Best Tent Camping near Island Heights, NJ

The park itself is lovely and close to some other green areas. The nice thing about this campsite is that it’s so close to NYC. The bad thing about this campsite is that it’s so close to NYC. If you live in NYC this is a good, cheap, super quick escape accessible by public transport. If you’re visiting the area I’d recommend staying in Manhattan/Queens in an AirBNB for the full NYC experience or heading to Long Island, Pennsylvania, “Upstate” New York, or New Jersey for a better nature camping experience. For what it is, this site is a nice green little oasis. It’s National Park Service land and they try really hard to keep things clean and working well with so much traffic. Bring earplus for the airport traffic and the noisy neighbors. Tent sites are pretty and wooded, but there is also a TON of concrete from an old WW2 airfield.

Tent camping near the water - great for Jersey Shore adventures. Make sure to check out the lighthouses nearby!!

Tent camped July 1st. Clean bathrooms. Sites are a little too close together. Noisy with highway traffic. Well maintained though. Ticks galore.

Wharton Forest has several campgrounds.

We tent camped at Atsion in 2015: had flush toilets and was close to the checkin station/store as well as the beach on the lake. Some sites were right on the water and the sites were very big.

We wanted a more rustic experience and tent camped at Bodine campground in 2018. Our site was right on Wading River and we launched our kayaks right at the site! Our tent is has a full view of the sky and at night it was like a planetarium as we admired the sky from our cots. Pit toilets, pump water, fire ring, nice big site. Road in is sandy but it is the pine barrens. Although we were there on Friday the 13th, sadly neither Jason or the Jersey Devil stopped by for s’mores.

The boyfriend and I stayed for a weekend at one of the primitive tent sites. Our site was private and secluded. We had a great time.

Our group stayed for an extended weekend trip at one of the primitive tent sites. It was awesome, and we all had a great time. Unfortunately, we had neighbors that were being obnoxiously loud for multiple hours past the "quiet time", but even that didn't ruin our trip. Bonus points for being driving distance to multiple locations that we could take our kayaks.

Small Campground. Has several sites for B class rigs and small C class rigs along with many tent sites. They also have 2-3 sites that would accommodate a 40’ rig. Our site was fairly level. While no water, electric or sewer hook ups there are several portable water stations and a dump station. Bathrooms are clean and showers are hot! Biking and hiking trails are very nice. The Historic Village at Allaire is really interesting and quite pretty.

A beautiful camping area that is affordable, each site is very large, very clean and well maintained, bathrooms and showers 24/7. The camp ground area is very large and signed extremely well making finding your campsite easy. Bathrooms and showers can be a hike. If you can bring a portable toilet, I'd recommend that. $25 for a primitive tent site with fire pit that is very large area for a family or friends, and far from the road. We stayed at the site to kayak with our outdoor group called "A Good Paddling".

Allaire State Park is a favorite spot of mine. In addition to their tent sites and group gathering areas (we have had several family reunions here), we enjoy all the activities! There is a historical village where you can visit a blacksmith shop and other spaces to learn about the history. They have a flea market many weekends in the summer months and in early fall. They also. Have Halloween themed events like a hayride. Lots of walking paths surround the park & you are also close to Belmar, Point Pleasant, Manasquan (all fun shore towns). Bathroom maintenance could use some sprucing up, but other than that- great place to visit.

Wharton State Forest has a few primitive campgrounds, which is what I'm looking for. I try to stay away from campgrounds with electrical hookups, because the sound of generators is not exactly the serenity of nature I'm looking for.

This is a review for GOSHEN POND campground, which you can reserve online. Goshen Pond isn't actually a pond, but actually just a very wide, slow moving section of the Mullica River. It's kayakable and canoe-able, but very shallow and swampy, so it doesn't make for good swimming. The Pine Barrens has a fascinating ecology - the ground is very sandy and nutrient-poor, which means that it suits fast-growing pines which live a short life and then die. The constant decay of trees in the area causes the copious amounts of rivers in Wharton State Forest to have a signature brown color. Just want to point it out - it's still clean and lovely, but not very clear.

The benefits to this Pine Barren ecology is that it makes for almost perfect camping. The ground is always very soft and sandy, which makes for comfortable sleeping. It's noticeably NOT rocky. It also means that there's always plenty of kindling available for collecting.

The GOSHEN POND camping area is great. Each campsite has room for 1-2 tents, and a fire ring. I personally prefer some privacy when I camp, and some of the sites offer this and some don't. There are some sites that the reservation site lists as RV sites, but they are rarely used by RVs and are actually the most secluded, so I would recommend them for tent camping as well. Site 3 is nice and private, and site 7 has the best view and easiest access to the pond. Avoid the sites in the center circuit of the map - they're very close together.

GOSHEN POND campground is connected to two equestrian trails, which make for great hiking. In your plans, keep in mind that Wharton State Forest is very flat, so you'll likely be able to cover a lot of ground much more quickly than you would on mountainous terrain.

There is a parking area, and the sites are variable distances from those areas. The RV sites will allow you to pull up directly to your campsite, but the rest of the tent sites are short walks away. You certainly don't need to plan for a backpacking adventure, but keep in mind that you won't have immediate access to your car.

There is a water pump near the parking area, and pit toilets. There are no flushing toilets, which I prefer at a campsite.

In review, the pros to GOSHEN POND are:

1. Soft, flat sleeping surfaces
2. Easy access to hiking trails and a kayakable "pond" that connects to the Mullica River system.
3. Plenty of kindling in the area.
4. Quiet and remote-feeling.
5. Some sites are very private.
6. Dogs allowed.
7. Water available.

Some downsides to GOSHEN POND:

1. No picnic table at any site, nor seating around the ring. I recommend bringing camp chairs and either a cooler to be a food prep surface or a folding table.
2. MOSQUITOS. Holy crap. Goshen Pond is nearly stagnant, so it is a breeding ground for mosquitos. I came back looking like a leper. I'm going back this weekend, and am investing in some 97% deet bug repellent and a mosquito net for my campsite.
3. Soot. Don't know what this is about, but at campsite 3, where I stayed the last time, there was a ton of soot in the soil, which just stuck to everything. You would wash yourself, and then be black with soot moments later. We eventually just succumbed to the soot and allowed ourselves to be dirty, but it was an annoyance. In the pictures, you can see the effect of it on my (normally) white dog.

Overall, I will definitely be returning to Goshen Pond and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a primitive campsite that truly feels like it's away from everything.

My friends brought us here, they are family of 4 they have booked tents and cabins over the last 4 years. It's a very large mostly RV park with tent sites mixed in. Mostly seasonal RV people, packed to the hilt. Very large campground, yet small sites, crowded tons of people. Horrible wifi, zero cell service, small swimming area crowded on lake. Great if you are looking for a seasonal spot in an RV community obsessed with American flags and you have a young family, there's a small crowded pool, playground, etc. Boring for my teen, too crowded for my liking. Lots of activities for familiesBring tons of deet-biting flies unbearable. Not my preferred camping getaway but aside from horrible internet and zero cell service, it's a nicely run campground if you are social, have an RV and young children.

There are 20 tent sites spread across four loops. There is NO beach access. Some sites have shelters, others do not. Pay attention when reserving. All sites have a fire pit and picnic table. Sites are walk-in (only about¼ mile) and carts are available to haul gear. Two water spigots and bathrooms with flush toilets are also on-premise. No electric, hook-ups, or showers. The nearby beaches have outdoor shower facilities though. The racoons are fierce. They will eat through your tent. Use the bear lockers provided to store anything scented. 

Activities abound: hit the beaches for (non-motorized) water sports or sunbathing (Gunnison is the nude beach), learn about the military history of the area on an NPS tour, visit the oldest working lighthouse in the US, walk or bike the multi-use trails, go birding, and more! Nearby Hartshorne Woods Park (Monmouth County Park System) has great hiking and mountain bike trails too.

Atlantic Blueberry has a lot to offer campers from seasonal sites to large pull through sites for RV's as well as sites for tent camping. Located in Port Republic not far from Brigantine & Atlantic City. The park has a nice size pool as well as a kiddie pool. There is also a playground for the kids, camp store with some basic supplies as well as some planned activities on the weekends. We spent a month here while visiting family and while it was pretty busy on the weekends the weekdays were pretty quiet. The staff were very pleasant, accommodating and helpful. We would definitely stay here again. The only reason I gave only 4 stars is the description on there website does not make it clear what the difference is between premium & deluxe hookups. We thought we had booked a fhu site but are only able to dispose of our grey water. The black tank must be pumped out for an additional charge. Otherwise we would stay here again if we could get a site with full sewer hookup.

We tried this campground without knowing what was safe and where to stay for visit New York City. It is located in Brooklyn and is little removed from everything. The sites are at Floyd Bennett Field which is an old airfield. The atmosphere here is eerily cool at the same time. You basically park and camp on the asphalt by the old hangars. No hookups at all but they do have a camp store and bath house. If you are tent camping, there are some grassy sites.

The campground is located right on Jamaica Bay so there were people fishing all the time from the seawall. At night, you could hear cars doing burnouts right next to us. To get to all the action in the city, we had to take a bus and then the subway. The travel was a headache but better than trying to drive in to New York City in our RV. One way to improve here would be to have some security at night as well as access to clean water and dump station. They remained locked most of the time for some reason.

The best part of this place was the free tour of Hangar B by some guys doing restoration of old planes (HARP). They had some great stories and gave us history of the planes on display.

Camp Gateway is one of my favorite places to go when I want to get away from the busy city! It's in such a great location because it's close to the city yet seems so far away. You feel like you are miles away from the busy city because of all the trees, and the campground creates a great outdoor feel. If camping is "boring" for you, this still is a great place to go because you can schedule tours and the Statue of Liberty isn't far away, so you can go visit that. I really enjoy hiking around the area, and they also have some great paths for biking. I rented my bike from a local shop close by- Avaitor Sports Shop. The only downside is that they do have a few guidelines and rules- lets are not allowed in the tent sites, no alcochol allowed and no charcoal grills. This does help keep the campground pretty clean, which is always nice. There is a lake nearby that has boat launches and I've seen people kayaking too. The campground was nice, and the campsite had a fire ring and table. Our camp spot was a little farther away from the restrooms, but it wasn't too bad. They also have showers available too. I would recommend this campsite!

Looking for a place to escape without having to drive out of your way to get to? Lower forge is the place. One if the few places in New Jersey you have to backpack into with access from either (Atsion 5+ miles in) or Batsto (7 miles) located right on the Basto River you’re even able to boat in. It’s one of my personal favorites to disappear for a weekend and great for beginners who you’re trying to break into backpacking. Located right off the Batona trail your bound for adventure.

5 Stars / Labor Day Weekend 

We stayed at Holly Acres Campground in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, for Labor Day weekend. We’re so glad we did! 

Our site(#A28) was a level pull-thru with 50-amp electric, water, sewer, wifi, and cable. It was roomy, shady, and easy to pull in and out. The hook-ups were all well-maintained and worked fine. We had plenty of room to fit our car too. The site included a picnic table and fire ring. 

The gated campground was clean and well-maintained. The swimming pool was inviting. The store was a bit small and date, but stocked with basic essentials like supplies, fire wood, and snacks. Most of the neighboring RVs were nice and in good shape. The park has bath facilities, a dump station on the way out, and a fishing pond. 

This park is just a few minutes from the Garden State Parkway and close to Atlantic City, Brigantine, Historic Smithville, and Absecon— all within 30-minutes drive-time. You can visit casinos, the Absecon Lighthouse, and several beach towns without going far. 

For Labor Day weekend, the staff walked around Jezel, a friendly horse, and hosted a BBQ in their pavilion. 

This is a nice campground with plenty to do nearby. We can’t wait to go back!

We stayed at Adventure Bound Tall Pines in Elmer, New Jersey, for Memorial Day weekend for a quick getaway. Despite reserving and paying for a“Premium” site, it fell far short. But there were still a few things we liked… 

THINGS I LIKED: 

1. Super-friendly staff, especially Allie, who was courteous and seemed to try to make things right 

2. Lots of mature shade trees 

3. DJ at the pool Saturday and Sunday and live band Saturday evening 

4. Close proximity to Delsea Drive-in Theatre and Cohenzick Zoo 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH: 

1. I reserved and paid-in-full for a premium site which listed 50-amp service and a concrete pad. Nope. Only 30-amp service and no concrete pad. When I called the office, assuming there must’ve been a mistake, I was told by two different staff members that their website is“wonky.” I wouldn’t mind as much, but this weekend was 90-degrees each day and humid, so it would’ve been good to have air conditioning. 

2. The entire park was dirty sand with weeds growing everywhere 

3. This place is not big-rig friendly, difficult to navigate some of the turns in our 45’ motorhome and taking scratches from tree branches that should be trimmed 

4. I paid$432 for 3-nights and feel like I was taken 

WOULD WE COME BACK? 

Nope. I’m sticking with campgrounds that give you what you paid for.

Atsion Family Campground

Off US 206 and about 1/2 a mile up Atsion Road in New Jersey’s Wharton State Forest, you’ll find the Atsion Family Campground. The facility is run by the Dept of Environmental Protection and offers Tent, Trailer and Group Sites. There are also Cabins for rent as well, but only available during the summer months, After Memorial Day until October. AFC is one of several campgrounds in WSF and is the largest with 50 camping sites. Amenities include a handicapped accessible restroom/shower building, several drinking water spigots, and a waste dump for trailers. There are no electric hook ups and cell service is low, but manageable. Plenty of sun (shady too) so bring your solar powered generators and cell signal boosters if you need to stay connected. AFC is also pet friendly, so bring your 4 legged furry family members, after registering them with the camp site.

The individual sites are spacious with a pic-nick table and fire ring grill. Some sites have lake-side water access, so bring your canoes and kayaks and reserve these sites (4, 8, 10, 12, 20 and 22) early as they are popular. The ground is sandy and relatively level for easy camp set up. Some sites are close to a roadway, so you do get some car noise, and like all unmonitored camp sites, loud, unruly campers can be lurking among the pines. Be sure to get your fire wood from the guy that lives across the street from the campground entrance. 5 bucks, on the honor system, a good amount of wood, open 24/7.

Nearby is the Atsion Recreation Area, which offers fishing, walking, biking and horseback trails, a life guard monitored beach by the lake with restrooms and snacks (Summer Months). Only 15 minutes away, a quick drive, is Batso Village, an old iron and glass community from the late 1700s to early 1900s. NJ State Park Rangers are working hard keeping the area clean, rehabilitated, and educational center allowing you to walk through the old buildings and time as you image what life was like back then. Wharton SF is huge, over 122,000 acres of sandy terrain, towering pine trees, lakes/rivers and off roading trails!! Y’all should come and play in the Pine Barrens