Tent campers visiting Brigantine, New Jersey have several options within Wharton State Forest, located in the unique Pine Barrens ecosystem approximately 30 miles northwest of the city. The forest offers multiple tent-friendly campgrounds including Batona Campground, Goshen Pond, and Mullica River sites. These primitive tent setups range from drive-in access to hike-in and boat-in only sites, providing varied experiences for tent campers seeking different levels of seclusion and amenities.
Most tent sites in the Pine Barrens feature soft, sandy soil that provides comfortable tent placement but can challenge vehicles without proper clearance on access roads. Campgrounds like Hawkins Bridge offer drinking water from central pumps, while more remote sites require campers to filter water from nearby rivers. Vault toilets or outhouses are standard at most locations, with no shower facilities available at primitive sites. According to one visitor, "The Pine Barrens overall have a fascinating ecosystem. Nutrient poor, sandy soil limits the amount of foliage, and the barrens are primarily populated with fast-growing pines." Fire rings are provided at designated sites, and reservations are required for most tent camping areas.
The tent camping experience in Wharton State Forest offers unique advantages for those seeking primitive tent sites. The dark-colored rivers, stained by natural tannins from decaying vegetation, provide opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing directly from many campsites. Walk-in tent sites at locations like Goshen Pond create a more secluded experience away from vehicle noise. A camper noted that "I like campgrounds which have you park off and walk in to your site. There is more foot traffic, but you don't hear as many cars coming and going." Tent campers should be aware of seasonal considerations, including ticks and chiggers during warmer months. The Batona Trail, a 50-mile hiking path, connects several campgrounds, making these tent sites excellent bases for multi-day hiking adventures.
"Swimming lake catch and release lake sells wood has bath houses, electric, water and sewer hookups. They always have something going on. And a skeet range http://www.redwinglakes.com/lakes.html"
"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."
"Bears frequent this campground so be bear aware and practice proper food storage. "
"The Batona Campground is in the northern area of the Wharton State Forest and is a bit removed from most trails and other campgrounds in the park."
"Great location for Questival, would visit again. Easy access and felt very safe and secluded."
"This campground is hike-in or boat-in only, no car access. We camped here for one night on an overnight loop in Wharton State Forest. Wild blueberries abound during summer months!"
"Enjoyed a site away from the crowds. Quiet. Peaceful. Place is huge with many campsites to choose from. Checking in is slow so come early."
"Wharton State Forest has a few campsites available for primitive camping (my preferred choice). This is a review for HAWKINS BRIDGE."
"This is a primitive campsite near the river. There is water but just compost toilets that are bit few for the size campground."
"Close to the main roads but feels remote."
"I like campgrounds which have you park off and walk in to your site. There is more foot traffic, but you don't hear as many cars coming and going and driving past your site all the time."
"The boyfriend and I stayed for a weekend at one of the primitive tent sites. Our site was private and secluded. We had a great time."
"Looking for a place to escape without having to drive out of your way to get to? Lower forge is the place."
from $5 / night
TravelerMany 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.
ScoutThis is one of the largest, if not the largest, campgrounds in Southern New Jersey. While on the pricier side, everything is top-notch. The roads are all paved, and not gravel (I hate trying to sleep and listening to the sound of stones grating together). The sites are more spacious than most campgrounds, so it doesn't seem so crowded. The bathrooms are all modern and spotless. There are numerous bathrooms which means most sites have one nearby. They do charge a quarter for showers to encourage water conservation and donate the money to conservation causes. The pool is large, as is the lake. Both are well-maintained. The camp store is enormous and is really nice and well-stocked with everything one might need from food to pool and beach stuff to camping supplies and equipment. There is a nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. The camp store has a lending library of books and DVDs. There are numerous activities that appear to be well-run, The grounds are shaded with many trees for a great wooded campground feel. The campground is so large that it has an internal shuttle with stations scattered about to help people go between the various important sites such as at the pool, the lake and the store. I found other campers, particularly the seasonals, to be more friendly than other campgrounds at the shore. This requires constant tree care including removing dead trees and branches which they do regularly. The staff is friendly and well-trained. I was in a tent, and when a rare October nor'easter came through, I was offered the opportunity to use a cabin free-of-charge. Fortunately my tent and equipment made it through days of rain and high winds just fine . On my first stay in May, I had to run my dog back to Baltimore towards the end of my trip where he was sadly diagnosed with incurable metastatic cancer. When I returned, I was late and unable to check out by 11, but they allowed me to take as much time as needed to clear the site, as nobody was staying there the next day, which was deeply appreciated - I was an emotional wreck. Oh, and I found the complimentary Wi-Fi to be a great service, and sufficiently fast to allow me to stream ultra-high-definition movies at my site - Most campgrounds charge extra for less-than-good service - a lot more. I find that a big bonus. Overall, I LOVE this campground and highly recommend it.
GuideThis 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.
ScoutRestrooms 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.
ScoutI’ve stayed here multiple times over the past 15 years and I have enjoyed each trip.
Depot Travel Park is a well-maintained family-owned campground. It is also reasonably priced, especially given the location that is within a bicycle ride to the beach, the ocean, and lots of shops and restaurants in Cape May. It is the only campground on the Cape May side of the canal.
Please note that this is not a resort campground and it doesn’t have a pool. There is so much to do in Cape May that is doesn’t need to be a resort.
Since it’s not a resort campground, there are not many golf carts, so most people use their bicycles or cars to get around. That also makes the campground pretty quiet, even during the peak of summer.
The campground sells firewood and propane, but there is no camp store. Again, it doesn’t really need one, since there is a farmers market at the end of the driveway, and a CVS and an ACME supermarket within bicycle riding distance.
If your site doesn’t have a sewer hookup, the dump station is a little awkward to access, but they have a daily honey wagon for a reasonable fee, which is great. If you notify the office the day before you need it and they are usually there in the morning.
They close for the season n October, but they reopen briefly during the Cape May Christmas Parade weekend in December. That’s one thing that I’d like to do soon.
I really like this campground and I am always recommending it to friends.
GuideBeautiful 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.
GuideI 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.
ScoutI recently stayed at Site 36, and unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. The biggest issue was the campsite itself. Site 36 is extremely small, with neighboring campers only about 5 feet away on one side and roughly 12 feet behind the site. There was very little privacy, which made it difficult to relax. Many of the nearby sites appeared to be occupied by long-term or permanent residents. Several had large amounts of personal belongings stored under tarps, giving the area an unkempt appearance. In addition, the neighboring campsite had children's bikes, large toys, and other miscellaneous items overflowing onto the site I had rented, making it feel even more cramped. Another major concern was the constant cigarette and marijuana smoke. It was noticeable throughout much of the day, and because of the smoke, I couldn't comfortably leave my camper windows open. At over $110 per night for a full hookup site, I expected a much better experience. I understand the campground told me there were no other sites available, although I did notice a few empty sites during my stay. Whether those sites were reserved or unavailable for another reason, I can't say, but Site 346 should not be rented at this price given its condition and lack of privacy. Overall, I would not stay here again and cannot recommend to anyone looking for a relaxing camping experience. Its great for daily tubing but as a camper they lock the fence that gets you to the bridge so you have to take a long walk around although non campers can pull right up, it makes no sense to have a pass through that's locked.
ScoutPulled in like noooo it’s super small tight but here for a week in a cabin kids had a great time nice people pool and weekend activities. We would come back
Tent camping near Brigantine, New Jersey offers access to the diverse Pine Barrens region with its unique cedar-stained waters and sandy terrain. The water in rivers throughout the area appears dark brown or black due to natural tannins from decomposing vegetation in this acidic soil environment. Campsites throughout the region sit at approximately 100 feet above sea level on relatively flat, sandy terrain that typically drains well after rainfall.
Kayaking on the Wading River: Put in at Hawkins Bridge campground for direct river access. "Did a two day Canoe tour down the wading river and used the outfitter Micks Canoe. We started Friday night camping at Hawkins Bridge campground. This is a primitive campsite near the river... Wading river has a nice flow. It's a dark black river from the tannins."
Hiking the Batona Trail: Access this 50-mile trail directly from several campgrounds. "Best part of this campground is trailheads begin directly from campsites. Trails vary in length but all are flat and easily accessible." At Mullica River campground, you can "start hike kayak trip at 206 hike 6 miles in camp then hike kayak out 5 miles to batsto."
Swimming at Atsion Lake: Located a short drive from several campgrounds, this lake provides swimming opportunities. "It's also a 5 minute drive from Atsion lake, a great place for kayaking and swimming." The lake offers designated swimming areas during summer months.
Backcountry seclusion: Tent sites at Lower Forge campground provide remote camping experiences. "Looking for a place to escape without having to drive out of your way to get to? Lower Forge is the place. One of the few places in New Jersey you have to backpack into with access from either (Atsion 5+ miles in) or Batsto (7 miles)."
Walk-in tent sites: Many campgrounds offer walk-in sites separated from parking areas. At Goshen Pond campground, "I like campgrounds which have you park off and walk in to your site. There is more foot traffic, but you don't hear as many cars coming and going and driving past your site all the time."
Sandy soil for comfortable tent setup: The Pine Barrens soil provides a comfortable camping surface. "The ground is soft and comfortable to sleep on (NOT rocky at all, like almost weird how few rocks there are). It also means that there is plenty of kindling to gather for fires."
Insect preparation: Ticks and chiggers are common in warmer months. "Great sites, great trails, lots of hiking and off road trails for dirt bike/atv/ trucks. Pretty good boating/fishing. Just gotta check often for chiggers and ticks."
Water quality variations: Water sources may be limited or seasonal. At Bodine Field campground, "Potable water is available along with a couple Porta potties. Creek access, if you wanted to go kayaking." At other campgrounds like Hawkins Bridge, "Drinking water at a pump central to all campsites."
Sandy roads: Many campground access roads consist of loose sand. "The road into the campground is about 1 mile of loose sand. It can be accessed by a standard vehicle." Standard vehicles can generally navigate these roads when driven carefully.
Group camping options: Several campgrounds offer designated group sites. "Originally it was very hard to first locate the site, I believe it is on google maps since we went last, the welcome center will also give you coordinates to get there. The campsites are semi close together. Very sandy area."
Weekday visits for quieter experience: Weekends can bring larger crowds. "During the off season is in and during the week, it's very peaceful and awesome place to be. During the weekend it's very populated and tends to be pretty noisy."
River access for children: Many sites provide direct water access. At Red Wing Lakes campground, "Swimming lake catch and release lake sells wood has bath houses, electric, water and sewer hookups. They always have something going on." This provides safer swimming options than river areas.
Size limitations: Most campsites accommodate smaller RVs only. "Site are suitable for tents or small campers. The unpaved road into the site is narrow and tree lined. A larger RV would not fit."
Limited hookups: Few campgrounds offer full hookups. At Batona campground, "Thankfully no RVs here. Very much enjoyed the stay." This indicates the primitive nature of many camping areas near Brigantine.
Sandy terrain challenges: RVs must navigate sandy roads to reach most campgrounds. "The campground road was kinda hard to get around direction wise you couldn't tell what was a road and what was a campsite." Smaller, higher-clearance RVs manage these conditions better than large motorhomes.
The best tent camping near Brigantine, New Jersey offers primitive sites with varied amenities and access methods. From backcountry sites requiring hiking to more developed campgrounds with basic facilities, these Pine Barrens locations provide natural camping experiences within relatively short driving distances from the coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Brigantine, NJ is Red Wing Lakes with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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