Catherine G.
Scout
ScoutHolly Acres RV Park
I came late. Found a great spot and it was free. Woke up next to a beauty lake.
Tent Camping near Longport, NJ
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Tent campsites in the vicinity of Longport, New Jersey are primarily concentrated in Wharton State Forest, which offers several primitive tent camping areas approximately 30-40 miles northwest of Longport. The forest contains multiple tent-friendly campgrounds including Batona Campground, Goshen Pond, Mullica River, and Bodine Field. These locations provide varying levels of amenities and accessibility, with many sites specifically designed for tent campers seeking a more natural experience away from RV areas.
Most tent camping areas in Wharton State Forest feature sandy soil typical of the Pine Barrens ecosystem, making for comfortable tent setups but potentially challenging for tent stakes. Campgrounds like Mullica River and Goshen Pond offer walk-in tent sites that require short hikes from parking areas, providing greater seclusion. Primitive toilet facilities (outhouses) are available at most locations, though running water is limited to hand pumps at select campgrounds. The camping season typically runs from April 1 to October 31, with reservations required for most sites. According to one visitor, "The ground is soft and comfortable to sleep on, not rocky at all, which is almost weird how few rocks there are."
The Pine Barrens tent camping experience offers unique ecological features not found in other New Jersey camping destinations. Sites are generally shaded by pine trees, providing natural shelter from summer heat. Many tent locations provide direct access to the Batona Trail, a 50-mile hiking path that connects various points throughout the forest. Water access is available at several campgrounds, with the Mullica River and Wading River offering opportunities for kayaking and canoeing directly from some tent sites. Campers should be aware of ticks and chiggers, particularly during warmer months. A visitor commented that "During the off season and during the week, it's very peaceful and awesome place to be. During the weekend it's very populated and tends to be pretty noisy."
Best Tent Campgrounds near Longport (12)
1. Red Wing Lakes
"Swimming lake catch and release lake sells wood has bath houses, electric, water and sewer hookups. They always have something going on. And a skeet range http://www.redwinglakes.com/lakes.html"
2. Bodine Field — Wharton State Forest
"You’re right next to the wading river/creek with that amazing cedar water. As well as a quick drive Harrisville Pond which mine as well be a lake."
"Bodine Field is one of several camping locations within Wharton State Forest. I am writing this review over a year after our stay so forgive me if the details are lacking."
3. Sleepy Hollow Family Campground
4. Shellbay Campgrounds
"Looking for a trip to the Jersey shore (near Stone Harbor, Avalon, Wildwood, Cape May, & more) - look no further than Shellbay Camping Resort."
"I remember my excitement to go camping, meet other kids at the campground, and have plenty of things to do close by (beach, shopping, swimming pool)"
5. Shady Oaks Campground
6. Batona — Wharton State Forest
"Bears frequent this campground so be bear aware and practice proper food storage. "
"The Batona Campground is in the northern area of the Wharton State Forest and is a bit removed from most trails and other campgrounds in the park."
7. Buttonwood Hill — Wharton State Forest
"Great location for Questival, would visit again. Easy access and felt very safe and secluded."
8. Abbot Sawmill
"Close to the main roads but feels remote."
9. Mullica River — Wharton State Forest
"This campground is hike-in or boat-in only, no car access. We camped here for one night on an overnight loop in Wharton State Forest. Wild blueberries abound during summer months!"
"Enjoyed a site away from the crowds. Quiet. Peaceful. Place is huge with many campsites to choose from. Checking in is slow so come early."
10. Goshen Pond — Wharton State Forest
"I like campgrounds which have you park off and walk in to your site. There is more foot traffic, but you don't hear as many cars coming and going and driving past your site all the time."
"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."
Drive Time
- 20 min from Atlantic City, NJ
- 44 min from Vineland, NJ
- 1 hr 4 min from Philadelphia, PA
- 2 hrs from Dover, DE
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Longport, NJ
21 Photos of 12 Longport Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Longport, NJ
441 Reviews of 12 Longport Campgrounds
Andrea B.
TravelerColonial Meadows Family Campground
Great park
Many long term seasonal sites. Good community. Large shower house good and clean . Pool. Game room. Off leash dog park. Wooded/shady sites or no shade sunny sites. Lots of area to walk or play. Large field, basketball couture, frisky golf, play area and laundry room. We were here all summer (June-october). Lots to do in the area. Good food nearby. Ocean city 10 minutes away.
- J
John Y.ScoutOcean View Resort Campground
One of the best campgrounds I have ever stayed in
This is one of the largest, if not the largest, campgrounds in Southern New Jersey. While on the pricier side, everything is top-notch. The roads are all paved, and not gravel (I hate trying to sleep and listening to the sound of stones grating together). The sites are more spacious than most campgrounds, so it doesn't seem so crowded. The bathrooms are all modern and spotless. There are numerous bathrooms which means most sites have one nearby. They do charge a quarter for showers to encourage water conservation and donate the money to conservation causes. The pool is large, as is the lake. Both are well-maintained. The camp store is enormous and is really nice and well-stocked with everything one might need from food to pool and beach stuff to camping supplies and equipment. There is a nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. The camp store has a lending library of books and DVDs. There are numerous activities that appear to be well-run, The grounds are shaded with many trees for a great wooded campground feel. The campground is so large that it has an internal shuttle with stations scattered about to help people go between the various important sites such as at the pool, the lake and the store. I found other campers, particularly the seasonals, to be more friendly than other campgrounds at the shore. This requires constant tree care including removing dead trees and branches which they do regularly. The staff is friendly and well-trained. I was in a tent, and when a rare October nor'easter came through, I was offered the opportunity to use a cabin free-of-charge. Fortunately my tent and equipment made it through days of rain and high winds just fine . On my first stay in May, I had to run my dog back to Baltimore towards the end of my trip where he was sadly diagnosed with incurable metastatic cancer. When I returned, I was late and unable to check out by 11, but they allowed me to take as much time as needed to clear the site, as nobody was staying there the next day, which was deeply appreciated - I was an emotional wreck. Oh, and I found the complimentary Wi-Fi to be a great service, and sufficiently fast to allow me to stream ultra-high-definition movies at my site - Most campgrounds charge extra for less-than-good service - a lot more. I find that a big bonus. Overall, I LOVE this campground and highly recommend it.
- bbob J.
GuideAtsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest
Pine Barrens New Jersey
This campground is part of the Wharton State Forest and has several campgrounds in the area. Great wooded sites right on a lake. Pretty good separation between sites with good tree separation between sites. Some road noise not overly affecting site.
- DDiane M.Scout
Brendan Byrne State Forest
Just ok
Restrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
- AAmanda N.Scout
The Depot Travel Park
Enjoyed my stay
I’ve stayed here multiple times over the past 15 years and I have enjoyed each trip.
Depot Travel Park is a well-maintained family-owned campground. It is also reasonably priced, especially given the location that is within a bicycle ride to the beach, the ocean, and lots of shops and restaurants in Cape May. It is the only campground on the Cape May side of the canal.
Please note that this is not a resort campground and it doesn’t have a pool. There is so much to do in Cape May that is doesn’t need to be a resort.
Since it’s not a resort campground, there are not many golf carts, so most people use their bicycles or cars to get around. That also makes the campground pretty quiet, even during the peak of summer.
The campground sells firewood and propane, but there is no camp store. Again, it doesn’t really need one, since there is a farmers market at the end of the driveway, and a CVS and an ACME supermarket within bicycle riding distance.
If your site doesn’t have a sewer hookup, the dump station is a little awkward to access, but they have a daily honey wagon for a reasonable fee, which is great. If you notify the office the day before you need it and they are usually there in the morning.
They close for the season n October, but they reopen briefly during the Cape May Christmas Parade weekend in December. That’s one thing that I’d like to do soon.
I really like this campground and I am always recommending it to friends.
Adeline M.GuideBrendan Byrne State Forest
Beautiful campground, loud campers
Beautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
- HHenryScout
Cape Henlopen State Park Campground
Cape Henlopen DE
Great place. Close to beach. No septic hookup
Nadine R.GuideAtsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest
Not my vibe
I personally did not like this campsite. First of all, our site tag was leftover from SEPTEMBER. Did no one look at any of these sites and leave someone else’s registration posted there for almost a year? Wild. Our campsite had trash leftover from previous campers. The whole campground was loud - from other campers to just the sounds from the nearby road. If you are looking for peace it is NOT here. If you’re looking to have loud music time all night with no repercussions as your kids ride around yelling and carrying on past midnight then you’ll have a blast. The pros of this campsite was supposed to be the access to Lake Atsion but we were turned away at the gate at 12:30 as they stated they were at capacity. Checking into our campsite they specifically asked if we would be utilizing the recreation area so we would have a pass for entry, but that’s seemingly not in their logistical headcount. I would not visit here again.
Guide to Longport
Tent campsites near Longport, New Jersey offer a unique Pine Barrens camping experience within an hour's drive of the coast. Many camping areas feature unique sandy soil composition that creates distinctive camping conditions compared to more rocky regions of the Northeast. Water access ranges from small creeks with tannin-colored water to larger ponds and rivers suitable for water activities, with several sites providing direct boat or kayak access.
What to do
Kayaking from your site: At Goshen Pond Campground, you can launch directly from some campsites. As one camper notes, "Our site was right next to the Mullica River, and had excellent views if you walked just a couple steps from the tent. We were able to put our kayaks in right next to the site which was very convenient."
Hike the Batona Trail: Access this 50-mile trail system directly from Batona Campground. According to a visitor, "Best part of this campground is trailheads begin directly from campsites. Trails vary in length but all are flat and easily accessible."
Swim at nearby lakes: Several campsites provide access to swimming areas within a short drive. One Red Wing Lakes camper reports it has a "Swimming lake, catch and release lake, sells wood, has bath houses, electric, water and sewer hookups. They always have something going on. And a skeet range."
What campers like
Privacy levels vary by season: For those seeking solitude, timing matters at Bodine Field Campground. A camper observes: "During the off season is in and during the week, it's very peaceful and awesome place to be. During the weekend it's very populated and tends to be pretty noisy."
Water features: Many campers appreciate the unique water access at multiple sites. At Bodine Field, "You're right next to the wading river/creek with that amazing cedar water. As well as a quick drive Harrisville Pond which mine as well be a lake. Good fishing for pickerel."
Sandy terrain: The Pine Barrens feature distinctive sandy soil at tent campsites. One Bodine Field camper described it as "Very open basically sandy field with a handful of trees in the middle," while another noted most sites are "Very sandy area."
What you should know
Ticks and insects: Bug protection is essential when camping in the Pine Barrens. A Goshen Pond visitor cautions: "Great sites, great trails, lots of hiking and off road trails for dirt bike/atv/trucks. Pretty good boating/fishing. Just gotta check often for chiggers and ticks."
Bathroom facilities: Most tent camping areas have primitive facilities. At Bodine Field, "Potable water is available along with a couple Porta potties," while another camper noted "The composting outhouse toilets are not great."
Varying noise levels: Weekend camping can get crowded and noisy at many sites. One Bodine Field camper shared: "Beautiful remote location w minimal amenities but 3 boy scout troops of screaming children didn't make it enjoyable."
Tips for camping with families
Group sites available: Several campgrounds offer designated areas for larger family gatherings. At Abbot Sawmill, visitors note it's "Great for groups" and "Close to the main roads but feels remote."
Activities for kids: Some campgrounds provide more structured recreation options. At Shellbay Campgrounds, families can "Enjoy evenings by a campfire and days by the pool or at the beach. The family owned campground makes you feel a home away from home from May - October 1."
Weather preparation: The Pine Barrens can experience significant temperature fluctuations. One Bodine Field visitor shared: "We set in for an overnight stay in early April 2022... Once we arrived at the site we quickly realized we were some of the only brave souls that chose to be outdoors in early April. It was cold and rainy the entire day."
Tips from RVers
Site accessibility: Many Pine Barrens campgrounds have limitations for larger vehicles. At Mullica River Campground, sites are exclusively "hike-in or boat-in only, no car access," while at Batona, "The unpaved road into the site is narrow and tree lined. A larger RV would not fit."
RV-friendly alternatives: For those needing full hookups, Shellbay Campgrounds offers "Great sites for camping with electric and water, seasonal sites with water, electric and sewer hookups and extremely well maintained grounds, paved roads, with family friendly rules to ensure enjoyment by all."
Sandy roads: Access to many tent campsites requires driving on sandy terrain. At Batona Campground, "The road into the campground is about 1 mile of loose sand. It can be accessed by a standard vehicle."
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Which is the most popular tent campsite near Longport, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Longport, NJ is Red Wing Lakes with a 5.0-star rating from 1 review.
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