In order to protect public safety and natural resources, New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife will again close areas within five Wildlife Management Areas in New Jersey. These areas have attracted large crowds and unauthorized activities – including swimming and off-road vehicle use – creating an unsafe environment. Some areas that have been seasonally closed in previous years will remain open this year with zero tolerance for illegal swimming, illegal parking, and any other violation of WMA regulations.

Signs will be posted in the closed areas and New Jersey Conservation Police Officers will be enforcing the closures.

The closures are pursuant to N.J.S.A. 23:7-9 and N.J.A.C. 7:25-2.26 and are effective May 25, 2023, through September 4, 2023.

These areas will reopen on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

NJDEP Fish and Wildlife regrets having to close these areas and understands the frustration of law-abiding users of the Wildlife Management Area system and has worked hard to address these concerns and adapted this year’s seasonal closures accordingly.

If illegal activities and unsafe situations occur at any Wildlife Management Area, NJ Fish and Wildlife Conservation Police reserve the right to close all or part of any WMA to ensure public safety and resource protection. 

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!

Closure area maps are shown below through the Wildlife Management Area Explorer App :

• Cedar Lake WMA – Sand Plant Area
• Greenwood Forest WMA – Parkers Pit Area and Clay Holes Area
• Menantico Ponds WMA* – Area 1 , Area 2 , and Area 3
• Wildcat Ridge WMA – Area in Splitrock Reservoir known as “The Cliffs”
• Winslow WMA – Winslow East (Hot Mix) Area

*The closed areas for Menantico Ponds WMA have changed from previous years. Please see the newest closure maps for the 2023 closed areas.

New Jersey’s Wildlife Management Areas