Best Glamping near Montague, NJ

Easy access from Rt 80 and located close to the Lakota Wolf Preserve. With tours leaving them campground twice a day on both Saturday and Sundays for the wolf preserve, I was glad there was camping so close. The camping selection of sites is excellent with Cabins, Glamping tents, primitive tent sites and of course RV sites. I choose to stay in one of the glamping tents and was pleasantly surprised at the space inside the tent even with a double bed and two other fold out couches to beds. Water is available at the site. A small lake for swimming and boating. And lots of trails linking you to the Delaware river water gap area.

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.

Beautiful park with in the skylands region of New Jersey. Great campsites on a lake, with lots of hiking and biking trails right from your site. Hike to the monument at the highest point in the state, or maybe along the Appalachian trail, or maybe just a swim in the lake. Either way there’s plenty to see and do at High Point State Park.

NO FULL HOOKS ... BUT EVERYTHING IS WELCOME ... THEY HAVE YURTS ALSO ... THERE IS A LAKE AND FOOD STAND AND PADDLE BOATS ... I LOVE THE GROUP SITES ...

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.

This park has 65 campsites and a few yurts for rent. most of the sites are wooded and can fit a travel trailer or tent easily. The campground map is accurate and the some of the sites offer a bit of seclusion but most are pretty close together. I camped during the week and it was beautifully quite. It has a nice swimming area and lake access. The showers are older and a little dirty but they stay warm and have good pressure. They have a big sink inside to wash dishes out of the bugs at night and the staff was friendly. I camped in site 22 and loved it! We easily hiked around the Delaware Water Gap during the day and felt safe leaving our site here.

Campground 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.

Round Valley is certainly a must see for any type of outdoors person, or someone who appreciates relaxation in a gorgeous landscape. It is a semi-mountainous, forested setting with a very large "lake", which is really a man-made reservoir in the middle of a valley. The crystal-clear water is home to huge lake trout and the forests are bursting with wildlife. The sunsets across the lake are to die for. You will have to look very hard to find a more beautiful camping scene in New Jersey. Also, it's dog friendly!

There is no car access to these campsites, you must keep your vehicle overnight in their south parking lot. If you have a camping registration you do not have to pay the fee to enter the park after you check in to the office. The only way to get to the campsites which are located on the other side of the reservoir deep in the woods, are by boating in, backpacking in, or biking in. If you are boating, kayaking, or canoeing to your site, be very careful and watch the wind warnings. If the wind-warning strobe lights go off you should get off of the water asap because the waters can get very rough and this place is nicknamed the Bermuda Triangle of NJ. We were originally going to boat in for a quick overnight, but at the last minute we decided we wanted a challenge. We backpacked 5.5 miles in on an August morning to site #52. The trail was mountainous, rocky, hilly, but for the most part in the shade. This is definitely not a walk through the park easy trail, pack light and don't bring coolers or wagons if you are hiking it. The first three miles are very rocky, with some larger rocks protruding from the ground, but from there on the trail turns into smooth asphalt to allow for ranger and emergency vehicles and it gets a lot easier. We were a bit sore the next day with a couple of mild blisters but we were still able to easily do the 5.5 mile hike back in the afternoon. Someone who does a lot of hiking and backpacking will find the trail easy, but with little to no experience you may struggle. My dog is a 7 year old retriever with minor joint issues and the trail was a piece of cake to her (she even carried all of her own gear).

 These are truly primitive sites with only a few drinking water pumps scattered about and some primitive outhouses, however, you never feel completely alone here because the campsites are not spaced too far apart. My honest opinion: filter or purify your water right from the reservoir if you have the option, because you may be far from a pump, or it may be temporarily closed, and the reservoir water tastes good and is cold. I also opt to skip the outhouses too because they are never clean and always stink unbearably no matter where they are. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Alcohol and smoking are not permitted. If you must bring alchohol,  bring a little in a subtle container and do not bother the other campers. Swimming is also technically not permitted but there were many people swimming and we swam also and no one was bothered.

Now onto our campsite. Site 52 was nearly perfect. The views were to die for. We were able to clearly see the water past the trees from our tent and from our picnic table. The trip to the water was just a few yards away by a footpath carved through tall grass. Unfortunately, the guests before us were very dirty and there was fresh trash scattered about our spot, so we had some cleaning to do when we arrived. The other downside to this spot is you could just barely see site 53 from your spot, which wasn't a huge deal but it wasn't total privacy. Since the surrounding campsites are just barely spaced out to give enough privacy, you can clearly hear your neighbors if they are being noisy. Keep that in mind if you are being the noisy one too. The park strictly enforces its rules and if you are being a nuisance you will be escorted off the property. We saw it first hand on our overnight trip. Our neighbors were college-age, very loud and rowdy, chugging beers and smoking (both are not permitted so don't make it obvious if you are doing either). Suddenly it got quiet and we look over and there are 3 cops at their site arresting them. We were thankful that it got quiet after that, but it was short lived, right before the sun set our other neighbors boat in and start playing music loudly and chopping wood, this continued until around 1am. We would have complained but we were just too tired and kept just falling back asleep. But seriously please don't be that guy.

Onto the the tl;dr!

PROS:

• Breathtaking scenery
• Gorgeous crystal-clear water
• Sites are in a beautiful wooded area
• Sites have a picnic table and nice fire rings
• You can boat, kayak, or canoe right into your spot if you have a water-access site, site numbers are posted to help you find your spot
• Great spot to watch wildlife
• Amazing spot for water sports, fishing, swimming, etc
• Beautiful, scenic trails to hike or bike
• Can confirm the sunsets are gorgeous 
• Every site is dog friendly!
• There is a lot of variety with the sites (water access or more into the mountain, full shade, partial, or no shade, how far they are spaced apart, etc) so you will be able to find the site that is perfect for you 
• Paths that allow for emergency vehicles, police, and rangers keep the place safe and fun while giving you the remote feeling of a campsite
• Lots of tinder and firewood available to gather
• Our site had a couple clotheslines hung already
• Each outhouse had bear-proof trash cans, very handy

CONS:

• Our site was left littered
• Noisy, disruptive neighbors
• Not full privacy (depending on the site)
• Outhouses smelled like death and were terribly dirty and dark
• Only 2 water pumps were working when we went, and they were both way too far, we brought a water filter and pumped our own water straight out of the reservoir 
• The trail had a surprising amount of litter, mainly tinfoil and cigarette butts scattered along the trail. Perhaps the rangers could be more strict about littering
• Mild boat noise at water-front sites

**THINGS TO DO AT ROUND VALLEY **

• Great fishing
• Kayaking/canoeing/boating
• Swimming
• Beautiful hiking trails
• Wildlife/bird watching
• Mountain biking
• Picnicking 
• Relaxing

I recently had a camping experience at High Point that unfortunately did not go as planned. My family, friends and I rented a camping site and a cabin for a two-night stay, looking forward to a relaxing weekend in nature. However, our trip took an unexpected turn that left us feeling frustrated and disappointed.

On the first night, we received complaints about the volume of our music and karaoke around 7 pm. While we promptly lowered the volume, we later found ourselves facing further complaints about noise levels, despite our efforts to be considerate of other campers, especially since we had children with us and we were a group of about 28 people. The following day, we were taken aback when the police arrived at our cabin and informed us that we were being evicted from the site due to noise complaints and the placement of our tents in the cabin's backyard.

Feeling discriminated against and confused by the sudden eviction, we tried to explain our side of the story. We had moved some of our belongings to the cabin due to a marathon event taking place in front of our campsite, which was causing significant noise early in the morning “since 5 AM”. Additionally, there was confusion regarding the use of motorcycles on the premises, which further added to the misunderstandings that led to our eviction.

Despite our attempts to follow the rules and seek clarification, our family weekend was disrupted, and some members even opted to leave the site. The entire experience left us feeling uncomfortable and frustrated, especially considering the efforts we made to comply with the park's regulations.

While I appreciate the police officer's effort to provide us with another chance to rectify the situation, the manner in which the eviction was carried out and the lack of communication from the park management was disappointing. I believe that incidents like these should be reported to ensure that future campers do not have to go through similar challenges.

1. As returning campers, I meticulously reviewed all the rules, particularly regarding noise levels, knowing that moderate noise was permissible until 10 PM.
2. I made two calls to the park office to clarify the rules regarding the use of motorcycles for the youth children. While there was a misunderstanding, I made a genuine effort to adhere to the regulations and have documentation of both calls for verification.
3. Despite visiting the park office for check-in around 9:30 AM on Saturday, I was not informed about the unfolding situation. However, approximately three hours later, police officers arrived at our site and requested us to vacate immediately.
4. The marathon event generated significant noise, with a large number of participants being loud, some started to prepare on Friday and starting their activities as early as 5 AM on Saturday.
5. The decision to place our tents in the cabin site rather than campsite "A" seemed logical, given the disruptive nature of the ongoing marathon. The lack of prior notification about the marathon and the subsequent request to relocate the tents to campsite "A" or immediate evictions was perceived as inconsiderate and is definitely discriminatory, especially considering the inconvenience of dismantling and setting up the tents again and the ongoing marathon event causing noise disturbances, without considering the circumstances or providing adequate notice.

Moving forward, I hope that similar situations will be addressed more effectively to avoid inconveniences and unease for fellow campers. It is my hope that park staff will thoroughly investigate complaints, ensuring accuracy by confirming the exact site before taking action.

In summary, the manner in which the incidents were handled, the lack of transparency and fair treatment, and the impact on our camping experience all point towards potential discrimination. It is essential to address and report such instances to ensure that all campers are treated fairly and respectfully in the future

Drive in but ours had a drive in to a mini trail so it was a pain to load/unload. Camping right along the lake was nice , small trail to walk around river and trails to hike into the mt. Grill to be placed on fire ring

The group campsites are big enough for the amount of people you can have, have picnic benches, a fire ring, a composting outhouse toilet just for the site, and one of those flat charcoal ‘grills’. It’s located in a very nice area and the people who run the place are nice. Also a semi secluded spot so you don’t necessarily have to worry about others. Will go again.

Very private and excellent challenging trails!

The sites were pretty overgrown and rugged. Ours had deep ruts and was long and steep. It had a tent platform, but we camp in a roof top tent, so it took a little finagling to get it close enough to level...but all that said, I liked the camp.

Lots of space between sites and the lake and surrounding hills made a nice view.

Went here twice.  First time was to site 7 which was large, private, well maintained and mostly gravel (which I'm assuming is why there was less ticks). The second time I went to site 17 which was large, not maintained at all and ticks everywhere. There was a small gravel area because and we stayed there because of how many ticks there were. Zero privacy on this site. 

The bathroom is fine but no shower (which doesn't matter). 

Because of the lake (still water) the bug situation is out of control. 

Honestly I won't be going back here because of the tick issues and how they clearly choose which sites to maintain or not. There are many other options close by such as stokes or worthington that are much better.

The campground is very wooded and beautiful but us campers need better information about each individual campsite.  The campground map they have is pathetic, I booked site 20 online because I liked the idea of being near the water but I thought I was going to be able to park my vehicle near my site to unload, not so unfortunately... We arrived late Friday night to discover that we had to leave the car on the road and carry all of our gear down a 200 ft long pathway covered in boulders... To make matters worse because of bears and other animals we couldn't keep any food at our site so every time we needed to make a meal or eat a snack we had to go back and forth to the car.  I got the workout of my life and went home at the end of the weekend exhausted.  Site 20,  however, is beautiful and very secluded, the only neighbors you can see are across on the lake.

I spent two nights camping with my niece and this campground was perfect. The site was maybe a 50-yard walk-in and we barely heard anyone around us and had a real wilderness feel.

We fit in a hike up to the Appalachian Trail from our campsite, swam at the pond (Lake Marcia), and got in a fishing session at Steeny Kill Lake.

The slight downside was that we had to drive between the different lakes.

My first time camping at High Point State Park, Sawmill Area, September 2019. I chose a campsite close to the restrooms and water spigot. It turned out to be very secluded, minus the foot traffic to the restroom at all hours. The campsite is mostly gravel so the platform is necessary. There are no trees for hammocking, so I made the best of it with the platform and my car. There was also not a lot of shade during the day. I moved my chair around to chase the shade. It was hot during the day and chilly at night.

Campground is close hiking trails and the High Point Monument(20min drive).

Each campsite has a firepit/ring, picnic table, and lantern hook. Campsite sells fire wood. Clean bathrooms with flush toilets, no sinks, no showers, no bad smell.

This was my second time camping at High Point State Park, Sawmill Area, October 2020. I chose this campsite, 031, based on the photos on the reservation website and boy was I disappointed. We wanted to setup our large tent on the **flat** gravel driveway and our hammocks and relaxation area on the platform. The photos did not convey the actual steepness of this site!! The gravel driveway is on a 30-40 degree incline. The tent was too long for the 12'x10' platform, so we had to set it up on the flattest part and hope not to roll down the hill in the night. We stayed 5d/4n. We ended up tearing down the large tent and setting up a smaller one on the platform for the last night, due to rain.

Beyond the tricky setup, it was nice fall weather until the rain the last night. The lake was beautiful in the morning with mist or steam. We took one afternoon to visit the High Point Monument, which was lovely. No room for yard games, but we spent the time relaxing and burning stuff. The site was very secluded. The weather was overcast so we weren't able to use our telescope at night.

Each campsite has a firepit/ring, picnic table, and lantern hook. Campsite sells fire wood. Clean-ish bathrooms with flush toilets, no sinks, no showers, with that awful outhouse smell. Bringing your own toilet paper is a good idea as the park didn't replace it enough and it ran out. Though that could have been pandemic personnel issues.

This park has a lot to offer in the way of things to do like hiking, visiting scenic lookouts or visiting the moment. Also close to Port Jervis for an excursion away from the park. Sites are private but sound carries over the water. Bathrooms have chemical toilets.