Lakefront home on private island in Sparta listed for $4.35M
What could be better than a secluded lakefront home in one of New Jersey's largest lake communities? One that is also situated on a private island with an acre of property.
Listed for $4.35 million, the five-bedroom, six-bathroom home at 41 Island Trail in Sparta was listed by Christine Dehnel of RE/MAX Platinum Group in March. The property is just one of 24 homes on the private Manitou Island of Lake Mohawk.
"The island is the most exclusive part of the lake there, and you have to cross the bridge to get to it. So, it almost has its own community within a community," she said. "There's just something about crossing the bridge and leaving the rest of the world behind you."
Covering 800 acres, Lake Mohawk is the largest man-made body of water in New Jersey. The community was created throughout the 1920s and 1930s by developer Arthur Crane, who envisioned the area as a daily or weekend destination for wealthy New Yorkers.
First built in 1939, the home on Island Trail is one of the original homes created by Crane during the community's development, Dehnel said. And while there are still several original homes throughout Lake Mohawk, Dehnel said this property is one of the few that was renovated to maintain its unique design characteristics.
"The original Crane houses had original fieldstone fireplaces, and each one was unique and no two fireplaces in the whole lake were the same. I think he brought seal stone in from Pennsylvania and he used some very expensive pecky cypress on the interior of the home, and the woodwork was all beautiful," she said. "A lot of people have kind of renovated with having to tear out some of that original stuff, but one of the nice features of this home is that as my sellers renovated, they were good at keeping some of the most beautiful original features while still making it luxurious and contemporary."
The home is on one of the biggest lots available on the lake. Because the typical lot size for a lakefront property on Lake Mohawk is about 120 feet by 60 feet, Dehnel said, this home has four to five times the amount of property available. This not only allows for more privacy, but it also creates one of the best panoramic views on the lake, she said.
Inside the home, you'll find expansive windows overlooking the lake, as well as vaulted ceilings and open-concept living spaces. Additionally, there is a luxury chef's kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances and a spacious formal dining room with French doors leading to the home's deck space.
There is also a primary suite with a private balcony and a spa-like en suite bathroom, a home gym and a walkout basement with a den, playroom and wet bar. Outside, there is an expansive patio space, a heated saltwater pool, a boathouse and two private docks.
"The home also has a crow's nest, and I think there's only one other home on the lake that has one," Dehnel said. "So that's another level up from the second floor, where you go up a spiral staircase and there's a daybed and you can sit up there and see the whole lake."
And, despite the home being located on an island, Dehnel said its easy to walk into town to nearby businesses and restaurants. Besides driving, she said you can walk across the bridge and take the walking path into town, or you can get there by boat.
"It's like having your own exclusive resort," Dehnel said. "It's a beautiful property."
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Sparta NJ lakefront home on private island listed for sale
