Mountain Creek Waterpark

Before It Was Mountain Creek Waterpark, This Hillside Was the Infamous Action Park

Older locals still call it that. Action Park earned a national reputation in the 1980s for rides that were, depending who you ask, either legendary or genuinely dangerous, and that history got a wider audience in 2020 when HBO Max released a documentary on the park featuring Johnny Knoxville. None of that reputation applies to the mountain today. Mountain Creek Waterpark is a fully modern, professionally run operation with updated engineering, lifeguard staffing, and safety standards that have nothing in common with the original park. It’s built into the mountainside rather than laid flat like a typical water park, which is part of why the layout still surprises first-time visitors.

Signature Rides and Slides

The Colorado River Ride is the headliner, 1,600 feet of whitewater tubing and the largest water ride in the region. Cannonball Falls and the Tarzan Swings returned in a reimagined form in 2025, now featuring the Root Slide, the Rock Slide, and three updated swing setups that bring back the park’s most talked-about attractions. Thrill seekers also gravitate to Zero G and the Canyon Cliff Jump, while the High Tide Wave Pool and Colorado River Rapids give families a slower-paced option.

For Younger Kids

A dedicated children’s area keeps younger visitors away from the bigger drops while still giving them their own slides and water features. It’s a real distinction from the adjacent thrill rides, and it’s worth knowing about before a family with mixed ages books a day.

Season, Hours, and Tickets

For 2026, the waterpark opens June 19 through the first weekend of summer, then shifts to daily operation June 27 through September 7. Weekday hours run 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with weekends and holidays extending to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Full-day tickets start at $59.99 on weekdays and $64.99 on weekends, and a season pass runs $99.99 with free general parking and 15% off food and beverage. All tickets require advance online reservation, there’s no on-site sales.

Waterpark After Dark

Guests 21 and older can catch Waterpark After Dark, an evening series running select nights from July 3 through August 14 with the park to themselves after the daytime crowd clears out.

Getting There

The waterpark shares Mountain Creek Resort’s address at 200 NJ-94 in Vernon, about 47 miles from the George Washington Bridge. For a different kind of mountain adventure on the same property, Mountain Creek Bike Park runs through the same summer season. Mountain Creek Bike Park trails