M
Michael M.
Scout
ScoutTurkey Swamp Park
Water/power at the campsite, and and centrally located dump station. Lots of trees and nice separation of sites
Camping near Barnegat Light, NJ
1 campground with availability next weekend
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Campgrounds near Barnegat Light, New Jersey range from rustic wooded sites to full-service RV resorts, with several options offering cabin accommodations. The coastal location provides easy access to Long Beach Island beaches while maintaining a natural setting. Baker's Acres Campground features wooded sites with a classic camping atmosphere, while Sea Pirate Campground offers a family-friendly environment with amenities like swimming pools and organized activities. Most camping areas provide both tent and RV sites, with some facilities like Long Beach RV Resort also featuring cabin rentals and glamping options for those seeking more comfort.
Access to campgrounds in the region remains straightforward with most areas accessible via paved roads, though interior campground roads may present challenges for larger rigs. The camping season typically runs from April through October, with a few facilities like Bass River State Forest and Brendan Byrne State Forest remaining open year-round. Most campgrounds require reservations, particularly during the summer peak season when beach-goers flock to the area. Facilities closer to Long Beach Island tend to fill quickly during holiday weekends. A visitor noted, "Drive time to Long Beach Island ranged between 3-40 minutes each trip we took depending on traffic. There are plenty of stores within a 5-mile drive if you should need anything."
Many campers highlight the family-friendly atmosphere found throughout the region's campgrounds. Swimming pools rank as popular amenities, with several visitors mentioning them as key attractions during summer stays. The coastal location creates unique conditions—several reviews mentioned issues with insects, particularly mosquitoes, which can be more prevalent in areas near water features. "The campground is beautiful, quiet and has just enough amenities with the pool, lake, dump station and bath house," commented one visitor about Brookville Campground. Sites vary significantly in privacy levels, with some facilities offering well-spaced, wooded sites while others feature more open layouts. Most mixed-use campgrounds provide a range of amenities including restrooms, showers, and recreational facilities, though amenity quality and maintenance schedules differ between properties. Barnegat Light campsites are especially popular during summer months when visitors can enjoy nearby beaches and outdoor recreation while having comfortable camping facilities to return to.
Best Campgrounds near Barnegat Light (74)
1. Baker's Acres Campground
"We stayed at Baker’s Acres Campground in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, for a weekend in mid-August. So did the rains of Hurricane Henri! "
"Our site was decently sized, level, and nicely bordered with trees that gives you a sense of privacy."
Check Availabilityfrom $43 / night
2. Bass River State Forest
"We have never camped here before, but wanted to hike the Batona trail nearby."
"I'm particularly fond of the dog friendly loop, its a newer loop and the bathrooms are more modern than the others scattered around. "
3. Sea Pirate Campground
"We stayed at Sea Pirate Campground in West Creek, New Jersey, for a week in mid-August We’re so glad we did! "
"They have a great store and eatery near the pool. Purchases can be easily made using their wristbands(provided at check-in). No need to carry cash or credit cards around the campground. "
4. Brendan Byrne State Forest
"Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my"
"First off, I will start by saying you have to drive a good amount of distance to get into the campground and that is something I really enjoyed!"
Check Availabilityfrom $3 - $60 / night
5. Long Beach RV Resort
6. Wading Pines Camping Resort
"The campground is very close to home, and a lot of people around our area (central jersey) go there yearly or have seasonal sites there, but for us, it was our first time at the campground."
"Very nice wading river next to the camp grounds. You can tube down the river from one end of camp to the other."
7. Brookville Campground
8. Turkey Swamp Park
"We stayed in New Jersey for our 5th campground on the East Coast: Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold. This is a County park.
Near some Revolutionary War battlefields.
I really liked this park!"
"Electrical and water are at the outer edge of each site so you might want an extension cord and/or hose."
Check Availabilityfrom $42 - $79 / night
9. Atlantic Shore Pines Campground
"This place is very close to Bass River State Park with lots of hiking and outdoor activities. Restaurants and stores in Tuckerton are just a few minutes away."
Check Availabilityfrom $65 - $220 / night
10. Bodine Field — Wharton State Forest
"You’re right next to the wading river/creek with that amazing cedar water. As well as a quick drive Harrisville Pond which mine as well be a lake."
"Bodine Field is one of several camping locations within Wharton State Forest. I am writing this review over a year after our stay so forgive me if the details are lacking."
Drive Time
- 49 min from Atlantic City, NJ
- 1 hr 16 min from Vineland, NJ
- 1 hr 17 min from Trenton, NJ
- 1 hr 19 min from Philadelphia, PA
Recent Camping Photos near Barnegat Light, NJ
137 Photos of 74 Barnegat Light Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Sea Pirate Campground
Baker's Acres CampgroundJ
Bass River State Forest
Pilgrim Lake CampgroundK
Atlantic Shore Pines Campground
Bodine Field — Wharton State Forest
Wading Pines Camping Resortt
Godfrey Bridge — Wharton State ForestA
Brendan Byrne State ForestL
Hawkins Bridge — Wharton State Forest
Tip Tam Camping Resort
Atlantic Blueberry RV ParkS
Recent Reviews near Barnegat Light, NJ
398 Reviews of 74 Barnegat Light Campgrounds
Stuart K.
LegendLowe's - W Windsor
Upscale Parking Paradise at This Home Fixer-Upper
Located just off US Route 1 in the upscale Princeton area, this spacious Lowe's serves up a surprisingly pleasant patch of pavement for weary road warriors looking to catch some shut-eye. Set back roughly 80 yards from the highway, this big blue home improvement retailer offers a generously sized parking lot with relatively manageable traffic, good maneuverability and a quieter atmosphere than you might expect from such a busy suburban retail corridor. The western and southern edges of the lot are particularly appealing for an overnight stay, and with Trader Joe's, Starbucks and several other retailers nearby, convenience certainly isn't in short supply. Better yet, the store management was friendly and accommodating when we called ahead to arrange our overnight visit.
HIGHLIGHTS: (1) Spacious, paved parking lot with plenty of room to maneuver larger rigs; (2) Convenient access to US Route 1 and nearby I-95; (3) Western and southern parking areas offer quieter spots away from the busiest customer traffic; (4) Excellent nearby conveniences, including Trader Joe's, Starbucks and several dining options; and (5) Friendly store management that welcomed our overnight stay, plus surprisingly good opportunities for outdoor recreation nearby.
LOWLIGHTS: (1) Some daytime retail traffic and occasional road noise, although nothing terribly disruptive; (2) No RV hookups, dump station or dedicated overnight camping facilities; (3) Parking areas closest to the store can become crowded during business hours; (4) Limited greenery and little of the scenery you'd expect from a traditional campground; and (5) While the overnight experience was excellent, this is still a commercial parking lot rather than a destination for an extended stay.
Happy Overnighting!
Andrea B.
TravelerColonial Meadows Family Campground
Great park
Many long term seasonal sites. Good community. Large shower house good and clean . Pool. Game room. Off leash dog park. Wooded/shady sites or no shade sunny sites. Lots of area to walk or play. Large field, basketball couture, frisky golf, play area and laundry room. We were here all summer (June-october). Lots to do in the area. Good food nearby. Ocean city 10 minutes away.
- bbob J.
GuideAtsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest
Pine Barrens New Jersey
This campground is part of the Wharton State Forest and has several campgrounds in the area. Great wooded sites right on a lake. Pretty good separation between sites with good tree separation between sites. Some road noise not overly affecting site.
- DDiane M.Scout
Brendan Byrne State Forest
Just ok
Restrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
Edwin R.ScoutCheesequake State Park Campground
Park uses county cops to shut down park by 9pm.
On Friday, September 4, 2026, I rented a trailer and brought my family to Cheesequake State Park to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary over the extended Labor Day weekend. Around 9:20 PM—well before the park's designated 10:00 PM quiet hours—we were sitting inside our canopy, playing Jenga, and listening to low background music. Two officers from the Matawan Police Department approached our campsite. They were polite and courteous, simply offering a standard reminder to wrap things up by 10:00 PM. Before they could leave, however, a third, senior officer intervened. Wanting to"show them how it's done," he made the two polite officers return and stand by to watch as he demonstrated how to aggressively harass campers. Flashlight in hand, the senior officer approached with an immediate hostile attitude, treating us like criminals as he demanded to know who rented the site. He began reiterating rules and claimed we had too many vehicles. We had three cars, one belonging to my brother-in-law's girlfriend, who was visiting with her daughter. She had paid the$10 visitor fee at the main office and was instructed by staff to obtain the gate access code from us, the primary renters, if she got locked in. No staff member ever informed her of an 8:00 PM visitor departure deadline, leading us to reasonably assume visitors were permitted until quiet hours began at 10:00 PM. The officer rudely snapped that she had been given wrong information. The senior officer then used profanity in front of three small children, aggressively telling her to ("get her shit and get the fuck out!") in that manner or use profanity, the officer went from hostile to furious. He angrily declared that these were official violations and threatened that he could be issuing us tickets instead. Desperately searching for anything and everything to throw at us, he demanded that we turn off our idling car—which was supplying power to our campsite—and instructed us to make sure the campfire was doused before shutting down for the night. He then proceeded to shine his flashlight into our private setup—including our canopy, tents, and the inside of our trailer—searching for any other possible violation while the two polite officers were forced to watch. What was supposed to be a special 10th wedding anniversary celebration with my family was completely ruined by a senior officer misusing his authority to put on an unnecessary display of intimidation. Worse than just ruining our night, he spent that evening teaching those two police officers how to be bad cops. He corrupted two officers in real time, demonstrating firsthand exactly why most people have lost faith in the police force. The next day we was ready for them. We turned off our lights and quietly by the fire while they went next door to harass an asian family that had just set up camp and had their leds lights on.
- Adeline M.Guide
Brendan Byrne State Forest
Beautiful campground, loud campers
Beautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
- CCarlos E.Scout
Turkey Swamp Park
Really nice campground
Stayed three nights in a tent and enjoyed it very much. Sites have electrical hookups, shared water connections, large picnic table, and fire ring with adjustable grate. Electrical and water are at the outer edge of each site so you might want an extension cord and/or hose. Bathrooms are clean; showers have separate stalls but they’re clustered together (not the most private). There are hiking and biking trails, a lake, and archery park. Staff are friendly. Office is open through 9pm, and firewood, ice, and bait for fishing are available. Site C3 is in an okay spot; it’s close to the bathroom and laundry room, but also right next to the playground. We were able to visit the beach; easy 25 minute drive to Asbury Park.
Nadine R.GuideAtsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest
Not my vibe
I personally did not like this campsite. First of all, our site tag was leftover from SEPTEMBER. Did no one look at any of these sites and leave someone else’s registration posted there for almost a year? Wild. Our campsite had trash leftover from previous campers. The whole campground was loud - from other campers to just the sounds from the nearby road. If you are looking for peace it is NOT here. If you’re looking to have loud music time all night with no repercussions as your kids ride around yelling and carrying on past midnight then you’ll have a blast. The pros of this campsite was supposed to be the access to Lake Atsion but we were turned away at the gate at 12:30 as they stated they were at capacity. Checking into our campsite they specifically asked if we would be utilizing the recreation area so we would have a pass for entry, but that’s seemingly not in their logistical headcount. I would not visit here again.
Guide to Barnegat Light
Campgrounds near Barnegat Light, New Jersey offer access to the Pine Barrens region with its distinctive cedar water bodies and sandy terrain. The area features a mix of state forests with primitive camping options and private campgrounds with extensive amenities. Most sites in the region are situated on sandy soil characteristic of the Jersey Pine Barrens, which can create challenges during rainy periods but provides excellent drainage.
What to do
Lake activities in state forests: Bass River State Forest offers a lake perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. "We walked and explored, kayaked, and sang by the fire. The camp sites have plenty of room for the kids to run around and set up there own areas. Great area for tent camping," noted Matthew H. Visitors can rent boats during summer months directly at the lake.
Explore Pine Barrens trails: Brendan Byrne State Forest provides extensive hiking opportunities with multiple trail systems. "There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Can't tell you how much I love it. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails and never leave this state park," shared Benjamin K. The forest's remote location ensures minimal noise from civilization.
Riverside recreation: Bodine Field in Wharton State Forest sits adjacent to a natural waterway. "You're right next to the wading river/creek with that amazing cedar water. As well as a quick drive Harrisville Pond which mine as well be a lake. Good fishing for pickerel as well as a decent trail that goes around the entire pond," reports Dan M., highlighting the fishing opportunities available.
What campers like
Private wooded sites: Baker's Acres Campground receives praise for its natural setting. "Quaint and rustic, heavily wooded. Makes you feel like your camping, not just lined up next to a bunch of campers," notes Joel N. The campground's layout preserves a genuine forest camping experience despite offering amenities.
Family-run operations: Small, independently operated campgrounds add character to the region. "This was our 5th year camping at Baker's Acres. Their slogan is 'Where friends are made for life' and they couldn't be any more right. This is the friendliest, family run for 50+ years, clean, fun, campground we've been to in a long time," says Karen S.
Year-round accessibility: Bass River State Forest remains open throughout winter, unlike many seasonal campgrounds. "Been camping here over 30 years. Absolutely gorgeous campground," states Cathy P. The forest's year-round availability makes it a reliable option for winter camping when most private facilities close.
What you should know
Insect considerations: The region's natural waterways contribute to insect activity. "It lacked privacy and our inconsiderate neighbors partied alllllll niggghhtttt llooonngggg as well as many other people in the South campground. After 10pm, the music volume was high and campers were LOUD... It's buggy... to be expected," explains Amanda M. about her experience at Wharton State Forest.
Water pressure concerns: Some campgrounds experience infrastructure challenges. "We had a problem with our site: extremely low water pressure, often below 20 PSI. It was so low at times, that we couldn't take showers or flush the toilet," reported Matt S. about Sea Pirate Campground, noting that despite paying resort-level pricing, basic utilities weren't reliable.
Sandy terrain considerations: The regional soil composition affects camping conditions. "Sites are all level, very generous in size, and reasonably spaced apart for privacy. A lantern hook, picnic table, and fire ring complete each site. As mentioned, all roads and camper pads are dirt," explains Lee D. about Turkey Swamp Park, highlighting the dirt/sand conditions common to campgrounds in the area.
Tips for camping with families
Activity scheduling: Sea Pirate Campground organizes themed weekends. "We rented a golf cart and did some of the activities like painting and playing bingo. It was a cooler bit. It was still a very nice weekend for october. We enjoyed the grounds they are beautiful with the pools, lake, and ocean," shares Nicole S. about a Halloween-themed weekend.
Bathroom proximity: Consider site location relative to facilities when camping with children. "Our campsite was a good 7 minute walk from the nearest bathroom which was a bit far so a small bathhouse near the nature trail would have been appreciated," notes Becca U. at Baker's Acres, suggesting families select sites closer to amenities.
Nature observation opportunities: Turkey Swamp Park offers wildlife viewing. "The sites are spacious and it's really beautiful. But by the 2nd day I had 3 ticks on me. My dog had one and by the end my husband had 2. That was so crazy because we were just sitting by our camper," warns Laura Y., reminding families to perform regular tick checks after outdoor activities.
Tips from RVers
Site access challenges: Brendan Byrne State Forest requires careful navigation. "First off, I will start by saying you have to drive a good amount of distance to get into the campground and that is something I really enjoyed! Made me feel super secluded and disconnected from the outside!" shares Dorian P., noting that the remote location creates both challenges and benefits.
Water hose requirements: Turkey Swamp Park requires extra equipment. "Nice, remote, private. Some sites unlevel. Bring a LONG water hose. Nice lake. Showers and washers and dryers," advises Shawn, highlighting a practical consideration for RVers setting up at this location.
Leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven terrain at some sites. "Very nice campground-- good sized sites, well maintained hookups, clean grounds, friendly staff, well-stocked campstore. The only drawback was my site was not very level and took a few tries to get levelled," reports Jim G. about Atlantic Shore Pines Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Barnegat Light, NJ?
Which is the most popular campground near Barnegat Light, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Barnegat Light, NJ is Baker's Acres Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 15 reviews.
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