What Can You Do at Cattus Island County Park in Toms River, NJ?

What can you do at Cattus Island County Park in Toms River, NJ? Cattus Island County Park, at 1170 Cattus Island Boulevard in Toms River, NJ 08753, is a 530-acre Ocean County park with 7 miles of trails along Barnegat Bay and the Cooper Environmental Center, and it opens at 7 a.m. every day.

Most of Toms River sits on the mainland along the Toms River and Barnegat Bay, and Cattus Island gives the township a big stretch of woods and salt marsh right on the bay. Here's what the park has, when it's open, and what the streets around it look like, from The Dennis Mark Group. Dennis Mark Interdonato is a REALTOR® and Master CDRE® who leads The Dennis Mark Group at Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living in Point Pleasant, NJ, helping buyers and sellers throughout New Jersey make their next move, with Monmouth and Ocean County as home base.

What is Cattus Island County Park in Toms River, NJ?

It's one of the parks run by Ocean County Parks and Recreation, and the county lists it at 530 acres with 7 miles of trails. The trails lead to views of Barnegat Bay, and the county's brochure describes three different settings inside the park: the forest, the salt marsh and the bay itself.

The county's page lists what the park has:

• Nature trails and scenic boardwalks
• Birding, photography and scenic overlooks
• A conservation area and environmental education
• A picnic area and a playground
• Cross-country skiing in winter
• An accessible environmental center with restrooms

There's also a Butterfly Garden with native plants and pollinators. The brochure says the garden is open all year and is most active from mid-May to mid-October. Its plants give nectar and shelter to hummingbirds and butterflies.

When is Cattus Island open, and does it cost anything?

The park opens at 7 a.m., and the county posts its closing times by date, so they shift with the daylight. The county's brochure lists admission to the park and to the Cooper Environmental Center as free.

• From November 3: the park closes at 5 p.m.
• From January 26: it closes at 5:30 p.m.
• From February 9: it closes at 6 p.m.
• From February 23: it closes at 6:30 p.m.

The entrance is at 1170 Cattus Island Boulevard, Toms River, NJ 08753. Check the Cattus Island County Park page before you head out, because the county posts trail updates and park news there.

What is inside the Cooper Environmental Center?

The Cooper Environmental Center is the park's nature center, and the county describes it as newly renovated with brand new exhibits. Inside, you'll find a live view osprey cam, a habitat tree and tunnel, a bird viewing area, a hands-on activity corner, and a collection of live reptiles and fish.

The exhibits focus on the park and on Barnegat Bay. The county's Cattus Island brochure says they cover the local history, wildlife and ecology of the bay.

The center keeps its own hours, which are shorter than the park's:

• Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Major holidays: closed

The county's online newsletter lists the programs held at the center, some free and some with a fee.

What should you know before you go to Cattus Island?

Pick up a trail map first, because the county asks every visitor to take one. These tips come from the county's page and brochure:

• Take a map from the nature center or read the trail kiosk, and check the closing times posted at the park entrance.
• A printed map from the kiosk beats an old map saved on your phone, since the county updates its online maps often.
• The county's page links an Ocean County Trail Tracker, which shows where you are on the trail map.
• Dogs stay on a leash, and you pick up after them. Alcohol, smoking and campfires aren't allowed.
• Stay on the marked trails, carry out your trash, and watch the wildlife from a distance.

The park also has a wheelchair-accessible 1,000-foot ADA boardwalk. The brochure's seasonal list points to the fall foliage along the trails in autumn and the winter birds that visit the park's feeders.

What are the streets and homes like near Cattus Island?

The park's next-door neighbor is Snug Harbor, a waterfront neighborhood on Silver Bay with Fischer Boulevard as its western edge. A canal system gives nearly every home there water access, and most homes have a private dock.

Almost all of Snug Harbor is zoned R-75, with lagoon lots 65 to 75 feet wide, and 429 of its 454 parcels are single-family homes. The houses run from ranches to colonials and modern styles, and recent MLS-based records show homes built from 1958 to 2018.

Silverton is another Toms River neighborhood that counts Cattus Island among its parks. Colonials are the most common style there, with many split-levels too, and the oldest homes date to 1900. Some sections carry association fees and others don't.

Fischer Boulevard runs along Snug Harbor's west side, with shops and restaurants. Garden State Parkway Exits 82 and 82A connect with Route 37, and Exit 83 serves Route 9 north. My Toms River town page covers the rest of the township.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cattus Island County Park free?

Yes. The county's brochure lists admission to the park and the Cooper Environmental Center as free.

How big is Cattus Island County Park?

The county lists the park at 530 acres, with 7 miles of trails.

What time does Cattus Island close in November?

From November 3, the park closes at 5 p.m. It opens at 7 a.m.

Are dogs allowed at Cattus Island?

Yes, on a leash at all times, and you pick up after your pet.

Why Cattus Island Is Part of Toms River

Toms River has Route 37, Ortley Beach and the Halloween parade downtown. Cattus Island is the other side of the township, with 530 acres of woods and salt marsh right on Barnegat Bay. I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato, your local lifestyle connector, and I write these town blogs so you know the places in the towns where I sell homes.

If the bay side of Toms River has your attention, browse homes for sale in Toms River, read more of my town blogs, or see another county park in my blog on Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold Township.

Hours, admission and park details come from Ocean County Parks' Cattus Island County Park page and the county's Cattus Island brochure, checked November 14, 2026. They can change, so confirm before you go.