Leo C.
Scout
ScoutWinding Hills Park
Nice but dated
Nice campground, bathrooms are clean but dated, first come first serve for the sites.
Camping near Mountain Lakes, NJ
146 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Mahlon Dickerson Reservation offers spacious, wooded sites for camping near Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, approximately 15 miles west of the city. Several campgrounds in the region accommodate various camping styles, including tent camping on wooden platforms, RV sites with water and electric hookups, and cabin options. Great Divide Campground and Panther Lake Camping Resort provide additional mixed-use campgrounds with tent and RV sites, while Stokes State Forest, located about 30 miles northwest, features year-round camping opportunities with more rustic amenities.
Camping season for most facilities runs from April through October, with limited winter camping available at select locations. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly during summer weekends. One camper noted, "Very clean and quiet. Website lists water hook ups at long distances but they have hose reels to help with that." Road access to most camping areas remains good throughout the season, though visitors should check for seasonal closures after heavy rain or snow events. Sites near Mountain Lakes generally sit at moderate elevations, offering comfortable summer temperatures but potential for cold nights in spring and fall. Cell service varies across the region but tends to be stronger near developed areas and campgrounds.
Campers consistently praise the spacious, private nature of sites at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation. "The sites are nicely wooded, very well spaced, fairly level with 50A service and water hookup," wrote one visitor. The extensive trail networks connected to many camping areas provide additional recreational opportunities, with several campgrounds offering direct trail access from sites. While some campgrounds prohibit alcohol, most allow pets with proper leashing. Bathroom facilities range from basic pit toilets at primitive sites to modern shower buildings at larger campgrounds. The proximity to New York City (approximately 40 miles east) makes these camping areas popular weekend destinations, so midweek visits often provide more solitude and better site selection, especially for last-minute travelers.
Best Campgrounds near Mountain Lakes (146)
1. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation
"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."
"It's beautiful and quiet, and close to beautiful hiking trails, lakes, and other outdoor recreation opportunities."
2. Panther Lake Camping Resort
"Panther lake was a pretty good campground with lots of spots to camp at. Our campsite had a picnic bench and a fire ring. They offer both RV and primitive camping."
"The Lake is the gem of the campground with a really nice beach, good for fishing and kayaking. The negatives were the bathrooms. They are very primitive and quite dirty."
3. Great Divide Campground
"Our 4rth state in our 5 state trip is New Jersey! We wanted to see Delaware Water Gap NRA & I found a campground by Newton called The Great Divide. This is a private campground."
"All the positive reviews about this place are accurate! Beautiful, clean, well maintained, lots to do, great value for your $$"
4. Stokes State Forest
"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."
"We stayed at the campsite at Lake Ocquittunk Area. Campsite was very spacious and had a platform where we were able to fit two tents. There was plenty of space on the site for more tents."
from $7 - $55 / night
Check Availability5. Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park
"Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill."
"The grounds are just steps away from Welch Lake, offering a lifeguard monitored sandy beach which is open during the summer season for swimming, fishing, and small boat craft further out."
from $17 - $20 / night
Check Availability6. Swartswood State Park Campground
"We booked a campsite at the far end of the loop by the lake, which looked to be the right spot for some privacy, but a longer walk to the bathroom and water spigot."
"The campsites are slightly separated from the lake (maybe 8 min walk to lake) but that also means you aren’t bothered by day guests. The lake is beautiful! Great for swimming and fishing."
7. Round Valley State Park Campground
"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."
"Once you get to the campground trail it’s pretty easy going on asphalt surface."
8. Liberty Harbor RV Park
"This is all about location. The closest RV park to NYC. It's basically a parking lot with a dump station. Not much else. Pick one of the larger end row sites to get a little extra elbow room."
"Basicly a parking lot, but the location can't be beat. 2 ferries that run to Manhattan. Path train is a 12 minute walk away that will take you yyo manhatten."
from $145 - $180 / night
Check Availability9. Jenny Jump State Forest
"The bathroom/shower was only a few steps away which was convenient and clean."
"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."
10. Stephens State Park Campground
"There are dumpsters but no recycling (not sure if New Jersey segregates recycling after pickup). ATT had some reception but we forgot to check the Verizon phone. "
"Just 1.5 hours outside of NYC, site was a bit close to the neighbors (fire pit was very far back and basically in the neighbors’ campsite, but we put up a “privacy clothesline” and hung a tarp over it"
Drive Time
- 36 min from New York, NY
- 36 min from Kiryas Joel, NY
- 1 hr 7 min from Trenton, NJ
- 1 hr 10 min from Allentown, PA
Recent Camping Photos near Mountain Lakes, NJ
469 Photos of 146 Mountain Lakes Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
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Recent Reviews near Mountain Lakes, NJ
921 Reviews of 146 Mountain Lakes Campgrounds
Thomas B.
RangerNeversink River Resort
Cool Riverside Campground
I'll start by saying this is a site-specific review (C20). I booked using Campspot and didn't select my own site but put in the criteria for my rig (30ft TT plus truck) and got a 50A back-in spot. The site was big but abnormal. Between the picnic table placement and the trees, I ended up right around 50ft from the electric and water, and the water spigot was so low I could barely put on my camco filter. With the uneven dirt roads, I had to unhitch with my truck in a gigantic puddle (lol). The site was otherwise fine aside from my gate code not working on Day 2. As for the campground as a whole, I thought it was pretty unique place by the river that offered several good amenities and activities, like downstream river tubing, an arcade, bathroom/shower facilities, a small store, little trails, and more. I would say this place borders the more primitive side.
Edwin R.ScoutCheesequake State Park Campground
Park uses county cops to shut down park by 9pm.
On Friday, September 4, 2026, I rented a trailer and brought my family to Cheesequake State Park to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary over the extended Labor Day weekend. Around 9:20 PM—well before the park's designated 10:00 PM quiet hours—we were sitting inside our canopy, playing Jenga, and listening to low background music. Two officers from the Matawan Police Department approached our campsite. They were polite and courteous, simply offering a standard reminder to wrap things up by 10:00 PM. Before they could leave, however, a third, senior officer intervened. Wanting to"show them how it's done," he made the two polite officers return and stand by to watch as he demonstrated how to aggressively harass campers. Flashlight in hand, the senior officer approached with an immediate hostile attitude, treating us like criminals as he demanded to know who rented the site. He began reiterating rules and claimed we had too many vehicles. We had three cars, one belonging to my brother-in-law's girlfriend, who was visiting with her daughter. She had paid the$10 visitor fee at the main office and was instructed by staff to obtain the gate access code from us, the primary renters, if she got locked in. No staff member ever informed her of an 8:00 PM visitor departure deadline, leading us to reasonably assume visitors were permitted until quiet hours began at 10:00 PM. The officer rudely snapped that she had been given wrong information. The senior officer then used profanity in front of three small children, aggressively telling her to ("get her shit and get the fuck out!") in that manner or use profanity, the officer went from hostile to furious. He angrily declared that these were official violations and threatened that he could be issuing us tickets instead. Desperately searching for anything and everything to throw at us, he demanded that we turn off our idling car—which was supplying power to our campsite—and instructed us to make sure the campfire was doused before shutting down for the night. He then proceeded to shine his flashlight into our private setup—including our canopy, tents, and the inside of our trailer—searching for any other possible violation while the two polite officers were forced to watch. What was supposed to be a special 10th wedding anniversary celebration with my family was completely ruined by a senior officer misusing his authority to put on an unnecessary display of intimidation. Worse than just ruining our night, he spent that evening teaching those two police officers how to be bad cops. He corrupted two officers in real time, demonstrating firsthand exactly why most people have lost faith in the police force. The next day we was ready for them. We turned off our lights and quietly by the fire while they went next door to harass an asian family that had just set up camp and had their leds lights on.
- eedgar V.Scout
Black Bear RV Park
Super clean and quiet
Past reviews has mentioned that the office seems to be closed often, while I found that to be true I had no reason to contact anyone. This is definitely one of the cleanest quiets site I’ve ever visited
- KKelly B.
GuideStephens State Park Campground
Great last min getaway
Booked the day before—even on the holiday weekend! Just 1.5 hours outside of NYC, site was a bit close to the neighbors (fire pit was very far back and basically in the neighbors’ campsite, but we put up a “privacy clothesline” and hung a tarp over it for a bit of extra coverage.
The staff was friendly and helpful, they said it was the busiest they’ve seen the campground all year (there were lots of large groups but everyone seemed to settle down by 9:30pm
Poison ivy was EVERYWHERE at our site so make sure to stick to the open areas and the paths. Lots of families around, we felt very safe Bathrooms were fine—it was my impression they’re usually cleaner but the high traffic of the weekend left a bit to be desired, (lots of families around=dirty diapers in the bathroom trash bin) but it’s camping! I’m not gonna argue w a flushing toilet!
- KKevin F.
TravelerTri-State RV Park
A place to stay in an area lacking campgrounds.
This area seems to be devoid of campgrounds except for this one. It’s basically just a large parking lot with hook ups. Completely open, which is great for Starlink. Bathrooms were slightly above average; fairly clean and places to hang clothes for your shower. Has a laundry but be sure to bring quarters. It is about 100 yards from the interstate so you’ll get a lot of noise and diesel exhaust fumes.
- Sue B.Ranger
Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA
Great off season camping
We camped here in our pop up for our Anniversary in November. We were impressed with the cleanliness and available amenities for the time of year we were camping in! Close proximity to DWG and PA AND NJ attractions.
- Sue B.Ranger
Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park
Great cabins!
We booked a cabin at the last minute and were pleasantly surprised that the cabin had heat and electricity! It was very close to the awesome heated bathroom also! We were also able to catch a beautiful sunset! Great camp all around!
- JJayTraveler
Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA
Large sites & friendly staff!
Another great experience. Sites were large. Staff was friendly with many different things for kids to do. Great base camp for local hikes.
Guide to Mountain Lakes
Camping sites near Mountain Lakes, New Jersey offer diverse terrain options within a 40-mile radius, with elevations ranging from 400 to 1,200 feet above sea level. The region features a mix of dense woodland and open meadow camping, with summer temperatures typically ranging between 65-85°F during peak camping season. Most campgrounds in this area sit on glacial formations that created the region's distinctive rolling hills and small lakes.
What to do
Hiking accessible trails: At Jenny Jump State Forest, trails connect directly to camping areas, making it easy to explore without driving. "The campgrounds and bathrooms were clean and well kept. Great place to get away for the weekend with the family!!!" notes a visitor who appreciated the convenient access.
Kayaking on reservoir waters: Round Valley State Park offers crystal-clear reservoir waters for paddling. "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 camper who enjoyed the pristine conditions.
Wildlife observation: Beaver Pond Campground at Harriman State Park provides opportunities to spot diverse wildlife, especially in early morning hours. "A quick 40 minutes north of NYC, Harriman State Park has an eclectic little campground called Beaver Pond. The grounds are just steps away from Welch Lake, offering a lifeguard monitored sandy beach," writes a visitor who enjoyed the natural setting.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: At Great Divide Campground, campers appreciate the well-spaced sites. "Like many of the sites in this area, Great Divide had a large pool which was used by many of the campers. The campgrounds were very big and spread out and the campsites have their own space so you can enjoy quiet at night," explains one visitor.
Clean facilities: Stokes State Forest maintains well-kept bathroom facilities. "We stayed at the campsite at Lake Ocquittunk Area. Campsite was very spacious and had a platform where we were able to fit two tents. Bathrooms and shower were all single stall and very clean, only a 5 min walk from our site," reports a satisfied camper.
Off-grid experience: Some campers prefer more remote options like Round Valley State Park Campground where sites can only be reached by hiking or boating. "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," notes one reviewer.
What you should know
Bear activity: Multiple campgrounds in the region have active bear populations. At Beaver Pond Campground, one camper noted, "Welcome to Bear Mountain" grumbles the park ranger as he sits in complete darkness! He is in his ranger hut, checking in the late evening arrivals to the campground." Proper food storage is essential throughout the region.
Limited winter facilities: Most campgrounds near Mountain Lakes reduce services significantly from November through March. Water systems are typically shut down and restroom facilities may be closed completely during winter months.
Reservation timing: Popular campgrounds fill quickly during summer weekends. "This was our second visit to the campground and the first weekend they opened to RVs after Covid. No amenities were open but we had a great time fishing in the lake. Spots are spacious and campers were spread out throughout the large campground," notes a Great Divide Campground visitor.
Tips for camping with families
Shallow swimming areas: Panther Lake Camping Resort offers family-friendly swimming options with graduated entry points. "The lake and pool were a big plus, especially for hot days. While I did not take advantage, you are allowed to rent boats and take them out on the lake," shares one camper about the water activities.
Playground access: Several campgrounds maintain dedicated play areas for children. "Great atmosphere for families. Liitte crowded for couples who want peace and quiet the staff was great to deal wwith," notes a camper at Panther Lake.
Activity scheduling: Camp Glen Gray offers structured activities for younger campers. "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," explains a family who enjoyed the organized approach.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: At Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, RV sites are generally level but some preparation may be needed. "Very nice forest! The campground is clean, paved nicely and well run. Our site is easily the nicest- all the way in the back with only one neighbor. It is so quiet here," reports an RV camper.
Power availability: Most RV sites offer 30-amp service, with some providing 50-amp connections. "Easy to navigate our 38 ft. RV. Easy to dump and fill. Peaceful. Close to train to N.Y. City," notes another Mahlon Dickerson visitor.
Water connection length: Come prepared with extra hose length at some campgrounds. "The water hoses provided are plenty long. We didn't need to use our hose at all, just the filter," shares a camper who appreciated the water setup at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
What camping is available near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, Mountain Lakes, NJ offers a wide range of camping options, with 146 campgrounds and RV parks near Mountain Lakes, NJ and 4 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
Which is the most popular campground near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mountain Lakes, NJ is Mahlon Dickerson Reservation with a 4.6-star rating from 19 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Mountain Lakes, NJ.
What parks are near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
What parks are near Mountain Lakes, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 parks near Mountain Lakes, NJ that allow camping, notably Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Gateway National Recreation Area.
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