Best Cabin Camping near Matawan, NJ

Big campground, lots of sites, nice pool, big community hot tub, boating is great, good fishing, nice playground, basketball court and great amenities.

My husband and I have stayed here several times, but the last time was the best! We stayed 2 nights in Cabin Z for our anniversary getaway and we loved having the whole place to ourselves. The pit latrines were clean, the water spigots worked fine, and there was plenty of wildlife to see roam through the surrounding areas. It was home away from home.

This campground is amazing! Not only is it in a beautiful setting, but the sites have a nice amount of space and everything is so clean. The pool was great and the laundry room was immaculate. Within about an hour from NYC...it appeared to be the closest nice campground we could find to explore the city. But above all, the customer service is fantastic. We arrived late in the evening on an almost 100 degree day to find out the ac in our camper was not working. The owner came out to try and help us fix our ac, and when that didn't work, they set us up in one of their rental cabins for the evening. With 3 kids and a dog, we were so grateful!

This may be my favorite spot. I habe stayed in all the spots they offer, yurt, cabin and the pull up sites. It is well maintained with numerous trails to hike. Getting a cabin in the winter and going for a snowy hike is wondrful there

I've stayed in the cabins here a couple times. Love the area lots to do hiking fishing nature walks, something for everyone. Cabins are no frills yet very nice no electricity they are equipi with 4 bunks a LG picnic table and a wood stove for heat. Also a nice porch fire ring and a charcoal grill

A Peaceful Retreat with Room for Improvement 

I recently had the pleasure of staying here, and I wanted to share my experience with fellow travelers. Overall, it was a tranquil and secure place, but there were a few aspects that could use some attention. 

Pros: Serene and Secure: One of the standout features is the peaceful environment it offers. During my weeks-long stay, I never once had to contend with loud noises or intrusive traffic, creating a truly peaceful atmosphere that's perfect for those seeking a quiet getaway. 

Cons: Bathroom Facilities: Unfortunately, the campsite falls short in terms of its bathroom facilities. The stall doors are quite small and lack privacy, which can be a discomfort for many guests. Moreover, only one stall has a functioning lock, which can be inconvenient during peak times. Limited Showers: The campsite has only two showers, and they are not designed for simultaneous use. To make matters more challenging, you must pass through one shower to access the other, limiting the privacy and convenience for guests. Additionally, the absence of temperature regulation can be a drawback. 

Maintenance Concerns: During my two-week stay, I noticed a cleanliness issue that needs addressing. There was persistent trash in one of the showers throughout my visit, which was disappointing. 

Recommendations: If you're considering a stay here I'd recommend opting for their cabins. Having stayed in them previously, I found them to be clean, spacious, and overall delightful accommodations. They provide a more comfortable and enjoyable experience compared to the campsite facilities. 

Additional Note: One aspect to be aware of is that the owner doesn't seem to like dogs. If you're traveling with furry companions, it's essential to plan accordingly.

In conclusion, They offers a peaceful and secure retreat, but there are areas in need of improvement, particularly regarding the bathroom facilities. For a more comfortable stay, I highly recommend their cabins. With some attention to the mentioned concerns, this campsite could become an even more appealing destination for nature enthusiasts like myself.

Cabins are always clean and stocked with firewood. Lots of hiking trails. Trading post is well stocked and volunteers are always friendly and able to answer any questions

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.

We stayed in the "Shelter" which was a nice little cabin with a wood stove, table w/benches and two bunkbeds (one of which was nestled behind a partition). There was a front porch w/awning, fire ring and picnic table. 

Plenty of wood deadfall for the campfire to be found just behind the shelter. There are also lovely mature birch trees flanking the entrance road, stop there to grab the fallen branches for kindling. (Birch has natural flammable properties and will even burn when wet). 

The bathrooms had a shower and outdoor dishwashing sink. They were clean and stocked with soap/toilet paper, but bring a towel to dry your hands if you don't want to use the air-dryer. 

The grounds were well kept and the park rangers were non-intrusive and friendly. The campground area we were in was open and at night you could see right into our little cabin. Bring a sheet to hang over the windows. 

There were some bugs in the wood stove that startled us the first night, they were also on the window and between the window and the screen. Looking them up online they appeared to be stinkbugs, but didn't smell, thankfully. Citronella essential oil on the window and a nice fire took care of them the first night...for the most part. They didn't bite or go after our food, they just fly a bit loudly and crash into the window, an unusual sound. A few spiders around, but that can be expected when you camp. No mosquitos, no ticks. As for the ticks, there were lots of deer around but we kept our ankles covered and avoided the higher grass in the morning when the dew was still making everything wet.

The boat rental was closed for the season. We went to Di Mola's Pizzeria and Restaurant the second night and the food was excellent - it was not crowded for sit down but tons of traffic for people coming in to pick up orders. 

We went to the nearby Ken Lockwood Gorge after we checked out Sunday morning, this was beautiful. The road into the park had a lot of potholes, but we did ok with our "vintage" toyota camry. Where the road access ends are two small parking areas. Plenty of people were fly fishing or walking their dogs. The road continues to travel on foot along the river.

I’ve been here twice now and it is a beautiful campsite. Individual campsites are separate from cabin and group sites.

Tent campsites have benches and a fire pit. Group campsites have large stove. The cabins seem clean and well maintained. All the sites are set up nearby the office where people are all day should you ever need anything. The workers are super friendly and regularly make rounds of the grounds.

Bathrooms are spread out so it’s never a far walk from your site. They are super clean with a shower and two stalls. There is a water fountain outside of them. One of the bathrooms has a playground next to it for people with kids. Hiking trails are also spread out among the campsites as well.

I solo camp and have always felt safe at these campgrounds. Not to mention the hiking and scenery are absolutely breathtaking.

The non camper public area has benches and a parking lot for visitors of campers or people doing day hikes.

Located in the Skylands of New Jersey, Mahlon Dickerson Campgound is a perfect place to spend a few nights or a couple of weeks. The campsites are paved and mostly level. They are wooded and large. Water and electric hookups and a dump station. Convenient for hiking and exploring, it's also only a 20 minute drive to a large mall in Rockaway.

I really enjoyed staying at Jenny Jump. It is set up nicely for primitive camping and you are able to hike out straight from the campsite(which is always a plus!). Theres a great look out point as well. If you want, they have the option of renting a small cabin/shelter that you can stay in if you are not into tent camping. There is also specific areas for group camping but always good idea to reserve in advance to make sure you can lock it down.

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.