Highlands Natural Pool
180 Snake Den Road – Ringwood, NJ

Yes. Day Passes are available for non-members to purchase at the pool entrance. Parking is free. The pool accepts cash and credit cards for payment. We do not sell day passes in advance. Each visitor must purchase a day pass whether they plan to swim or not.

Before you visit, please familiarize yourself with our Visitor Rules. Alcohol, smoking, vaping, recreational drugs, and stereos (any amplified music or speech) are not allowed anywhere on Pool or New Weis Center properties, including the field. You can bring your own food and drinks (no alcoholic beverages) or we have a snack stand offering a variety of drinks and snacks. The pool deck has chaise lounge chairs and there are tables and chairs just outside the swimming area (first-come, first served). We have a picnic grove where tables with grills are available for an additional fee. You can also bring your own chairs and blankets. Pets are only allowed in the picnic grove, they must be attended, on a leash, and quiet at all times. You are responsible to clean up immediately after your pet. Food and beverages except for (water or seltzer) are not allowed on the pool deck to keep bees and ants away. The pool deck is the area inside of the wooden fence. Please apply SPRAY-ON sunscreen outside of the pool area - these products contain benzene which can be inhaled by those around you causing dizziness and headaches.

Yes, the pool snack stand offers a variety of hot and cold snacks, ice cream, and drinks. You can also bring your own food and drink, but please be aware that no alcoholic beverages, including beer, are allowed anywhere, at any time, on Highlands Pool property. Anyone bringing alcohol or recreational drugs onto the property will be required to leave. On the pool deck, no food or beverages except for water/seltzer are allowed so as to not attract bees and ants.

Yes, just outside the Pool gates there is a Picnic Grove. Tables are free for Members and can be reserved in advance. For day-visitors, there is a $25 fee to use a picnic table and charcoal grill. This fee is in addition to the per-person Pool admission fee, whether you plan to swim or just use a table in our Picnic Grove. No open fires, wood-burning, or portable charcoal grills are allowed. Table-top propane grills are okay. No cooking is allowed in the Weis field. No chemical starter or treated (self-starting) briquettes are allowed in the grills. We have chemical-free starters available. All garbage and recycling must be picked up and separately bagged (bags are available at the office). You may place the bags by the picnic table when you leave. Visitors must familiarize themselves with the Visitor Rules that govern the swimming pool, Picnic Grove and the rest of the property. Please read these before you visit.

Yes, the pool has changing facilities and a cold-water rinse off shower. The pool also has modern restroom facilities.

The pool closes sharply at 6:00 pm daily. The parking lot is closed and locked soon after that. The Weis Center property closes at dusk.

To reach the pool using public transportation, use a combination of NJ Transit buses and a ride-sharing service. From the NYC Port Authority Bus Terminal (42nd and 8th), take the NJ Transit #197 bus to the Lakeside Diner (16 Greenwood Lake Turnpike, Ringwood, NJ). From the diner, you're 2.9 miles away from the pool. The road to the pool is narrow and winding without sidewalks. There are no taxi cabs in Ringwood, but there are a number of local Uber and Lyft drivers who can bring you to the pool. We recommend that you arrange your trip with a driver in advance.

Being a natural pool, we strive to protect the creatures who reside in the pool. Therefore we strongly recommend that all members and guests only use sunscreen that is "reef safe." These sunscreen products contain the active ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These will be listed on the container. Here is more information on sunscreens that are "reef safe." Also, we ask that guests not use spray sunscreen within the pool area.

The pool provides tables and chairs on a grassy area within the pool gates and chaise lounge chairs in the swimming area. These are available on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of picnic tables with grills are also available for a fee in our Picnic Grove. You can bring your own blankets and chairs to be used on the field outside of the pool gates.

Pets are only allowed in the picnic grove. All pets must be attended (not left alone), on a leash, and quiet at all times. You are responsible to clean up immediately after your pet.

No. Children must be supervised at all times by an adult.

Smoking and vaping is not allowed on the pool grounds or the New Weis Center property. This includes Hookahs!

Yes. Within the pool gates we have a paver walkway leading to the pool. The shallow section of the pool has a hardscape bottom that features a gentle slope leading into the water. Noodles and flotation devices are allowed. Please note that there is no paved path from the parking lot to the pool entrance. By making arrangements in advance, you can drive to the pool entrance and park. Please call the pool at 973-835-4299 to speak with the manager who can arrange to have the roadway to the pool entrance opened.

This rarely happens (only on holidays and extremely hot weekend days). What often does fill up is our parking lot. If that happens, there is a larger parking lot for the New Weis Center on the right just before the pool parking lot. Please note that parking on Snake Den road is not allowed. We recommend you call the pool at 973-835-4299 before your visit for the latest status.

The fenced-in shallow area has a gentle incline sloping to 4 feet deep. In the section for experienced swimmers, the pool slopes from 6 feet up to 10 feet in depth.

Yes, there is a fenced, shallow section for children and non-swimmers. Infants and toddlers in diapers MUST wear swim diapers (waterproof). Everyone under the age of 18 must pass a swimming test to enter the deep-water section of the pool. For safety reasons, there are NO exceptions to this rule.

Cell service is can be spotty. The pool does offer free Wifi, ask the gate attendant for the password.

Yes, just outside the Pool there is a Picnic Grove. Tables are free for Members and can be reserved in advance. For day-visitors, there is a $25 fee to use a picnic table and charcoal grill. This fee is in addition to the per-person Pool admission fee, whether you plan to swim or just use a table in our Picnic Grove. No open fires, wood-burning, or portable charcoal grills are allowed. Table-top propane grills are okay. No cooking is allowed in the Weis field. No chemical starter or treated (self-starting) briquettes are allowed in the grills. We have chemical-free starters available. All garbage and recycling must be picked up and separately bagged (bags are available at the office). You may place the bags by the picnic table when you leave. Visitors must familiarize themselves with the Visitor Rules that govern the swimming pool, Picnic Grove and the rest of the property. Please read these before you visit.

Annual membership to the Highlands Natural Pool is highly recommended and open to all, regardless of where you live! You can join by mail, in person at the pool, or online. To join by mail, download a membership application form (PDF document), complete the requested information and email it to Highlands_Pool-at-Yahoo.com or mail it to: The Highlands Natural Pool 180 Snake Den Road Ringwood, NJ 07456 A completed, mailed-in membership application is required regardless of payment method. Before submitting your membership application form, please review our Visitor Rules. PAYMENT OPTIONS: For mail-in payments: make your check payable to "The Highlands Natural Pool" and send it to the address above, along with completed membership form. For credit card payments either online or at the pool you will be assessed a transaction fee. We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards.

While the pool is open to the public to visit for the day, we encourage you to consider becoming a member. Membership is open to all regardless of where you live. The benefits of pool membership: Members can visit as often as they like during regular hours We have a reserved parking area just for members You can reserve a picnic grove table and grill at no charge There are members-only swim hours from 11am-12pm each day Members can bring up to 5 guests per visit at the reduced day rate of $10 per adult and $5 per child (ages 3-17) You'll become part of the friendly Pool community

Family Memberships are two adults and their children under the age of 18. A child under the age of 21 who is living at home and going to school full time can also be included in your Family Membership.

A child who is a minor can be added onto your individual Individual Membership for a nominal fee.

Senior memberships are available for those persons age 65 and older. Both parties must be over the age of 65 to included in a Senior Couple Membership. A child who is a minor can be added onto a Senior, Senior Couple, or Individual Membership.

Picnic tables and grills are available free to members from 11am-6pm. Picnic tables can be reserved in advance by members only.

There is a members-only swim from 11am-12pm each day. As weather and staffing permit there may be off season weekday swims. More details can be provided by the guest services staff.

We don't issue membership cards. When you come to the pool for the first time this season, let the guest services staff know and they will walk you through sign-in procedures and answer all of your questions.

All group visits to the Highlands Pool require prior arrangement. If you would like to plan a group visit (any combination of 15 or more people is considered a group), please call or email us in advance to make specific arrangements. Group visits require completion of a Group Contract and are subject to certain restrictions: ✓ All visits by bus, and all groups of 15 or more, must be registered in advance. ✓ For the safety and enjoyment of everyone, we cannot accommodate groups that show up without prior registration. ✓ No alcohol, smoking, amplified music or speech, ground fires, etc., are allowed at any time. Pets are only allowed in the picnic grove, they must be attended, on a leash, and quiet at all times. You are responsible to clean up immediately after your pet. Before planning your visit, please review the Visitor Rules before your visit. Please call the Pool at (973) 835-4299 to discuss a group visit, well in advance of any date you have in mind. Here is a copy of our Group Contract, which you will need to send to us, along with a deposit, prior to any visit.

Yes, but any type of group visit of more than 15 people needs to be planned for and approved by the pool staff in advance. Smaller groups are also advised to call the pool to ensure a good visit for all. For information on scheduling a party, read the FAQ section on group visits.