Gardner Lake State Park — Attraction in Salem

We tried to come here for a relaxing Sunday after 5 pm. What a mistake. Between all the LOUD music coming from people bringing their huge speakers and the drinking ugh. Literally everywhere too. I don’t care if you want your music but the 4 parties blaring Spanish music like it’s a contest. Why do I have to hear all of it? I could care less what race or nationality you are as long as you have respect People flying around with their jet skis too. Unsafe and drunk with kids. Nice. One guy wheeled in his speaker and 12 pack of rolling rocks with his chair and just doesn’t care? This is def NOT a family place for relaxing. It’s like what happened to Bigelow Hollow. It used to be great. Now it’s just trashed. Why isn’t anyone patrolling this area? People in their clothes going into the water too. Shoes and all. Took a pic of the drinking and all those people in their clothes. I’m not talking one person. Lots of people. Very strange. I won’t be...

Very Clean and Safe. You pay to park if you are from out of state. There is plenty of room to set up for a day of playing on the grass, cooking out, picnicking, laying on the sandy beach, playing in the water with a sandy bottom. The water is really clear and clean. The beach area is right next to the parking lot so there's not a super long walk. The boat launch is nearby, but is separated by a chain link fence. There are porta potties in the parking lot, far end from the beach. They actually are quite a long walk. Also, there are no items to be purchased. If you are planning on drinking water or having a bite to eat, you will need to bring everything in with you and then carry out the garbage. They don't even have garbage cans. You are simply being offered a place to park and a beachfront on the lake. Everything else...

The jet ski’s flying around near the wake zone and the boat launch is absolutely ridiculous. They fly around creating waves and making it difficult for the boats to go in. There is such a thing as lake etiquette, though nothing is enforced there. We put our boat in and a few times we have seen children swimming in the boat launch. The porta potties are beyond gross. The partying is what it is, but people should be respectful of others as we could hear their music blasting from shore across the lake. It is a beautiful lake, but the chaos makes us not want to go there. I can’t imagine living on the lake and having to deal with that every weekend...