Cooper River Park

Cooper River Park At A Glance...

• The Cooper River straightaway is a 2000 meter Olympic distance rowing course, narrow and sheltered, and it draws regattas all season.
• The paved loop is exactly 3.8 miles from Cuthbert Boulevard to Route 130, so it is easy to plan a run or ride around.
• The boathouse observation tower looks west over the river to the Philadelphia skyline, and the sunsets from it are the reason people linger.
• There is a genuine quarter mile cinder track here, which is getting rare.
• The driving range is a lighted double decker with 60 stations and no tee time needed.
• Todays Sunrise: ,   Sunset:  
• New Jersey Delaware River Region Camden County

• Activities:

  • Fishing
  • Jogging / Running
  • Paddling - Kayak, Canoe, row boat
  • Playing in the playground
  • Picnicking
  • Walking

  Amenities:

  • Driving Range
  • Sports / Athletic Fields
  • Restrooms/Bathrooms
  • Parking Lot(s)
  • Dog Park / Dog Area
  • Gardens
  • Picnic / Sitting Area
  • Picnic shelter(s)
  • Playground

  Trails:

  • Paved
  • Walking Paths

  Park Type:

  • County Parks
  • Dog Park
  • Park (General)
  • Playground
  • Veterans / Memorial

  Attractions:

  • Golf

  Rules/Regulations:

  • Alcohol Not Permitted
  • Must be Leashed
  • Swimming Not Permitted

Contact / Location

Trail & Path Info

Two paved paths, both flat and both open rather than wooded.

The main loop runs 3.8 miles from Cuthbert Boulevard to Route 130. A second path runs 1.35 miles from Cuthbert Boulevard to Grove Street.

The surface is paved throughout, which makes it good for road bikes, strollers and wheels generally. It also means dogs are not permitted on it under county regulations, service animals excepted.

There is a separate cross country course in the park, and a quarter mile cinder track by the stadium.

Things to See & Do

Walk or ride the paved loop. It is the simplest thing to do here and the reason the park is busy every evening. Start anywhere; the 3.8 mile circuit between Cuthbert Boulevard and Route 130 is the main one.

Watch a regatta. The county publishes a Cooper River regatta schedule, and race days turn the banks into a spectator sport.

Take the kids to the William G. Rohrer playground, which has pavilions alongside it. The pavilions there are first come first served and cannot be reserved.

Bring the dog to the fenced dog park, which the county recently renovated. Note that the rest of the park is not the place to walk a dog on the paved path.

Hit a bucket at the driving range, play bocce on the Cappelli court, or run the quarter mile cinder track.

Special / Seasonal Events

Regattas run through the season on the 2000 meter course, and the county publishes a Cooper River regatta schedule each year.

WinterFest brings ice skating to the park in the colder months.

The county also runs its Parks Alive program and a summer events guide across the park system.

Admission & Guidelines

There is no gate and no entrance fee to walk in. Permits and fees apply to things you reserve: picnic sites are 50 dollars a day, pavilions 130 dollars a day, and ballfields 50 dollars for a three hour block. Walks and runs need an event permit, from 100 dollars.

Dogs must be leashed on a lead no longer than six feet, and you must clean up after them. The county regulations also state that domestic animals are not permitted on playgrounds, paved paths, courts or play field areas at any time, service and helper dogs excepted. Since the paved loop is this park's main feature, that rule matters here more than it does at most parks. The fenced dog park is where a dog can be off lead.

Alcohol is not permitted. Possession carries a fine under the county regulations, and dispensing at an event requires a permit.

Powerboats are prohibited on the Cooper River under county regulations, which allow them only at Newton Lake.

Hours / Season of Operation

The county park regulations set a curfew rather than posted opening hours. Park land is closed to loitering and to parked vehicles between 10pm and 6am.

Cooper River Park has its own exception written into the regulations: North Park Drive from Route 130 to Cuthbert Boulevard runs to a later curfew of midnight until 6am.

The indoor restrooms at the stadium are open year round, 10am to 10pm. The driving range runs 10am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm at weekends.

Facilities

William G. Rohrer children's playground with pavilions. One softball field. One cross country course. Jack Curtis Stadium. A quarter mile cinder track. A bocce court. The Camden County Boathouse and the Cooper River Yacht Club. The county driving range. A fenced dog park.

Two picnic areas, the Wallenberg Gazebo and the Armitage Pavilion, both reservable by permit.

Indoor restrooms at the stadium, open year round from 10am to 10pm.

Also here: memorial groves, a sculpture garden, the Piazza gathering space, and a biofilter wetland.

The park is owned and run by Camden County Parks, part of the Camden County Park System, which covers 21 parks and conservation areas and more than 2,000 acres.

The Cooper River Yacht Club operates at 450 North Park Drive and offers sailing lessons for adults, teens and children as well as community boat use.

The Camden County Boathouse is a county venue used for receptions, corporate meetings and rowing events.