About
Essex Pool, located at 41 Chestnut Street in Montclair, NJ, is a community-focused municipal outdoor swimming facility. Operated by the Montclair Township Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department, it serves as a popular summer destination, typically featuring a main pool and a separate wading or kiddie pool, along with amenities like changing rooms, snack bar, and lifeguard supervision for residents.
Specific water temperatures for Essex Pool are not regularly published or guaranteed. As a seasonal outdoor public pool, its water is generally unheated and warms naturally with the ambient summer weather.
What are people saying (AI review summary)? Reviews for the pool are highly mixed. While some praise its cleanliness, kid-friendliness, and peaceful environment, others express significant concerns about water quality, overall cleanliness, and suggest potential health code violations. Multiple reviews criticize the high entrance fee ($20 per person), the bare and standard facilities, a lack of chairs, and a strict no-food policy that is particularly challenging for families with children in the heat. Staff are described as disengaged or inattentive in one review, and the atmosphere is inconsistently described as either peaceful or chaotic due to unsupervised children.
Location
Gallery
Amenities
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Good for Children
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Accessible Entrance
Reviews
Listing Reviews
July 21st, 2025Jacob Nolan
It’s surprising this facility isn’t facing health code violations. The water quality and overall cleanliness leave much to be desired. The environment is chaotic, often filled with screaming, unsupervised children. The staff frequently appear disengaged or inattentive, with lifeguards who look like they mentally clocked out two summers ago. You go for a swim, but you leave with regret.
June 23rd, 2024Kate O'Connor
This pool is OK. Bare, standard pool. Nothing like I’ve seen at other town pools. There needs to be 4x the amount of chairs. They could do so much more to make this nicer.
July 1st, 2018L Hester
Pros: Clean, kid friendly, peaceful. Cons: no food allowed at any of the Montclair pools. This is challenging in the heat with children. Snacks should at least be allowed.
July 14th, 2025Adalina Aladro
Very clean pool!
July 10th, 2018Damaris Echevarria
I went with my kids and I think it's crazy how the ask 20 per person even if you going in and not swimming with 60 bucks I would go to the beach or lake with food ....
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Opening Hours
| Sunday | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 – 8:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 12:00 – 8:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 12:00 – 8:00 PM |
| Thursday | 12:00 – 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 12:00 – 8:00 PM |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM |