Best Campgrounds near Frenchtown, NJ

I was so excited when we got here. 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. I have been RVing for 2-3 years and this is the first time this many ticks ambushed us. I could not enjoy myself after having 3 biting me at one time. My husband had just come out of the shower and found 2 on him( not yet attached). Also the bathroom s don’t have shelves and the showers are not very convenient. You have to come out practically naked to get your towel. And since none of the sites have sewers you have to use them.

There are four campgrounds that are all pretty different, we stayed at Shotwell across from the pond. For the most part, each campsite has its own porta potty or it shared with a couple other sites. At the entrance of the campground, there is a bathhouse with running water, bathrooms, and potable water. We stayed in one of the RV areas across the pond. It was peaceful to hear the frogs chirping at night, but definitely didn’t think about how many more bugs the pond would bring, probably wouldn’t stay at that specific spot again even though it’s really pretty. Most of the campsites were very rocky, but you can find some that have a little bit of grass. We came on a Friday night. Everyone was up pretty late, but was not crazy loud. The rest of the weekend it seemed like everyone’s simmered down. The campground was full of mostly families. If you wanted to shower, you would have to head to the group campsite not too far but you need to drive. We don’t typically expect to have a campgrounds with a ton of amenities. Potable water and a toilet is really all we need. Overall, it was a great time gorgeous park. Also took a few pictures of the cabins in Shotwell. I wouldn’t personally rent one, but I guess if your winter camping it has a little fireplace and will keep you dry and somewhat warm.

In the event that you find yourself in the heart of PA Dutch Country in this town named for the long lost settlers of this particular corner of New England and in search of a place to lay up for the night (and trust me, not anything more than that here), should you call ahead or, like me, simply drop by Melody Lakes Country Estate, you might … just maybe, score a slice of pavement to park your RV or 5th Wheel for the night. And for mi tent pitchin’ bredren, unfortunately you are out of luck as this place only caters to those looking to rent or build a semi-permanent structure or lease you a sliver of pavement next to the community pool for the night.

Located just due north of Quakertown on Highway 309 - you’ll know you’ve gone too far if you’ve passed by Kathy’s Country Kitchen, which I must admit, is definitely worth turning in for the loaded potato skins, Reuben burger and various versions of Mac-N-Cheese as well as their signature, which is anything from the breakfast menu - you'll find this spot completely hidden from site. So from this restaurant, if you missed Melody Lakes altogether – which is incredibly easy to do as there’s only a single sign that is about 3 feet tall and hidden from site besides a bush – just double-back and head down the little lane that meanders due south of the golf driving range. At the end of a 2-3 block blissful sojourn, complete with quaint ponds and accompanying ducks and geese, you’ll reach the main office, which you will then learn if one of the very few (and I mean like 2-3) slots is either available for the night or not. In our particular case, it was (perhaps fortunate for us) not.

As for Melody Lakes Country Estate, this is really just a retirement home for folks that don’t want to live in a closed community, so throughout the entire property, the majority of what you will discover is makeshift semi-permanent structures that have taken root to the land that they’ve been planted on. There are a decent amount of amenities here, in addition to Kathy’s Country Kitchen and the golf driving range, including: community swimming pool, adjacent reservoir, fishing ponds, 100 wooded acres, club house, shuffleboard court, designated trash dumpsters and recyclable bins as well as a kid’s playground. As there was ‘no room@ the inn’ when we stopped by, I couldn’t tell you if there were adequate hook-ups like electric, water and sewage, because we never got that far in our conversation.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Avoid the mistake that we made and call this place WELL in advance to see if they have space in the first place for your RV or 5th Wheeler; (2) Should you find availability and want to find some locations nearby for exploring nature, you’ll want to check out Upper Bucks Rail Trial, which has several miles of some pretty amazing thick wilderness to explore; (3) Once you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is inside of your mini on-board fridge or roto-molded Cordova cooler, there’s a handful of decent restaurant offerings in and around Quakertown, of which, I recommend: The Brick Tavern Inn for its pan-roasted duck breast, The West End for their cheesesteak egg rolls, brisket loaded fries and fish-n-chips, but be sure to tie one on at Casey’s Place with a stiff Ketel One martini; and (4) Should you need to load up on anything when out in these parts, nearby there’s a Walmart, Aldi, Target, T.J.Maxx, Homegoods and Giant grocery store.

Happy Camping!

General: Smallish (64-site) county park campground. There are also three cabins. As soon as you turn off the main road to the park, all roads are dirt, which was a bit surprising. They were well-maintained and in dry weather, not a problem, but probably not if it was rainy. The campground is in five loops with the bathhouse located in the D Loop. 

Site Quality: Sites in Loops B-E all have pull-thru driveways. 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. There are some ADA sites but the only thing distinguishing them from others is their proximity to the bathroom. 

Bath/Shower House: Very clean. Soap and paper towels are provided. The only thing missing were hooks or shelves for toiletries but there was a large bench that could be used. Since it is located in the D Loop it would have been helpful to have pathways leading from the other loops. Did not use the shower so cannot comment. 

Activities/Amenities: There is a lake with a boat dock and a small boardwalk. Kayaking/Canoeing, fishing, and swimming. In the summer, canoe, kayak, paddle boats, and row boats are available for rental. Several short (longest one is 2.5 miles) hiking trails that are fairly well-marked but can be a bit confusing at times. Some sections of the trails were muddy due to swamps and bogs but passable. There is also a fitness trail. There is an archery range and a council ring (campfire). There is a dump station and laundry facility with brand-new washers and dryers (however, you need to pay using an app on your phone). The office is open until 9 pm and sells ice, firewood, and bait. There are age-appropriate playgrounds both in the campground and by the office. 

There are not a lot of camping opportunities in NJ, and this was a nice one. The campground was only about 20% occupied when we were there at the end of April, so our stay was a quiet one.

General: 132-site campground with a mix of no hookups or water and electric. Six of the sites are “field sites” – on grass. Our site was chosen for us. 

Site Quality: Varies. Sites 68 and 69 are next to the field sites and aside from having electricity and water and a faint gravel camper pad, there is not much to distinguish them from the field sites (which have electricity but no water). Our site was almost level but in order to reach the electric connection, we were sloped slightly downhill side-to-side. The FHU sites are wooded but close together.

Bath/Shower house: Clean with soap and paper towels. The shower had nice hot water. 

Activities/Amenities: The pool is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. There is also a separate kiddie pool. We were there the Thursday after Memorial Day and had the pool to ourselves. Other amenities include laundry, a game room, golf cart rentals, and sports equipment (basketballs, volleyball, soccer, football, horseshoes, bocce ball, ping pong) are available. Propane fill-ups, firewood, a camp store, and a dump station (including on-site for a fee) are all available. Free WiFi, although not the strongest signal. 

Had we not needed an electric hookup for our computers, I would have much preferred the primitive sites – they are private and shaded but they are a hike to the bathroom. There is one vault toilet in this area. Our site had no shade, and it was a very hot day when we were there. I was surprised at the lack of camping options in this area.