Howell residents looking to enjoy the cool autumn weather are in luck: the Manasquan Reservoir will stay open through the Fall.

A highly visited park in Monmouth County, the Reservoir contains 1,208 acres of nature, a five-mile walking trail, a one mile nature trail, a playground, and opportunities for boating, kayaking, and fishing. According to the Monmouth County Park System, the Manasquan Reservoir is “the most visited site in the Monmouth County Park System, over one million visitors come to the Manasquan Reservoir each year.”

In October, the park opens at 6:00am and closes at 7:30pm. Face coverings are required in all park buildings and outdoors when social distancing cannot be reasonably maintained.

In addition to being an important spot for recreation, the Manasquan Reservoir serves an important municipal function. The Monmouth County Park System notes that “The reservoir is an important part of the water supply in Monmouth County. Water from the Manasquan River enters and exits the reservoir through the inlet/outlet tower in the front of the main dam. With a 4 billion gallon water capacity and a maximum depth of 40 feet, the reservoir can supply up to 30 million gallons of water a day.”