county-park-marina-boathouse.

For information about other parks of the Mercer County Park Commission, visit http://mercercountyparks.org/.

The attached image was provided by Mercer County officials.