Wharton State Forest offers glamping options across its 122,000 acres of New Jersey Pine Barrens. The forest's sandy terrain creates unusually soft ground for camping with virtually no rocks for tent setup. Water from forest sources may have a natural dark coloration due to tannins from decaying pine trees - a distinctive feature of this ecosystem rather than contamination. Winter temperatures can drop below freezing while summer nights remain mild.
What to do
Kayaking on Wading River: Access multiple launch points throughout Wharton State Forest for paddling adventures. One visitor noted, "We put in the water the next day and travel 10 miles to Bodine Fields campground... Wading river has a nice flow. It's a dark black river from the tannins."
Fishing at Old Cedar Campground: The campground maintains good fishing areas with bass catches reported. A camper mentioned, "Nice pool, good fishing, staff is great."
Hiking the Pine Barrens: Explore miles of trails through Wharton's distinctive ecosystem. According to a visitor at Brendan Byrne State Forest, "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."
Exploring historic sites: Visit Batsto Village to see preserved 19th-century industrial town buildings. A Hawkins Bridge camper described the area: "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."
What campers like
Spacious sites: Many campgrounds offer generously sized camping areas. A reviewer at Parvin State Park noted, "Our site was level and easy in and out. Large site off the main road to other sites."
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms are consistently mentioned across reviews. A camper at Lums Pond State Park wrote, "The bath house was absolutely immaculate, and the design made even my public-bathroom-phobic sister-in-law comfortable and at ease."
Natural setting: The unique Pine Barrens ecosystem provides a distinctive camping backdrop. One reviewer stated, "I arrived on a Tuesday a few days after they closed the pool, and by Wednesday I had the whole row of tent sites to myself... if you look around the campground edges or follow the walking trail into the woods, you will find wonderful native plants like blueberry, viburnum, clethra, and meadow beauty."
Quiet atmosphere: Several campgrounds maintain peaceful environments. A visitor to Brendan Byrne mentioned, "It's far away from traffic noise. You can't here any cars or any other noise from civilization at all. It's at least 10 miles away from anything more than a single house in the woods."
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Most glamping options near Clementon operate on limited schedules. A Wading Pines visitor mentioned their season runs "Apr 15 - Nov 15," while Parvin State Park operates "April 1 to October 31."
Water quality variations: Some campgrounds have issues with water quality. A Parvin State Park camper noted, "The water has a very high iron content. I couldn't even use it for tooth brushing. Most of the showers were out of order. The toilets were clean but had the orange staining from the iron in the water."
Reservation requirements: Popular sites book quickly, especially for summer weekends. A camper at Atsion Family Camp advised, "LOVE!!!! I always get site #8 and it has an amazing view of the lake."
Site layouts: Campgrounds vary significantly in spacing and privacy between sites. One visitor observed, "The boundaries between neighbors are pretty much non-existent. Water isn't too far from any site and the bathrooms were in good shape."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Select sites near recreational facilities. At Parvin State Park, a camper recommended, "Site is great for people with families as there was a playground within 50 feet."
Water activities: Look for glamping sites with swimming access for summer visits. A visitor to Wading Pines commented, "We loved this campground. Friendly staff. Plenty for the kids to do. The river is right there to go tubing or kayaking."
Activity scheduling: Many campgrounds offer organized family events. A visitor noted, "They had a breakfast, games and crafts geared towards it. The pool and splash park were great but you needed to be at least 42 inches to go on the slide or bounce house."
Bug preparation: The Pine Barrens ecosystem requires insect protection. A Parvin visitor warned, "Bring bug spray!!" while another mentioned, "Ticks were very active on this visit be sure to remember your bug spray and tuck your pants in your socks!"
Tips from RVers
Hookup positioning: Check utility placement before setting up. One RVer at Lums Pond cautioned about other campgrounds: "The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up."
Site dimensions: Confirm site size limitations when booking. A camper at Hawkins Bridge advised, "Each of the private campsites have a parking spot. It's really all the benefits of backwoods camping (the quiet, the solitude) with all the conveniences of car camping."
Road conditions: Some glamping areas near Clementon have challenging access roads. A visitor noted, "The roads are narrow and we had a hard time getting on to site 145," while another mentioned "dirt/sand roads were horrible."
Distance planning: Several luxury camping locations are isolated from conveniences. A camper warned, "Make sure you bring everything you need with you, because this place is literally in the middle of nowhere and a minimum 15 minutes ride to any type of civilization."
