Equestrian Camping near Island Heights, NJ

Turkey Swamp Park provides tent, RV, and cabin camping from April through mid-November in a wooded setting. The 64-site campground features five loops with dirt roads and pull-through driveways on spacious, level sites. Each campsite comes equipped with water and electric hookups, though water spigots may require longer hoses as they can be located over 40 feet from parking spots. The park offers various recreational activities including a lake for fishing and boating, hiking trails, and an archery range.

What to do

Archery practice: Bring your bow to Turkey Swamp Park where hay barrels are available for target practice. "Bring your bow and shoot at the hay barrels," notes Patrick M., who visits annually.

Explore pine barrens trails: The extensive trail system at Brendan Byrne State Forest offers miles of hiking through unique Pine Barrens ecosystem. "There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails," shares Benjamin K.

Winter camping options: Experience cold-weather camping at Allaire State Park which remains open year-round. "Getting a cabin in the winter and going for a snowy hike is wonderful there," recommends Patrick M., while Lisa S. adds, "We found this campground one night when we were in NJ. It ended up snowing that night. The bathrooms were clean and warm."

What campers like

Well-spaced wooded sites: Turkey Swamp Park offers privacy between campsites. "Sites are in the woods and widely spaced apart to give you privacy and the feeling of being out in the Forest," writes Katheryn N., adding "this is a lovely campground."

Distance from urban noise: Brendan Byrne State Forest provides a truly secluded experience. "It's far away from traffic noise. You can't hear 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," explains Benjamin K.

Digital detox environment: Some campers appreciate disconnecting at Turkey Swamp Park. "I've been here a few times, every time I'm here I barely touch my phone," shares Tylen L., who rates the campground a perfect 10/10.

What you should know

Tick awareness needed: Be prepared for ticks when camping in this region. "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," reports Laura Y. about her Turkey Swamp experience.

Campground facilities: Allaire State Park offers basic amenities. "Okay bathrooms, flush toilets, sinks, showers, electric outlet. Payphone!? Playground. Campground sells firewood," notes Dwight D.

Campfire regulations: Some parks have specific fire rules. At Brendan Byrne State Forest, "fires can only go from 6pm till 7am which was odd but wasn't a deal breaker," according to Dorian P., who still rated his experience 5 stars.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Multiple recreation options for children at Turkey Swamp Park. "There are age-appropriate playgrounds both in the campground and by the office," notes Lee D.

Bug preparation for kids: Some families report minimal bug issues at certain times. "We went camping with our 2- and 3-year-old kids. We were worried about bugs, but we didn't even use mosquito repellent and didn't get a single bite!" shares Jaewook P. about their Turkey Swamp experience.

Tent alongside RV option: Turkey Swamp Park accommodates mixed camping styles. "You are allowed to have a tent on the site with an RV at no extra charge," mentions Katheryn N., making it versatile for families with different sleeping preferences.

Tips from RVers

Bring extra-long hoses: Turkey Swamp requires longer water connections than standard. "Bring a LONG water hose. Nice lake. Showers and washers and dryers," advises Shawn.

Level site preparation: Most sites at Turkey Swamp Park are naturally level. "Sites are all level, very generous in size, and reasonably spaced apart for privacy," reports Lee D., though they note all roads and camper pads are dirt surfaces.

Laundry facility access: The park provides modern laundry facilities. "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)," explains Lee D.