5 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Belleplain State Forest's pet-friendly campsites accommodate tent, RV, and glamping setups with full hookups for water and electric. Dogs remain welcome throughout the campground's wooded sites, with most areas requiring leashes no longer than 6 feet. The spacious sites at Sun Outdoors Cape May feature concrete patios and stone pads that stay clean even after rain, making them ideal for campers with muddy paws. The large, well-shaded dog park provides ample space for pets to exercise off-leash. Both campgrounds maintain clean facilities with hot showers and flush toilets. Campers consistently note the friendly staff often provide treats for four-legged visitors at check-in.
Trails surrounding Parvin State Park Campground offer excellent pet exercise opportunities with multiple water access points where dogs can cool off during summer months. The off-leash dog area at Lums Pond State Park features secluded water access away from main roads, creating one of the region's best swimming spots for dogs. Most campgrounds enforce quiet hours starting at 10pm, with barking policies strictly enforced to maintain peaceful surroundings. Ocean View Resort Campground provides designated pet waste stations throughout the property and sells basic pet supplies in their well-stocked camp store. During peak summer weekends, pet-friendly sites fill quickly, especially at Spacious Skies Country Oaks where the seasonal campers create a welcoming community for regular visitors with dogs.
"They allowed me to drive around first and pick out a campsite before checking in. They charge $5 extra for a dog. So far it is very quiet and that's what I was looking for."
"Pets are also allowed with no size restrictions with vaccination records and a leash! They have kayaks available to rent to row across the peaceful Nummy Lake."
"It's very close to everything, but you don't even need to leave the campground! There are a ton of activities!"
"We went to Ocean View Resort in New Jersey to kick off the 2022 season in our new Fleetwood Discovery LXE. And we’re glad we did! "
"This campground is also very pet friendly ❤️. We come back as often as possible."
"Stayed in a drive through, patio site with full hook-ups. It was situated on a corner spot. A lot of RV, golf cart, bike, and people traffic due to the location."
"As a returning traveler to Spacious Skies Campgrounds – Country Oaks in Dorothy, New Jersey, I continue to be impressed by the peaceful atmosphere, well-maintained facilities, and welcoming hospitality"
"There’s nothing much to do in the area without driving 45+ minutes away, so make this your destination of you’re looking for a restful time away from home. The Wi-Fi actually worked great."
Available next weekend
from $36 - $999 / night
"lake with water sports, hiking trails that are dog friendly, plenty of campsites. If you have kids staying longer for the lake would make sense. bring bug spray!!"
"Outside, to the back of the cabin, was a small deck with picnic table, a grill, and a fire ring. Beyond that you will find a path to the lake with beautiful swans."
from $20 - $65 / night
"The tent loop is all the way in the back next to the pond. If you are arriving after office hours, 6pm or so, you have to call to get a gate code. Otherwise, you are locked out."
"Our tent site was right next to the pond. It was a Saturday and they were rocking. I dont know if the person playing the music was a professional DJ, he was incredible."
"Gravel under the trailer and small river rock around the picnic table and fire pit."
"THINGS I LIKED:
Park is within 30-minutes drive-time to Cape May, Ocean City, and Wildwood
Everything we saw was in great condition, perfectly working order, clean, and looked new
*"
Available next weekend
"Great Location and close to Cape May City. 10 min drive to Washington Street Mall. Lots to do during the day."
"Beautiful main building. close to a lovely walking trail."
"well maintained, wonderful pool and splash pad, great location!!"
"Kids love the lake. Bathroom cleaned daily. Could use more showers. Nice and quiet at night."
"There is also a section of walk-in tent sites, each with 1 parking spot semi close by. (Bring a wagon if you stay at one of these)."
"There are miles upon miles of walking and biking trails. There are nice play facilities for kids, loads of water and beach access."
Available next weekend
from $35 - $105 / night
ScoutWe stayed at the group site campground with our horse. We found the sites to be large, and clean. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and they have fall activities for the family, at the lake and nature hikes. The porta potty's are very clean, have hand sanitizer and plenty of paper. Will be returning again in a few weeks. Plenty of trails to ride on. A true gem in our own backyard.
ScoutQuiet primitive campsites with slight road noise. We didn’t hear any train during our stay. We stayed at site 10 on the left branch where the newer gravel tent sites are in the pines. The potalet is nearby. It’s was dark at our campsite when we arrived. Nice and level gravel pad with plenty of room - sites are large enough to pull into and k turn if needed (although we saw the sign saying to park parallel to the site entrance in the morning- we have a roof top tent on our vehicle). When I put my headlamp on there were all these tiny sparkles on the ground out among the pine trees surrounding our campsite. When I walked up really close to one and shined my lamp on it, I saw that they are pretty big spiders. A little unnerving but also pretty? Told my brain I was in a glittery fairy forest and slept fine. 🤣
TravelerMany 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.
ScoutThis 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.
GuideThis 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.
ScoutRestrooms 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.
ScoutI’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.
GuidePretty easy camping trip, plenty of room to set up camp. Level spots. We stayed on south inlet campground. They have small camp store multiple laundry and bath houses. Great stay if you enjoy fishing, as. You can fish the inlet at the campground. They have a very nice playground for kids as well! Only negative is no camp fires allowed, they do have a community area you can have a camp fires allowed. Also no wifi
ScoutMy check in was for 8-6-2026, and bc I’m a new driver and wanted to beat traffic I got there early (7am) so I sit there waiting till check in time. When suddenly the park police show up. He’s accusing me of camping over night there. I told him simply I wasn’t and where I was night prior (would never sleep somewhere without permission). So we go to the store to kill time before we check in. Come back for Check in and the whole staff in just the office alone were so arrogant and cold to my mom and I, leaving rude comments to us and not only where they like that but the staff outside the office was acting like that alongside the rangers and park police. They would watch us the whole visit in the distance parking there cars a little ways watching everything we did,even driving by slowly a bunch of times in just an hour alone. My mom and I couldn’t do anything with out them showing up 2 mins later. Example we were walking our dog enjoying our time(trying to) and all of a sudden one of the office ladies pulls up right in front of us speeding, parks their car, gets out and walks a distance from us standing there and taking pictures of us…. For walking our dog who’s on a leash and didn’t even do anything. The whole trip we felt uncomfortable and unwanted and to find out they police when we were going on walks where coming up to campers near us bribing them with free firewood to get any information on use (told to us by other camper). I paid a lot of money to be harassed and followed the whole time. We never did anything we abide by every rule and keep to ourselves everywhere we go. They even made my mother cry…
New Jersey's coastal pine forests and marshlands provide unique natural landscapes for campers near Mauricetown. The Atlantic coastal region experiences mild, humid summers with temperatures averaging 85°F and cooler fall nights dropping to the 50s. Most campgrounds in the area sit at elevations below 50 feet, creating flat, easily accessible terrain for campers looking for pet-friendly accommodations.
Kayaking on lake: Belleplain State Forest offers rentals for exploring the calm waters. "There is a small lake that was great to kayak on," says Lisa S. The quiet waters are ideal for beginners and provide cool relief during summer months. Multiple launch points accommodate various skill levels.
Hiking through pine forests: The forest features several well-maintained trails for all ability levels. "Nice hiking trails," notes April E., who visited with her dog. Most trails are under 3 miles and connect key camping areas to the lake. Trail maps are available at the entrance station.
Visiting Cape May attractions: Several campgrounds serve as convenient bases for exploring local beaches. "Sea Isle City is not too far away if you're into the Jersey shore, restaurants, live music," explains Frank J. from Belleplain State Forest. Most beach areas are within a 20-30 minute drive, with free parking available at certain bayside locations.
Privacy between sites: Sun Outdoors Cape May (formerly Holly Shores) offers secluded camping areas. "We were very pleased with the size of our site. The campground was quiet and the bathhouses were clean," writes Becca U. Most sites feature natural vegetation barriers creating private outdoor living spaces.
Clean shower facilities: Multiple campgrounds maintain their bathroom facilities regularly. "Bathrooms were clean but most of the faucets on the sinks were broken. The water has a very high iron content," notes Frank J. about Parvin State Park Campground. Campers should bring bottled water for drinking and tooth brushing due to mineral content.
Family activities: Swimming areas and playgrounds keep children entertained. "The lake is huge, the pools are crowded but fun. There is a splash pad for little ones. Our 3 yr old loved it," reports Kirsten J. about Ocean View Resort. Most campgrounds host weekend activities like hayrides and scavenger hunts during peak season months.
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly between campgrounds. "Virtually NO cell service with AT&T, TMobile or Verizon. AT&T was the better of the 3," writes Anne H. about Belleplain State Forest. Some campgrounds offer WiFi near central facilities, though connections remain spotty throughout wooded areas.
Dump station challenges: Long lines form at peak checkout times. "The worst was the dump station. It is just a little hole on the side of the road and the ONLY dump station for the 3 campgrounds! It was very unlevel and not easy to fully dump our tanks," warns Anne H. Plan for potential 1-2 hour waits during holiday weekends.
Site selection matters: Mays Landing Resort has varying site quality. "Sites are very unleveled so the staff switched us to a pull thru space that was a tad bit more level but still very unleveled," explains Daniel C. Request specific site numbers when booking at most dog-friendly campgrounds near Mauricetown, particularly for larger rigs.
Look for water recreation options: Multiple swimming areas keep children entertained. "We had fun with a golf cart rental. The campground is rather large, so it felt like a necessity for getting around easily as a family. Plus it made checking out the entire campground manageable," says Dave R. about Sun Retreats Seashore Campsites.
Consider activity schedules: Events vary seasonally at pet-friendly campgrounds. "Despite the shutdowns with Corona, they made every attempt to hold activities every day," reports Joel A. about Sun Outdoors Cape May. Most organized activities occur on weekends, with fewer options midweek.
Watch for safety concerns: Some water access points require supervision. "The tent loop is surrounded by water on 3 sides. There is no safety fence. The water is mostly standing water so expect mosquitoes," cautions Danielle S. about Mays Landing Resort. Sites closest to water features attract more insects during warm months.
Plan for site limitations: Ocean City Campground accommodates various rig sizes but requires careful planning. "Our site (#220) could barely accommodate our 45' motorhome— but we made it work," shares Matt S. Call ahead to confirm specific site dimensions when traveling with larger vehicles.
Access challenges: Narrow roads can make navigation difficult. "Very narrow roads to sites, so not big rig friendly there but most sites are quite large. No gravel or pads on sites, just bare ground," explains Cynthia about Parvin State Park. Most campgrounds lack pull-through sites for larger rigs, requiring experienced backing skills.
Leveling requirements: Bring additional leveling blocks and stabilizers. "Site was level and easy in and out. Large site off the main road to other sites," notes Frank J. about Parvin State Park. Many sites require side-to-side leveling, particularly after heavy rainfall when soft ground creates additional challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Mauricetown, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Mauricetown, NJ is Belleplain State Forest with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Mauricetown, NJ?
TheDyrt.com has all 94 dog-friendly camping locations near Mauricetown, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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