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Carnegie Lake

Plainsboro · Princeton · South Brunswick, New Jersey — Mercer County.

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244Surface acres
1Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 64681288).

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Carnegie Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Carnegie Lake is in New Jersey

The red circle marks Carnegie Lake.

Fast facts

About Carnegie Lake

  • Counties: Mercer, Middlesex
  • Shore towns: Plainsboro, Princeton, South Brunswick
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 36 mi from Newark and 11 mi from Trenton and 32 mi from Morristown and 69 mi from Atlantic City, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in New Jersey

Official NJ Fish & Wildlife pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 1 public trailer launch listed (see access)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Chinese mysterysnail recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Carnegie Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Boat ramp (Boat launch)11 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Princeton

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 64681288), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (40.3544, -74.6265). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Carnegie Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Carnegie Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat rampPrinceton—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating40.3668, -74.6257

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Carnegie Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Carnegie Lake

    How big is Carnegie Lake?

    Carnegie Lake covers about 244 acres in Plainsboro, Princeton and South Brunswick, New Jersey (Mercer County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Carnegie Lake?

    Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    What towns are on Carnegie Lake?

    Carnegie Lake touches Plainsboro, Princeton and South Brunswick in Mercer County and Middlesex County, New Jersey.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Carnegie Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Jersey lakes & ponds · All waters in Plainsboro