Leo C.
Scout
ScoutWinding Hills Park
Nice but dated
Nice campground, bathrooms are clean but dated, first come first serve for the sites.
Camping near Franklin Lakes, NJ
129 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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The area surrounding Franklin Lakes, New Jersey provides camping opportunities within an hour's drive of New York City, with options ranging from primitive tent sites to cabin accommodations. Camp Glen Gray offers rustic cabins and tent sites with access to hiking trails, while Harriman State Park's multiple camping areas including Beaver Pond Campground and Sebago Cabin Camp provide lake access and recreational activities. Campgaw Mountain Reservation, located closer to Franklin Lakes, offers tent and RV camping with permit requirements and picnic facilities.
Access to many campgrounds requires advance planning as several sites fill quickly, especially during summer weekends. "Sebago has a huge lake and great beach area. It was perfect for lounging and swimming in during a hot summer day," notes one visitor, highlighting the appeal of water-based activities in the region. Primitive camping along the Stonetown Circular trail involves challenging hikes with rock scrambles, so packing light is recommended. Most developed campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with Beaver Pond Campground typically open from April through early October, while some private facilities maintain year-round operations. Cell service varies significantly throughout the region, with many primitive areas having limited or no coverage.
Campers frequently mention the contrast between bustling daytime activity and evening solitude at many sites. A reviewer of Campgaw Mountain noted, "Once the sun goes down, the campsite becomes a ghost town," which can appeal to those seeking privacy despite popular hiking trails nearby. The Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center receives praise for its platform camping and meal options, with visitors appreciating the peaceful lake setting. For those seeking rustic experiences, the cabin options at Sebago are described as basic but convenient with amenities like refrigerators while still maintaining an outdoor camping feel. Wildlife sightings, including beavers, are commonly reported throughout the region, particularly around lakes and water features.
Best Campgrounds near Franklin Lakes (129)
1. Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park
"Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill."
"The grounds are just steps away from Welch Lake, offering a lifeguard monitored sandy beach which is open during the summer season for swimming, fishing, and small boat craft further out."
from $21 - $24 / night
Check Availability2. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation
"Located in the Skylands of New Jersey, Mahlon Dickerson Campgound is a perfect place to spend a few nights or a couple of weeks. The campsites are paved and mostly level. They are wooded and large."
"It's beautiful and quiet, and close to beautiful hiking trails, lakes, and other outdoor recreation opportunities."
3. Sebago Cabin Camp — Harriman State Park
"It is a step up from cabin camping. They also have a beach behind it."
"This place is only an hour away from NYC with so much to do and see. These cabins are VERY rustic, four walls, a cot, and a fridge."
from $130 / night
Check Availability4. Camp Glen Gray
"One rustic place with many hiking trails to choose from. Camp also provides trucking of gear weather permitting. No vehicles allowed to drive through camp. Trading Post for treats and other items."
"Lots of hiking trails. Trading post is well stocked and volunteers are always friendly and able to answer any questions"
from $5 - $200 / night
Check Availability5. The Stephen & Betsy Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center — Harriman State Park
"This was beautiful campground with an even nicer lake. You are able to do a hike around the lake."
"Beautiful lakes all over the place. The AMC camp in Harriman is fantastic too! Those are reserved and paid cabins and platforms."
6. Stonetown Circular trail Primitive #1
"Stonetown Circular trail is a 11 mile medium/high difficulty loop trail. This is the first of two primitive sites along the trail. The trailhead is across the street from a large parking lot."
7. Liberty Harbor RV Park
"This is all about location. The closest RV park to NYC. It's basically a parking lot with a dump station. Not much else. Pick one of the larger end row sites to get a little extra elbow room."
"Basicly a parking lot, but the location can't be beat. 2 ferries that run to Manhattan. Path train is a 12 minute walk away that will take you yyo manhatten."
from $145 - $180 / night
Check Availability8. Campgaw Mountain Reservation
9. Stonetown Circular trail Primitive #2
"Stonetown Circular trail is a 11 mile medium/high difficulty loop trail. This is the second of two primitive sites along the trail. The trailhead is across the street from a large parking lot."
10. Croton Point Park
"Tent sites are very private with some dirt roads to exit out but thats what make it unique experience! Bathrooms with shower is near by and has plenty porta potties all around."
"Was close to bear mountains state part and the train station is right there!"
from $30 - $60 / night
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Drive Time
- 22 min from Kiryas Joel, NY
- 28 min from New York, NY
- 1 hr 4 min from Bridgeport, CT
- 1 hr 21 min from Trenton, NJ
Recent Camping Photos near Franklin Lakes, NJ
463 Photos of 129 Franklin Lakes Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Campgaw Mountain Reservation
Wawayanda Group Shelter
Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park
Mahlon Dickerson Reservation
Tentrr Signature Site - Appalachian Trail Hilltop Hideaway - Coleman Cooking Site
Moon Valley CampgroundD
Croton Point Park
Woodland Trails
Black Bear RV ParkT
Kittatinny Valley State Park Campground
Pleasant Acres Farm RV Resort
Tentrr Signature Site - Camp Coal Tree
Recent Reviews near Franklin Lakes, NJ
825 Reviews of 129 Franklin Lakes Campgrounds
Thomas B.
RangerNeversink River Resort
Cool Riverside Campground
I'll start by saying this is a site-specific review (C20). I booked using Campspot and didn't select my own site but put in the criteria for my rig (30ft TT plus truck) and got a 50A back-in spot. The site was big but abnormal. Between the picnic table placement and the trees, I ended up right around 50ft from the electric and water, and the water spigot was so low I could barely put on my camco filter. With the uneven dirt roads, I had to unhitch with my truck in a gigantic puddle (lol). The site was otherwise fine aside from my gate code not working on Day 2. As for the campground as a whole, I thought it was pretty unique place by the river that offered several good amenities and activities, like downstream river tubing, an arcade, bathroom/shower facilities, a small store, little trails, and more. I would say this place borders the more primitive side.
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.
- eedgar V.Scout
Black Bear RV Park
Super clean and quiet
Past reviews has mentioned that the office seems to be closed often, while I found that to be true I had no reason to contact anyone. This is definitely one of the cleanest quiets site I’ve ever visited
- KKelly B.
GuideClarence Fahnestock State Park Campground
Check site photos first
Definitely a wide variety of sites—look at the site pictures before booking—there are two areas where it’s just an open field with bonfires and picnic tables that I’d avoid. I could see a large group going there or something but personally it doesn’t offer any privacy.
BUT if you book one of the other sites that DOES have privacy you’ll be in camping heaven. The “hike in” sites are more like “walk-in,” I was worried at first but it’s some are as little as a few yards from the road. The most annoying part was lugging the cooler back and forth, but totally worth it
- KKelly B.Guide
Stephens State Park Campground
Great last min getaway
Booked the day before—even on the holiday weekend! Just 1.5 hours outside of NYC, site was a bit close to the neighbors (fire pit was very far back and basically in the neighbors’ campsite, but we put up a “privacy clothesline” and hung a tarp over it for a bit of extra coverage.
The staff was friendly and helpful, they said it was the busiest they’ve seen the campground all year (there were lots of large groups but everyone seemed to settle down by 9:30pm
Poison ivy was EVERYWHERE at our site so make sure to stick to the open areas and the paths. Lots of families around, we felt very safe Bathrooms were fine—it was my impression they’re usually cleaner but the high traffic of the weekend left a bit to be desired, (lots of families around=dirty diapers in the bathroom trash bin) but it’s camping! I’m not gonna argue w a flushing toilet!
- KKevin F.
TravelerTri-State RV Park
A place to stay in an area lacking campgrounds.
This area seems to be devoid of campgrounds except for this one. It’s basically just a large parking lot with hook ups. Completely open, which is great for Starlink. Bathrooms were slightly above average; fairly clean and places to hang clothes for your shower. Has a laundry but be sure to bring quarters. It is about 100 yards from the interstate so you’ll get a lot of noise and diesel exhaust fumes.
- Sue B.Ranger
Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA
Great off season camping
We camped here in our pop up for our Anniversary in November. We were impressed with the cleanliness and available amenities for the time of year we were camping in! Close proximity to DWG and PA AND NJ attractions.
- JJayTraveler
Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA
Large sites & friendly staff!
Another great experience. Sites were large. Staff was friendly with many different things for kids to do. Great base camp for local hikes.
Guide to Franklin Lakes
Camping sites near Franklin Lakes, New Jersey offer diverse terrain options within a 45-minute drive of the area. The region sits at the edge of the Ramapo Mountains, where elevations range from 300 to 1,100 feet. Summer temperatures typically average 75-85°F during camping season, with cooler nights around 60-65°F in wooded areas.
What to do
Hiking with varying difficulty levels: Stonetown Circular Trail provides challenging rock scrambles with stunning viewpoints. "Stonetown Circular trail is a 11 mile medium/high difficulty loop trail. This is a great spot to set up camp because it has a wide area and an amazing view. You will find the site right next to the American Flag at the top of the mountain," notes Ethan K. about the primitive camping site.
Water activities on multiple lakes: Lakes throughout the region provide swimming and boating options during summer months. "This was beautiful campground with an even nicer lake. You are able to do a hike around the lake. They have both cabins for rent and camping spots on platforms which are great, especially when it rains. You can also rent canoes and take them out on the lake for an afternoon activity," writes Ethan K. about the AMC Harriman Outdoor Center.
Winter activities: Some parks maintain year-round operations. "This place is only an hour away from NYC with so much to do and see. These cabins are VERY rustic, four walls, a cot, and a fridge. You still feel like you are 'roughing it' but with the convenience of a fridge," explains Sara P. about winter options at Sebago.
What campers like
Privacy and spaciousness: Many campsites offer good separation between sites. "The biggest positive about Beaver Pond is how spread out it was. You definitely feel like you have your own space and are not camping on top of your neighbor. Many of the camping options were on platforms which is especially nice if it recently rained," reports Ethan K. from Beaver Pond Campground.
Platform tent sites: Several campgrounds feature raised wooden platforms for tents. "I have camped Beaver Pond for the last 45 years and have found something new and better each every year I've gone to the campgrounds. I have gone from tent platform, tent camping, tarp, and now hammock camping," shares Elliot G. about camping options at Beaver Pond.
Meal services at select campgrounds: Some locations offer dining options beyond self-catering. "I camped on one of the platforms, which was very nice and did not feel crowded even with other people on neighboring platforms. One highlight was having meals cooked by the stellar chef. The lake is very peaceful, and home to beavers we watched from the dining hall patio," notes Ilya F. about the AMC Harriman Outdoor Center.
What you should know
Bear safety requirements: Bear activity requires proper food storage. "Welcome to Bear Mountain" grumbles the park ranger as he sits in complete darkness! He is in his ranger hut, checking in the late evening arrivals to the campground... He offers us a highlighted map to our site, wishes us a good stay, and gives us the run down on bear activity in the area," explains Steve W. from Beaver Pond.
Transportation options: Many campgrounds are accessible without a car. "This campsite is accessible by public transportation. There is a shuttle run by the campsite to and from Tuxedo Park Train Station (reservations on shuttle required)," mentions Ilya F. about getting to certain camping areas.
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly across campgrounds. "Absolutely zero phone service (for T-Mobile) which was AMAZING. There's a few very cute small towns nearby with surprisingly modern restaurants and friendly people," Sara P. notes about Sebago Cabin Camp.
Tips for camping with families
Child-friendly amenities: Several campgrounds offer facilities designed for children. "Short distance from the NYC, very organized, clean pond, has a playground, showers, bathroom. Your phone will have signal," explains Zorina N. about Beaver Pond.
Cabin options for mixed camping comfort: Cabins provide a middle ground between tents and hotels. "Sebago cabins the way to get away and relax enjoy the lake... you can go hiking they also have movie nights they do big bon 🔥 on Saturday very kid friendly ranger Joe is 👌 with the kids and they have 🔥 wood for purchase on site most cabins have 2rooms with 4cots but some are larger inside has a full fridge and double hot plate," shares Hashim C.
Entertainment programs: Some campgrounds offer organized activities. "Cabins are always clean and stocked with firewood. Lots of hiking trails. Trading post is well stocked and volunteers are always friendly and able to answer any questions," writes Christopher M. about Camp Glen Gray.
Tips from RVers
Hookup locations: Water and electric connections can be challenging at some sites. "Very clean and quiet. Website lists water hook ups at long distances but they have hose reels to help with that. Our site (15) said 75' however the 50' hose reel made it to our rv connection. Trash dumpster is an easy walk and the dump station has a flush hose point," reports antruze about Mahlon Dickerson Reservation.
Site leveling considerations: Most sites require minimal adjustment. "This county park has large, wooded campsites with electric and water. It's beautiful and quiet, and close to beautiful hiking trails, lakes, and other outdoor recreation opportunities. And yet it's only about a 15 minute drive to a large mall with movies, shopping, and restaurants," notes Jeff W.
Off-season advantages: Campgrounds are less crowded during non-peak times. "We stayed here on a Thursday night in September prior to taking off backpacking. The campground was clean and quiet. RV hook-ups, tent platforms, and rustic tent sites were available. Ranger said that during summer weekends the grounds fill up and can be quite noisy, but mid-week during the off-season it was great," explains Rebecca S.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
What camping is available near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, Franklin Lakes, NJ offers a wide range of camping options, with 129 campgrounds and RV parks near Franklin Lakes, NJ and 5 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
Which is the most popular campground near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Franklin Lakes, NJ is Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park with a 4.2-star rating from 41 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 free dispersed camping spots near Franklin Lakes, NJ.
What parks are near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
What parks are near Franklin Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Franklin Lakes, NJ that allow camping, notably Gateway National Recreation Area and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
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