• History and Establishment
    The land was acquired between the late 1960's and the early 1970's. It consists of 50-plus pieces of property, which included many farms. Ground was broken for the lake in June 1971.  Because of the construction of Routes I-95 and I-295, the lake basin was excavated at no cost to the county.  The county sold the gravel to the highway contractors, which in turn helped excavate the basin now known as Lake Mercer.   At the rear of excavation there was one truckload of gravel leaving the area per minute from 7:00AM until 7:00 PM, six days per week.

    Today, Mercer County Park encompasses over 2,500 acres covering areas of the Townships of West Windsor, Hamilton and Lawrence. The Park has year-round facilities for all ages and includes both active and passive recreational opportunities.

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  • Facilities
    • 17 Athletic Fields used for soccer, football, lacrosse, Frisbee and more.

    • Ice Skating Center

    • Tennis Center -24 total courts, six of which are covered and are lit.

    • Cross Country Track

    • Mountain Biking

    • Boat House/Marina

    • Finn Casperson Rowing Center

    • Crew Course

    • Nature Trail length

    • Fishing

    • Nature Study

    • Nature Photography

    • Hiking and Jogging

    • Bike Trail and Inline Skating

    • Picnic Areas

    • Basketball Courts

    • Dog Park-One each for large and small dogs

    • 3 Sand Volleyball Courts

    • 2 Cricket Pitches

    • 7 basketball courts

    • 10 softball fields

    • Veterans Memorial Park

    • Various parking Facilities capable of hosting number of cars

    • 7 Comfort stations
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  • Programs and Activities
    Each year MCP hosts hundreds of diverse events throughout the year.  Listed below are highlighted annual events that have become a tradition in the park.  For the most up to date schedule with specific information please visit the web site.

    April
    Mercer County Improvement Authority Earth Day
    March of Dimes 36th Annual Walkathon

    May
    Trenton Kennel Dog Show
    Lymphoma Research Foundation Walkathon
    Mercer County Baseball Tournament
    Women's Heart Found. Mother/Daughter Walk
    Nat'l Kidney Foundation Walkathon
    Renaissance Faire
    NCAA Rowing Championships

    June
    Sunburst Soccer Tournament
    JAGS Soccer Tournament
    American Cancer Society "Run For Dad"

    July
    FREEDOM FEST-Fireworks, Concerts & Fun
    Trenton Thunder RBI Tournament
    Tri-State National Lacrosse Tournament
    New Jersey State TRIATHALON

    August
    Trentonian Softball Tournament
    Dragon Boat Festival

    September
    INDO-AMERICAN FAIR   
    FISA World Masters Rowing    
    American Heart Assoc. - HEARTWALK   
    Italian American Festival     
    Leukemia/Lymphoma Society "LIGHT THE NIGHT" 

    October
    C.R.O.P. Walk for Hunger    
    Nat'l Assoc. .Autism Research Walkathon

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  • Hours & General Information
    Hours-Mercer County Park is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, dawn to dusk.

    Contact Information-

    Phone (Picnics, Recreation, Events, Operations & Maintenance): (609) 448-1947

    Park Rangers: (609) 443-8956.

    Cost: There are no fees for individuals using the general park during regular hours.  Some special events do charge a nominal fee that is closely monitored by the MCPC and is used for either operation, maintenance or capital expense related to Mercer County park and programming.

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  • Did You Know Facts
    Man Made?  The dam was built to control flooding by the Assunpink Creek to protect certain sections of the city of Trenton. This project turned a marsh into a man made lake for boating and fishing which led to the development of the boathouse and marina and eventually the entire surrounding park.

    In a typical year the park attracts over 400,000 athletes/participants/users and over 430,000 spectators.

    Under the direction of the Supervisor, there are 11 full time Mercer County Park Rangers that patrol all MCPC facilities year round, 7 days a week. Each is certified in First Aid, CPR, & AED , and can be seen on foot, mountain bike, ATV or SUV.

    The National Softball Association recently awarded the MCPC with its "Outstanding Parks Award" for the softball fields and facilities in Mercer County Park.

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