Best Campgrounds near Roosevelt, NJ

I was so excited when we got here. The sites are spacious and it’s really beautiful. But 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. I have been RVing for 2-3 years and this is the first time this many ticks ambushed us. I could not enjoy myself after having 3 biting me at one time. My husband had just come out of the shower and found 2 on him( not yet attached). Also the bathroom s don’t have shelves and the showers are not very convenient. You have to come out practically naked to get your towel. And since none of the sites have sewers you have to use them.

This is a pricey park, but options are limited. As in almost non existent. This is a prime location for visiting the city or heading down the shore. The light rail is a block away, and the path train is about 8.

Staff is average, as this is not meant to be high end. They are nice but a bit rough. We had some issues with our converter and they wanted to extort a 20% commission to allow our repair man in. A bit of logical conversation put that idea to sleep. Sites kind of level and very close. Power and water, and convenient dump station if staying and needing to dump. The bath house was above average and heated. The laundry was helpful and was acceptable. Having a view of Lady Liberty out your window is priceless.

Getting in and out of the city is an adventure. Stay right off the highway to avoid the $30 tunnel toll. Follow RV life pro and not Waze.

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.

General: 132-site campground with a mix of no hookups or water and electric. Six of the sites are “field sites” – on grass. Our site was chosen for us. 

Site Quality: Varies. Sites 68 and 69 are next to the field sites and aside from having electricity and water and a faint gravel camper pad, there is not much to distinguish them from the field sites (which have electricity but no water). Our site was almost level but in order to reach the electric connection, we were sloped slightly downhill side-to-side. The FHU sites are wooded but close together.

Bath/Shower house: Clean with soap and paper towels. The shower had nice hot water. 

Activities/Amenities: The pool is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. There is also a separate kiddie pool. We were there the Thursday after Memorial Day and had the pool to ourselves. Other amenities include laundry, a game room, golf cart rentals, and sports equipment (basketballs, volleyball, soccer, football, horseshoes, bocce ball, ping pong) are available. Propane fill-ups, firewood, a camp store, and a dump station (including on-site for a fee) are all available. Free WiFi, although not the strongest signal. 

Had we not needed an electric hookup for our computers, I would have much preferred the primitive sites – they are private and shaded but they are a hike to the bathroom. There is one vault toilet in this area. Our site had no shade, and it was a very hot day when we were there. I was surprised at the lack of camping options in this area.