Looking for the ultimate pet-friendly camping experience near Chatham? Find the best information on pet-friendly campsites and dispersed camping near Chatham, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. These scenic and easy-to-reach Chatham campsites are perfect for camping with dogs.
This is the largest park in the Morris County Park System, encompassing 3,494 acres of beautiful near-wilderness and recreational areas. The Reservation is the park to visit with over 24.5 miles of multi-use trails for novice and experienced skill levels. For off-road bicyclists, discover the challenge and adventure of the blazed biking trails. Horseback riding, seasonal camping, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and softball are recreational activities at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation. Digital trail maps are available online.
One of the outstanding features of the Reservation is the magnificent view from atop Headley Overlook, a 1,280 foot elevation, one of the highest points in Morris County. The Saffin Pond area is a most scenic location to enjoy a day of fishing. The Saffin Rock Rill area offers space for educational programs.
Some of the unique activities at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation include a radio-controlled car track, and model boat racing. All are operated by nonprofit groups comprised of interested residents.
Mahlon Dickerson Reservation (MDR) is a 3,590+ acre park with miles of trails and a Recreational Campground. MDR is a quiet place to enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, birdwatching and more. There are two (2) camping areas within the park. One (1) area accommodates Recreational Vehicle (RV) campers who travel with Motorhomes (Class A/B/C), Trailers/Fifth Wheels and Pop-up Campers. The second area is for Tent and Adirondack Shelter (Shelter) campers.
This campground is designated for recreational camping only.
This seasonal site is intended for short-term stays and does not allow for monthly or long-term reservations.
RV Sites - Reservations area allowed for up to fourteen (14) consecutive nights and cannot exceed 14 reserved nights in a 30 day period. Tent and Shelter Sites - Reservations are allowed for up to two (2) consecutive nights, three (3) consecutive nights on a Holiday weekend and cannot exceed two (2) reserved nights , three (3) on a Holiday weekend in a 7 day period.
Campsites: The park has fifty tent and trailer sites with fire rings and picnic tables. Flush toilets and shower facilities are within walking distance. Trailer sanitary station is available. There is an 11 foot height restriction for vehicles entering the camping area. The campground is open from April 1st through October 31st.
Group campsites: The Gordon Field Group Area has fire rings, upright grills and picnic tables. There are four individual sites accommodating up to 25 campers each. The area facilities include flush toilets and potable water. All trash must be carried out. The group campsites are open from May 1st through October 31st. We highly recommend that group leaders carefully estimate their group size and not over-estimate as refunds cannot be made later.
$200 / night
See the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island right from the property. How great is that!?
Liberty Harbor RV Park is OPEN 365 days a year. for your convenience and also accept check-ins 24/7 even if the office is closed. The NY Waterway Ferry leaves from Liberty Harbor and runs Monday to Friday to Pier 11 at the foot of Wall Street (does not operate on weekends or holidays). Other Ferry options that run 7 days a week are located within walking distance.
Or you can walk up Marin Blvd. 5 blocks to the Grove St. PATH subway station which can take you up to 33rd Street and 6th Avenue or to the World Trade Center Site.
The PATH train is another great option to get you where you are going. You can walk up Marin Blvd.
Either way… Manhattan is just a 15-minute ride away. Stay a day or two or a week or two…it’s up to you. We have maps and directions to anywhere you want to visit and our friendly staff is always willing to help you get there.
You can check your email, pick up a package, or send a fax from our office. We even have postcards to send to your friends.
Whether you have a small motorhome, a big bus, slide-outs, or a tow car…it’s never a problem at Liberty Harbor RV. We do suggest making reservations. We want to make your stay a wonderful experience so you’ll want to come back again and again.
Call today – 800.646.2066 / 201.516.7500
$149 / night
An exceptional Resort in a breathtaking location. Panther Lake Camping Resort is nestled in 160 wooded acres featuring a pristine 45 acre lake just 50 miles from New York City. Swimming, boating, fishing or just soaking up the great outdoors, this north Jersey gem has it all!
Nestled in the foothills of New Jersey’s rural Sussex County, The Great Divide campground is your gateway to fields, forests, mountains—and the finest in New Jersey camping and recreation. Adventure, relaxation, family time or solitude, you’ll find it here. No matter what type of getaway you seek, we invite you to experience camping your way. With dozens of amenities and attractions, The Great Divide is the perfect vacation spot for families, couples and groups. Hesitant to leave creature comforts behind? We offer cabins and cable TV hookups. Prefer to ‘unplug’? Choose a primitive campsite and enjoy sleeping under the stars. From our Olympic-sized pool to our full schedule of family-friendly activities, there’s something for campers of all ages and interests.
Nestled in the Appalachian Wilderness of New Jersey, Stokes State Forest attracts campers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts all over thanks to its many viewpoints and wild terrain. Spanning over 16,400 acres, visitors can expect exciting adventures crammed with tons of wilderness activities. Surprisingly, there’s a large range of amenities within the various campgrounds located throughout. In addition, there’s a host of unique geographic features to keep even the most dedicated busy for weeks.
Speaking of geography, there’s no shortage of terrain diversity here. For example, Sunrise Mountain towers 1,653 feet over the undeveloped New Jersey farmland to the East, as well as virgin mountain ranges and forests to the West. Located along the legendary Appalachian Trail, this mountain peak is the most frequently visited site in Stokes State Forest. If you’re not one to hike up the side of a mountain for a view, Sunrise Mountain Rd. traverses all the way to the top for those traveling in a vehicle.
Nestled below, the 500+ acre Tillman Ravine Natural Area is a green wonderland home to endangered species such as the Barred Owl. The ravine showcases world-class trails spanning throughout its terrain, complete with babbling brooks and overly-curious bears to dodge during your stay.
Additionally, Stokes State Forest is home to the Lake Ashroe Recreation Area which has an area for Kayaking and Paddle Board rentals. Even though there is no boat ramp, nearby Lake Ocquittunk is perfect for small, electric motor boats. In contrast, those looking for swimming should head to Stony Lake, which features lifeguards on duty and a great recreation area for picnicking.
Campgrounds are plentiful here, with four different areas to camp at depending on your needs. Shotwell to the East, and Steam Mills to the west both offer normal park amenities, and are perfect for tent campers, or people interested in camping in a lean-to. Just West of Shotwell, Haskin’s Group Camping Area consists of 9 group campsites perfect for groups of 10-65 depending on the campsite. Finally, Lake Ocquittunk has its own campground with reservable campsites, and cabins as well. Fees & permits vary here, so be sure to check the park website for more info.
Regardless of your interests, if you love the outdoors in any form you’re going to enjoy your stay here. Stokes State Forest literally offers everything an enthusiast could ever dream of doing. From its babbling creeks and forested ravines, to the breathtaking mountain peaks, this is an Appalachian camping experience you don’t want to miss out on.
$7 - $55 / night
$33 - $42 / night
Legend
Small (13-site) Bucks County Pennsylvania campground. The entrance and loop road, along with the campsites are all gravel. Some sites appeared to be more defined than others. Each site had a picnic table, fire ring, and garbage can. No hookups.
The restrooms were dated and passable; I did not use the shower.
The lake is separate from the campground and there did not appear to be defined access from the campground to the lake, although there was a sort of path from site 13 that I followed as far as I could. While I could see the lake from this path, there did not seem to be any way to get into the lake (and there was a lot of algae and water lilies). We checked out the lake the next day. There is a (dirt) boat ramp but there was a red flag warning, and the lake had a lot of algae bloom.
This campground did not appear to be a very popular one; on the Thursday before Memorial Day, only two sites were occupied, and I only saw a few reservation tags for the upcoming holiday weekend. It felt a bit neglected, but it was very quiet. If you are looking for a small, uncrowded campground with no amenities, this would be a good choice, but we were just passing through.
Scout
Nice staff but water smells horrible! The staff know about the water smell and told me there’s a lot of iron in the ground. I was charged $105/night for a basic back-in pad. When I consider that plus “trailer park” feel of all the permanent patrons with the clutter and crap everywhere- not worth it!!! The CG needs some work.
Traveler
Stokes is my go-to state park for unplugging and enjoying time with my family. We brought our son (23 months at time of visit) on his first camping trip this past September. He loved every minute of it.
Site T07 in Lake Ocquittunk is gorgeous and one of the few relatively secluded sites in the campground. You need to carry your gear down a narrow, rocky path that's a little steep near the road, but it's manageable. There's also a graded path into the site adjacent to a neighboring site, but you should check with those campers if they are ok with you cutting through to use it. (We opted not to disturb our neighbors and take the slope.)
I thought I would be able to launch my kayak from site 7 since it's waterfront, but there are a lot of huge rocks in the water that prevent you from getting out into the lake. We had to find a different launch spot. That was probably the biggest disappointment for us.
Still, I love site 7 and it's absolutely worth the privacy and the views every morning.
Legend
General: A county park with a mix of w/e (6 sites) and FHU sites plus about a dozen tent sites near a capped dump! There is a lodge and cabins close to the end of the point, but they appeared to be part of a group camp experience. They all appeared to be closed for the season (or because no one was renting at the time; they reminded me of places I used to take youth groups for weekend camps). The reservation process is a bit wonky. You need to call (no online reservations) and then wait for an e-mail, but the e-mail does not tell you your assigned site; you have to wait until you check in to find out your site.
Site Quality: We had a loosely defined gravel pad that was level. All sites appeared level. The FHU sites were back-to-back and although there were trees separating the sites, they were close together. No one was in the tent sites, but they did have new picnic tables.
Activities/Amenities: Other than a playground and a basketball court, there did not seem to be any activities to partake in. There used to be a pool but from the looks of it, it hasn’t been in use for many years. There are walking paths outside of the campground that are located within the park, but we did not have time to explore them.
Bath/Shower house: Clean but a bit dated. No shelves or hooks for toiletries. I was surprised the door was left open all night long. There was a sign warning that the toilets were slow flushing, but I think this may have been fixed because the flush was so powerful that the water splashed over the top of the seat!
Because it was on a point on the Hudson, I had hoped for views from the campground but there were too many trees to see the water. I was perplexed by the signs throughout saying no trespassing/fishing prohibited. I get the no fishing part but the trespassing? When we checked in, we had to write down our credit card number on a slip of paper before we were given a key that opened the gate to the campground. When we checked out, we asked for the paper or to watch it get shredded but were told they had to keep it on file which concerned us.
Traveler
Campgaw doesn’t seem to offer much in terms of a camping experience. The sites themselves are fairly close to the road and there are super popular hiking trails that run right through all the camps. If you like being woken up by folks walking their dog at 7 AM, this is the spot for you.
However, once the sun goes down, the campsite becomes a ghost town (except for the odd sheriff driving down the road). We went on a holiday weekend, and we were the only campsite that was occupied, so that is absolutely a plus. There was also plenty to do during the day, like joining the hikers on those trails, disc golf, and sitting by the water.
All-in-all, it is not a terrible site, especially considering the cheap price.
LegendThis is state park, very large nested on Peninsula on the Hudson River.
Ranger
The physical facilities are in good condition and are well maintained. The park is very big and is located inside and urban area.
The campsite appears to be designed as a disbursed camping design. However, there is not enough trees and folage to provide any privacy.
The camping area is located on a loop road I would estimate to be about a mile long. There is one restroom/shower house. Some campsites are close but our site was a 1/1 mile away.
The strangest thing is that hunting is allowed in the state park except on Sundays. There was a sign near our camp site saying don't shoot here because there is a city street 40 yards away. However they don't seem to mind if you shoot towards the camp sites.
Other campers near us were LOUD and stayed up well past the quiet time. They were annoying!!
Legend
This park is great for families, they had events scheduled throughout the summer, and a separate toddler pool. It’s very close to the Rail Gap Pocono Creek Nature Reserve, with some nice trails along Pocono Creek. We stayed here for a week and everyone we met was super friendly, and we would visit again.
Ranger
The perks of this campground is the easy river access. Besides Dingmans camp nearby or others on the NJ side of River, this is the only riverside campground before reaching NY. The river access alone makes it worth a visit if you plan on kayaking a long stretch and need a home base, like we did. Friendly and attentive staff, clean bathrooms, full camp store, swimming allowed at your own risk. They offer kayak tours with shuttle service. Small campground stretches up river side with several site options. The sites are very very small and close together. The lower river front sites offer the best views for tent campers. The upper RV/camper sites near entrance have some water views but most are obstructed by trees and sit high above river. You cannot access river from here but it’s an easy short walk down to river access area. The rest of campground is very cozy with a few sites near a small creek. It was very quiet during the week, hardly anyone there. We enjoyed the river almost to ourselves. The weekends get very busy as most come to swim and bbq. Overall still a very nice spot for a weekend. Our reason for 3 star rating is the size of camp sites and road noise 24/7 due to two busy nearby roads. We could hear it from anywhere in the campground, and some tents sites sit right along the side of the road. But, we would stay again for the convenience of river location and accommodating staff. We stayed in site 130 with 34’ trailer.
Scout
Stay in one of the last weekends of August. We were a party of 8 so we needed 2 sites, the first sites we booked were horrible - so so tiny (E11 & E12) and right on a swampy pond where the grass is growing into the water so it was hard to see where the water line was. We had kids, so we needed to move our sites. We ended up right across the way on E7 & E8 - much better. This loop for tent campers is mixed. Some of the sites are literally on the road - stay away from the sites on the same side of the road as the pond. I saw a family who literally had to block the road a little bc they couldn't park their car *and* have a tent on the tiny site. Anything on the side of E7 is bigger and a little deeper into the trees, but nothing seemed to be private in this campground. It was a busy weekend, so of course there was loud music and partying - it just so happens that it was next door to our sites. Bathrooms were far on this loop. There are little foot bridges that you could take to get to the bathroom easier (and closer) but they are set on people's campsites, so if someone is on that site it's really walking through their site to get to it. The campground has good amenities - wifi, pool, jumping ball, playground, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and a tether ball court :). Great for the kids. Pool is small but it works. There's a cafe there so we were able to grab coffees and stuff. They deliver wood and ice to your site which is super convenient. We would return for sure. Also - just to let everyone know the fire pit is really small.
TravelerWas my very first time camping out, went with my pups and my sons and did the van camping. The spot I had was very well shaded and pretty quiet. The only thing I wasn't big on was how far the trails are, would have to actually drive to it and park in a limited parking area. Due to weather didn't take the risk so am unable to give an opinion on it, but something to remember for the next trip. Only 30-35 min off the parkway, so nice and convenient.
Legend
Our 4rth state in our 5 state trip is New Jersey! We wanted to see Delaware Water Gap NRA & I found a campground by Newton called The Great Divide. This is a private campground. Very scenic with a small lake, a pond & surrounded by woods. This is also the most expensive campground on our trip at $96.11 a night.
Lots to do for families- they have kayaks for camper use. Horseshoes, tether ball, volleyball, a pool, a playground, a dog park. There's a swimming beach.
One strange thing is there's a lot of tent sites & they seemed popular. For the amount of tent/popup sites they only have 1 shower per loop. They are very clean & checked often, but they're used heavily during the weekend. I had better luck Sunday evening. A bench outside the bathroom would have been nice to sit & wait.
The rv sites were all full hookup on our loop.
We came in on a Friday & found out this campground ROCKS!!! They have live bands every Friday & Saturday night during the warm months. This might explain the higher rates. Party on!
Legend
Be advised that Skyline RV Camp has moved to:
50 Noble St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
The original property location at 2 Oak St was sold and is now private property.
Google Maps coords are 40.730491531436556,-73.9577966772486
There no longer is a waterfront view of the NYC skyline when camping at Skyline RV. The website views are misleading.
GuideStokes State Forest is a beautiful park with a lot of different trails to check out, though some of them are difficult to access due to parking. The camping areas are split between two different entrances. If you’re in Lake Ocquitunk, like I was, you don’t enter at the main entrance, you have to go past the main entrance about another mile on rt. 15 N. and enter by the YMCA. All the other camping areas are near the main entrance by the forest office. The campsites themselves are a little too close together in some spots with little coverage or privacy. There is a day parking area which is only accessible going through the main entrance by the forest office— if you visit during the week park entrance is free, but on the weekend fees can be a bit steep. I wasn’t super happy with my campsite as I wasn’t able to physically have my car on the site like I thought. I had to park in a small lot above my campsite and carry my belongings down a short slope to the site. I like to car-camp so this was a bit of a let down having my car separate from my actual campsite.
The bathrooms were nice and had flush toilets, but the showers were out of service during my time. Bathrooms are extremely spaced out so you will have to walk a far distance unless you strategically choose a site next to one. I drove through the other campsite and only saw 1 set of bathrooms that had toilets and showers per campground, not including the outhouses I saw for those in the small cabins.
Scout
Doing this review because a lot of them feel extremely outdated, so here we go.
Access: There are two ways to get to your campsite, boating and the great 3 mile trek. Starting with the hike, the path is not the best, filled with a ton of rocks placed by the lands-men. It makes the hike extremely difficult which could have been avoided. Moreover, theres a few points on the trail where you’re walking side by side from a highway, crossing driveways, passing construction zones, and past fencing. Extremely awkward and takes you out of the hiking experience immediately. Not ideal especially since you have to pay to camp on the site. I was extremely dissatisfied. Boating may be more worth it to avoid these downfalls and get your moneys worth.
Amenities: There are two water pumps. One at the beginning of the camp site and one at the end. They tend to get far if you plan on camping further into the campsite so I would plan ahead. The primitive restrooms aren’t maintained at all but if you’re there more for the"outdoorsy" experienced not a huge downfall. Most of the campsites have access to a picnic table and fire ring which is a huge plus.
Overall: For starters, the water is beautiful and clean, although there is no swimming, swim at your own risk and don’t get caught? I had a wonderful time at this location, the sites were big enough for play and privacy. The water was clean and provided a lovely view in the morning and it was quiet and dark as expected by sundown. But this site just missed with the awful trail of three miles. Although there were service roads throughout the campsite, visitors were not able to use them. The necessary carry in and out for 3 miles is a huge downfall. Moreover, the hike itself along highways, across roads, and down strategically places pebbles and rocks were a huge miss and made it extremely difficult and slippery. I highly recommend boating as hiking will probably make the experience a lot more sour than wanted. It shouldn’t be a"choose between the two" considering you’re paying but what can you do… pick boating if you really want to see it for yourself.
Legend
We stayed at Kymer's on a whim for a weekend, so we could be close to Mountain Creek for a Spartan Race. It truly exceeded our expectations in all aspects. This is a family friendly, camper-friendly place. Lots of seasonals- everyone waves, everyone stops to chat. This is what a campground should feel like. The sound of laughter and play sitting around the huge, clean pool was refreshing. Our site was Oak 10. It was level, good placement of electric water & sewer connects. Camp store has all the basics you might need. There is a brook that flows adjacent to the property. It's peaceful & magical. Pet friendly, although we didn't have our pup with us. We will be back again. I almost feel like I'm revealing a hidden gem with this post. 💎
Scout
Great location!
Guide
This might be my 3rd or 4th trip there. They advertise WiFi but the WiFi never works. No cable hookups. And cell service is at a minimum. Every time we go there, it’s a new excuse about the WiFi. Funny thing is, they take the time to show you your password lol.
ScoutVery clean park. Lots of families. Tubing was fun. Bring bug spray.
Guide
I’ve been here twice now and it is a beautiful campsite. Individual campsites are separate from cabin and group sites.
Tent campsites have benches and a fire pit. Group campsites have large stove. The cabins seem clean and well maintained. All the sites are set up nearby the office where people are all day should you ever need anything. The workers are super friendly and regularly make rounds of the grounds.
Bathrooms are spread out so it’s never a far walk from your site. They are super clean with a shower and two stalls. There is a water fountain outside of them. One of the bathrooms has a playground next to it for people with kids. Hiking trails are also spread out among the campsites as well.
I solo camp and have always felt safe at these campgrounds. Not to mention the hiking and scenery are absolutely breathtaking.
The non camper public area has benches and a parking lot for visitors of campers or people doing day hikes.
ScoutI took my 5 year old-son and wife, all of us first time campers. this place was great. The site was very nice, all the people friendly and area beautiful.
Legend
Pros: 50 AMP, sewer & water hookup Nice amenities
Cons: Sand sites Overpriced Tight site & hard to get in/out for big rigs
ScoutThe hike to get to the campground is a bit long (4 miles; we did it in ~2h). Since there were 95 degrees, it was challenging. The campsite was really nice, even if the pic nic table was almost completely broke
Scout
I was warned about this place and told not to go here, gave it a chance anyways and biggest regret. Spent$300 on 2 sites and for extra people to come which is ridiculous to begin with but did it anyways. They seemed laid back as a person was drinking a beer in the office. So im not sure why there were rangers stalking us in the woods... right after my fiance proposed getting down on 1 knee the rangers come running to ticket us for having a celebratory drink!! Completely ruined our entire weekend and engagement. Got a ticket minutes after our engagement!!! Never had an experience like this camping out of 100 camping trips we've done!! Worst place we have ever been to. Let alone u can't swim even swim at the riverfront sites. The water is 1 foot deep the entire river across. IF YOU WANT TO CAMP AT A GREAT RIVER CAMPGROUND GO TO WORTHINGTON NJ!!! RANGERS AND STAFF WILL NEVER RUIN YOUR NIGHT AND THE CHANNEL IS RIGHT AT YOUR SITE SO CAN SWIM!!! ONLY$25 A NIGHT!!!!:D Only 20 min from this rough campground Go to Worthington you won't regret it, you'll regret it at dingmans
TravelerAverage at best but better during the week . Can get really overcrowded on summer weekends sometimes . On holiday weekends it looks like a refugee camp . Always seems to be kids in charge here and it shows . Nothing gets done about late night noise when it occurs .
Traveler
I recently had a camping experience at High Point that unfortunately did not go as planned. My family, friends and I rented a camping site and a cabin for a two-night stay, looking forward to a relaxing weekend in nature. However, our trip took an unexpected turn that left us feeling frustrated and disappointed.
On the first night, we received complaints about the volume of our music and karaoke around 7 pm. While we promptly lowered the volume, we later found ourselves facing further complaints about noise levels, despite our efforts to be considerate of other campers, especially since we had children with us and we were a group of about 28 people. The following day, we were taken aback when the police arrived at our cabin and informed us that we were being evicted from the site due to noise complaints and the placement of our tents in the cabin's backyard.
Feeling discriminated against and confused by the sudden eviction, we tried to explain our side of the story. We had moved some of our belongings to the cabin due to a marathon event taking place in front of our campsite, which was causing significant noise early in the morning “since 5 AM”. Additionally, there was confusion regarding the use of motorcycles on the premises, which further added to the misunderstandings that led to our eviction.
Despite our attempts to follow the rules and seek clarification, our family weekend was disrupted, and some members even opted to leave the site. The entire experience left us feeling uncomfortable and frustrated, especially considering the efforts we made to comply with the park's regulations.
While I appreciate the police officer's effort to provide us with another chance to rectify the situation, the manner in which the eviction was carried out and the lack of communication from the park management was disappointing. I believe that incidents like these should be reported to ensure that future campers do not have to go through similar challenges.
Moving forward, I hope that similar situations will be addressed more effectively to avoid inconveniences and unease for fellow campers. It is my hope that park staff will thoroughly investigate complaints, ensuring accuracy by confirming the exact site before taking action.
In summary, the manner in which the incidents were handled, the lack of transparency and fair treatment, and the impact on our camping experience all point towards potential discrimination. It is essential to address and report such instances to ensure that all campers are treated fairly and respectfully in the future
Scout
Cool
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Chatham, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Chatham, NJ is Round Valley State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 24 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 84 dog-friendly camping locations near Chatham, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
