Looking for a rustic and comfortable horse camping experience near Mahwah? Finding a place to stay in New Jersey while traveling with your horse is easy. Search horse campsites and discover top-rated spots, as reviewed by other campers.
Nestled in the Appalachian Wilderness of New Jersey, Stokes State Forest attracts campers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts all over thanks to its many viewpoints and wild terrain. Spanning over 16,400 acres, visitors can expect exciting adventures crammed with tons of wilderness activities. Surprisingly, there’s a large range of amenities within the various campgrounds located throughout. In addition, there’s a host of unique geographic features to keep even the most dedicated busy for weeks.
Speaking of geography, there’s no shortage of terrain diversity here. For example, Sunrise Mountain towers 1,653 feet over the undeveloped New Jersey farmland to the East, as well as virgin mountain ranges and forests to the West. Located along the legendary Appalachian Trail, this mountain peak is the most frequently visited site in Stokes State Forest. If you’re not one to hike up the side of a mountain for a view, Sunrise Mountain Rd. traverses all the way to the top for those traveling in a vehicle.
Nestled below, the 500+ acre Tillman Ravine Natural Area is a green wonderland home to endangered species such as the Barred Owl. The ravine showcases world-class trails spanning throughout its terrain, complete with babbling brooks and overly-curious bears to dodge during your stay.
Additionally, Stokes State Forest is home to the Lake Ashroe Recreation Area which has an area for Kayaking and Paddle Board rentals. Even though there is no boat ramp, nearby Lake Ocquittunk is perfect for small, electric motor boats. In contrast, those looking for swimming should head to Stony Lake, which features lifeguards on duty and a great recreation area for picnicking.
Campgrounds are plentiful here, with four different areas to camp at depending on your needs. Shotwell to the East, and Steam Mills to the west both offer normal park amenities, and are perfect for tent campers, or people interested in camping in a lean-to. Just West of Shotwell, Haskin’s Group Camping Area consists of 9 group campsites perfect for groups of 10-65 depending on the campsite. Finally, Lake Ocquittunk has its own campground with reservable campsites, and cabins as well. Fees & permits vary here, so be sure to check the park website for more info.
Regardless of your interests, if you love the outdoors in any form you’re going to enjoy your stay here. Stokes State Forest literally offers everything an enthusiast could ever dream of doing. From its babbling creeks and forested ravines, to the breathtaking mountain peaks, this is an Appalachian camping experience you don’t want to miss out on.
$7 - $55 / night
See the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island right from the property. How great is that!?
Liberty Harbor RV Park is OPEN 365 days a year. for your convenience and also accept check-ins 24/7 even if the office is closed. The NY Waterway Ferry leaves from Liberty Harbor and runs Monday to Friday to Pier 11 at the foot of Wall Street (does not operate on weekends or holidays). Other Ferry options that run 7 days a week are located within walking distance.
Or you can walk up Marin Blvd. 5 blocks to the Grove St. PATH subway station which can take you up to 33rd Street and 6th Avenue or to the World Trade Center Site.
The PATH train is another great option to get you where you are going. You can walk up Marin Blvd.
Either way… Manhattan is just a 15-minute ride away. Stay a day or two or a week or two…it’s up to you. We have maps and directions to anywhere you want to visit and our friendly staff is always willing to help you get there.
You can check your email, pick up a package, or send a fax from our office. We even have postcards to send to your friends.
Whether you have a small motorhome, a big bus, slide-outs, or a tow car…it’s never a problem at Liberty Harbor RV. We do suggest making reservations. We want to make your stay a wonderful experience so you’ll want to come back again and again.
Call today – 800.646.2066 / 201.516.7500
$149 / night
A short hike from the Appalachian Trail, AMC’s Mohican Outdoor Center is located on a beautiful glacial lake in the 70,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Only a 90-minute drive from New York City, Mohican is a great base for exploring on your own, with your family and friends, or with a larger group.
Mohican Outdoor Center offers a selection of ADA accessible lodging options. Campsites are not accessible.
$5 - $75 / night
Guide
Stokes is nestled in a beautiful part of New Jersey and it’s just remote enough that you can get away from the crowds and activity while still being in a short driving distance of restaurants, grocery stores, etc. We stayed at Lake Ocquittunk, which was a little disappointing. The site itself (T001) was absolutely massive and stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, when the site was cleared, trees were cut down to the stump and the stumps were just left there. This posed both a tripping hazard and a driving hazard. You have to weave your way around the various stumps and small boulders protruding from the ground in all lighting conditions. The site is on a gentle slope, which made it difficult to find a level area for the tent, but we found a spot that suited us perfectly. The campground overall needs some improvement. It almost felt neglected or abandoned. The bathrooms weren’t great, but I’ve seen much worse. The park staff were incredibly helpful and generous with time and information. Directions were easy to follow and we felt comfortable staying there. Ultimately, we would gladly return in the future, but we might visit in a warmer season.
RangerCampground Review
Stokes State Forest has four campgrounds. The Steam Mill Camping Area is tucked out the of the way and is the most primitive. It is the smallest of the campgrounds with 27 sites only suitable for tents or small trailers/campervans. No pets or alcohol allowed.
The campground has a pit toilet and a well. Each large campsite has a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern hook. Some sites also have a tent platform. Many sites are a bit rocky.
We selected site T219. It was a solid choice: private but close to the toilet and water. Some sites located around the opposite side of the ring back up to a babbling brook. The rushing water will soothe you to sleep.
Remember, this is bear country so proper food storage is a must. Bear lockers are not provided. The area also has ticks and rattlesnakes.
Outdoor activities in the area abound. Go fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, and more. There are 21 marked trails that cover over 63 miles within the boundaries of Stokes State Forest. Twelve miles are part of the Appalachian Trail. Pick up a hiking map at the park office or download the Avenza Maps app.
This visit we hiked the Tillman Ravine trail (tip: make the trail a loop and visit both the ravine and the nearby old cemetery).
You can also drive or hike to Sunset Mountain Scenic Overlook for a view of High Point Monument. High Point Monument is the highest elevation in New Jersey and is located in High Point State Park which borders Stokes State Forest on the north. High Point State Park also offers camping, hiking, sightseeing opportunities. And, on the western border of Stokes State Forest is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. So, there is lots of outdoors to get out and explore!
Product Review
We camped at the Steam Mill Camping Area in Stokes State Forest in our campervan over a chilly autumn weekend. We had the opportunity to cook some soup on our stovetop and chill out by the campfire. And, as Rangers for The Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time so we were psyched to try out some new dinnerware and cutlery. This included the FlexiBowl and GoBites from humangear.
What made these humangear products pretty awesome? Well, the fun colors to start. I mean, seriously, my orange bowl rules. The FlexiBowl also has some neat features: it’s flexible - just like the name suggests - and foldable. The bowl can be squished and stuffed anywhere. And, the top section can be folded down to create a smaller bowl. The FlexiBowl is versatile yet durable. It held my hearty, warm soup just perfectly.
I paired the FlexiBowl with one of the GoBites utensils (the Uno model). The Uno model is my favorite - it has a fork on one side and a spoon on the other side. Very simple and convenient. The other GoBites models include the Duo (separate fork and spoon that can snap together) and the Trio (a fork, spoon, and knife - with bottle opener - in a case).
PRO TIP: I keep the Trio GoBites model in my travel pack at all times. It recently came in handy on a (non-camping) trip to Sardinia. The knife on the Trio allowed me to slice some delicious local cheese to pair with bread, jam, and wine that was purchased from the grocery store. YUM.
Guide
So... the “campground” is nothing special. Literally a parking lot with water & electric hookups. Larger rigs will barely have a yard. And don’t bet on a private picnic table. On a slow checkout day, you might get lucky enough to not wait in line for the dump station.
We’ve paid much less for “more”... the $120 price per night was ridiculous. But being that they have no competitors in the area (and they know it), RVers wanting a quick escape to see NYC can get it here. The ONLY thing we really liked about it was it’s convenient location to the city with easy access to the ferry boats.
The area itself was under a ton of construction when we drove in, which meant for difficult to navigate roads and we barely squeezed by larger trucks who were also in the roadways. But we did manage to walk our way to the marina restaurant “Surf City”, which was a unique and fun spot for end of day dinner & drinks.
We would only consider staying here again during the “off-season” months when the campground isn’t busy. The woman who checked us in was very pleasant and helpful when helping us figure out how to get around without driving.
GuideThis 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. If it's packed, your neighbor with be within inches of your rig. Pluses, minutes walk to the Statue of Liberty, liberty Science center. Two blocks away from NJ Path train into Manhattan or take the ferry to Wall Street!
RangerThis RV park is literally just a parking lot and quite expensive for what it is.
The location is great, but the surrounding streets may be hard to maneuver with an RV if you’re a newbie. You can see the Statue of Liberty from the park, and there were several cafes and restaurants within walking distance.
If you’re looking for actual amenities, this probably isn’t the park for you. But if you just need a base camp for doing tourist activities in NYC then this place will do.
There is 24 hour security which is nice as well. We felt safe while we were there, but it was also fairly empty too.
GuideFirst off, the rep on the phone who says Love all the time is just pure joy!
This campground is like a parking lot, with absolutely nothing but a spot to park. It’s pricy, but if your planning on seeing everything NYC has to offer, you can’t get a better base camp unless you got a room in the city.
It’s super close to public transportation. There’s cute good food spots all around. You feel safe for being in a big city. You can see Lady Liberty from the park.
Was it my favorite place to stay, no. But for the time we spent at home at the campground, which was minimal, it worked perfect. We got to spend 8 days in the city exploring, we were exauhsted, but we felt we did the city good!
GuideI would give this place a 5-star review based on how convenient everything was. There us a ferry 100-yards away that takes you to Wall Street M-F. There is a great market about 1/4 of a mile away, and the path that can take you to WTC or 33rd Street area is only a mile away.
However, it is just a gravel parking lot, with water and electricity. There is a dump station, but not the easiest to use. The laundry was not working properly and ate a good $5 of our quarters. We went to the office where the security guard told us that they cannot do anything and that we would need to come back when the office was open, we did that and they said they would look into it and call us back. No one did anything.
But, again if you are looking for a place to crash and hit up the city or Liberty Island, this place is great, just not 5-star.
TravelerSmall campground. Sites very close to one another. Close to ferry for downtown and Statue of Liberty. People are very nice and accommodating. More of a stopping place to see the sites.
ScoutThis is a great spot with views of Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, etc. Expect to pay pretty good to be gear, but from here you can pretty much easily get anywhere in NYC. Service is great and friendly. Checking in was easy, and they accommodated our needs. Expect to pay between $35-50 for a Lyft to get to Brooklynn.
ScoutThere is only a small place for tents. Mostly people go there with campers. Not your typical campground. Very easy to hop on transit to get to New York City. People were friendly.
ScoutNice place enjoyed it
LegendWe spent 3 nights here last week. I was in NYC for business and we took our RV. Very convenient location. My wife visited Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The sites had electric and water and were in a fenced off section of tue marina parking area. It was a little loud with city noises, but exactly what we expected being so close. Staff was great. Easy access with our 32 foot RV pulling our Jeep.
TravelerBasicly 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. Jersey city has a lot of restaurants and bars walking distance. Wonderful state park, liberty park, a bike ride ride away. Our experience was very good.
They also have a clean laundry room on site.
GuideIf you want to visit NYC and surrounding areas, this is the place. Expensive but... When you look at local hotel rates, not so much. Getting in and out is not for someone in a brand new 45' travel trailer. Know your rig and know how to maneuver it in tight spaces. This is not for the timid RV driver. Security is tight. I would recommend talking to and meeting the guards before you leave so it doesn't feel like your mama just caught you sneaking out to drink in high school. They said it can get roudy outside the RV park at peak season but, before the Surf bar opens, it is both safe and quiet.
Guide
We stayed at site #T007 is was a short walk from the car to the site, but so worth it for many reasons. The site itself is huge and we were able to position our tent facing the lake, it was beautiful!
GuideNice place to set up and car camp. Enjoyed some fishing and hiking within walking distance from the site.
ScoutI set up a hammock and a 1 person tent .. there’s room for a camper but sparse
RangerThis park feels very PA to us with rolling hills, bald-top mountains to climb (some with fire towers), and lots of water to explore. Modern but simple amenities including showers and firewood for purchase. Individual sites were generously sized, shady, and relatively private thanks to the vegetation. Some sites are along the lake. The campground seemed pretty full in August. There are other campgrounds in this park if you can’t get reservations or a spot. Not far from NYC.
LegendThe caping set up was nice and I enjoyed the proximity to available hikes in the area. The ‘lake’ however, was kind of a disappointment. It was much smaller then I expected and a rather underwhelming. Of the camping options in Stokes State Forest, Lake Oqcuittunk and Steamill were each a bit closer to High Point which offers more hiking options. Each campsite was set up with a picnic table and a fire ring. One big positive was the covered picnic area which was a nice place to bring food and eat and hang out during the day to get out of the sun.
GuideThe bathrooms are clean and nicely placed. The sites had a fire ring with a cooking grate and a picnic table and were well spaced out from other sites. The views of the lake are nice, very peaceful.
ScoutQuiet and close to a lot of amenities.
GuideI have been here twice and each time has been great. Big spacious sites with alot of privacy. Hikes are great around here. Bathrooms are clean.
If you want pictures you can actually go onto Google maps streetview and see every single campsite.
ScoutWe went to Stokes for a one nighter to test out my new truck tent. We stayed at site 11 on Lake Ocquittunk. While making reservations it said almost all sites were full but upon arrival the vast majority of sites were empty which made for a quiet/relaxing night. It was a fair sized site with room for a couple large tents. Site was located on a small hill next to the lake with the road directly in front and water about 50 yards away and the bathrooms about 100 yards away. Facilities were clean and stocked so no complaints there. After packing up we drove down the road and were able to get in a nice 5 mile hike up to the fire tower. Due to cooler temps there were really no bugs to complain about while camping.
Overall we had a great time and will definitely be coming back for a more extended stay. If you are looking for more secluded campsites try to get 13 or 14 as they seem to sick back more. Sites 8-11 are adjacent to the road and in peak times probably have a fair about of foot and vehicle traffic.
ScoutI used to camp there every weekend. Even during the cold in the fall. I love it!
ScoutHAS SHOWERS ... OPEN FIELDS ... NOT MUCH TO DO
ScoutOpen most of year. Fun if u lik3 camping.
TravelerA few of us rode in to the steam mills campsite on motorcycles and took a couple days to enjoy the mountain air and views.
Horse camping in New Jersey offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds that cater to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mahwah, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mahwah, NJ is Stokes State Forest with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mahwah, NJ?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Mahwah, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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