Round Valley State Park Campground offers wilderness camping opportunities near Millington, New Jersey with sites accessible only by hiking 3-6 miles or by boat. Located in northwestern New Jersey at approximately 400 feet elevation, the area features a 2,350-acre reservoir that's 180 feet deep and serves as the centerpiece for camping and outdoor recreation. The park's primitive campsites require significant effort to reach but reward visitors with natural isolation.
What to do
Paddle to your campsite: At Round Valley State Park Campground, boat-in camping provides a distinctive alternative to hiking. "If you get a site on the water, you can take a boat across to to your site (check the site for regulations/restrictions) - in-season rentals should be available on-site," notes one camper.
Night fishing: Several campgrounds permit fishing after dark, with spots for both boat and shore fishing. "Really nice spot to camp very peaceful and quit. Gorgeous sunset, Beautiful views. Really helpful people at the office," reports a Round Valley camper about the lakeside experience.
Cross-state hiking: Access the Appalachian Trail directly from Camp Taylor Campground. "There are miles of hiking trails and direct access to the Appalachian Tr. The Lakota Wolf Preserve is located on the camp and offers discounted tours for campers," states one visitor.
Wolf preserve tours: Camp Taylor's unique feature is its on-site wolf sanctuary. "You can take a short hike up the mountain there to see the wolves in the sanctuary. There are moments by the fire you can hear them howl in the distance," explains a camper.
What campers like
Primitive camping isolation: Jenny Jump State Forest provides secluded sites with minimal development. "My husband and I Tent camped in #34 with our dog. The space was reasonably priced, but we did have to pay an extra $5/day for our dog. However, we didn't mind as it was so private we felt like we had the entire Park to ourselves," reports one visitor.
Reservoir water clarity: Many campers note the exceptional water quality at Round Valley. "The water is crystal clear, the area is clean. There's bathrooms and pumps but we just filtered the water from the reservoir instead which tasted a million times better than the well water," shares one reviewer.
Spacious wooded sites: Turkey Swamp Park provides generous camping areas. "Sites are in the woods and widely spaced apart to give you privacy and the feeling of being out in the Forrest. Sites are level and well maintained. They also allowed us to put the car tent on the same site as a friend's camper," notes a camper.
Luxury glamping options: For premium accommodations close to Millington, New Jersey, several campgrounds offer enhanced comfort. "We did tent camping for the weekend and we had a blast. The camping site we originally had booked was rather small, the front desk was cordial and able to accommodate us by moving us to a bigger site," mentions a Camp Taylor visitor.
What you should know
Tick activity: Be prepared for ticks in summer months. A Turkey Swamp Park visitor warns: "By the 2nd day I had 3 ticks on me. My dog had one and by the end my husband had 2. That was so crazy because we were just sitting by our camper."
Challenging terrain: Some campgrounds feature difficult terrain. At Round Valley, "I have hiked throughout the entire US and consider myself somewhere between a moderate to skilled hiker and I found these trails challenging and uneven, so while the hike we made was only 3 miles, it was not easy."
Seasonal variations: Most campgrounds operate from April through October. "They don't have primitive campsites so your stuck paying the higher rate even though you don't need the hookups," notes a Turkey Swamp visitor regarding off-season options.
Bathroom facilities: Quality varies widely between locations. At Spruce Run Recreation Area, "Showers were cold water only and very cold at that. The bathrooms were absolutely disgusting. I thought with COVID they were cleaning them more, but for the entire weekend, someone's #2 remained all over the toilet, floor, and corner wall."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Panther Lake Camping Resort offers multiple recreation options for children. "Fun camping place to books groups. Very kid and pet friendly, lake to fish and kayak on, lots of activities, great pool and awesome hot tub," shares one visitor about this glamping destination near Millington.
Swimming options: Different water facilities appeal to different ages. "The swimming pond is pleasant and great to cool off in. The bathrooms/showers are clean and well maintained. The small mini-golf course is a fun distraction for a bit," notes a Camp Taylor visitor.
Noise levels: Consider the campground's enforcement of quiet hours. "Unlike many other campgrounds we've been to, they are very good about actually enforcing the quiet hours at night, so you can have an actual peaceful and quiet night around the campfire," explains a Camp Taylor camper.
Balance of activities: Look for campgrounds with diverse offerings. "Great atmosphere for families. Liitte crowded for couples who want peace and quiet the staff was great to deal wwith," mentions a Panther Lake visitor about this glamping option.
Tips from RVers
Hookup locations: At Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, water connections require planning. "Website lists water hook ups at long distances but they have hose reels to help with that. Our site (15) said 75' however the 50' hose reel made it to our rv connection," advises an experienced RVer.
Site selection for privacy: Choose sites strategically for spacing. "I suggest site 7. It is on a hill so have a hand truck or a few people to carry stuff. Trust me it is worth it and I think it's the best tent site they have," recommends a Mahlon Dickerson visitor.
Dump stations: Most campgrounds lack full hookups. A Spruce Run visitor notes: "I can not speak to the condition of the bathrooms, I stopped going into them 6 years ago as soon as I bought a cassette toilet to avoid them. This review would be 5 stars if only they would knock the present facilities down and rebuild really nice ones, that were kept clean."
Tree clearance: Watch for low-hanging branches. "If bringing your RV, the safest bet is to reserve a spot with no shade as the other spots often times have very low hanging tree limbs," warns a Spruce Run camper about their glamping experience.
