Best Campgrounds near Newton, NJ

Campgrounds near Newton, New Jersey range from developed facilities to more primitive options within the scenic highlands region. Great Divide Campground, located directly in Newton, provides full-hookup RV sites, tent camping areas, and cabin rentals with seasonal availability from May through mid-October. The surrounding area includes Stokes State Forest, offering more rustic camping experiences with multiple campground areas including Lake Ocquittunk and Steam Mill Camping Area. Most campgrounds in the region accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several properties like Panther Lake Camping Resort and Mahlon Dickerson Reservation featuring cabin options for those seeking additional comfort.

Access to camping facilities varies significantly by season, with many campgrounds operating only from April through October due to the region's weather patterns. Stokes State Forest and several other public lands maintain primitive camping areas with limited amenities, while private campgrounds typically offer more extensive facilities including showers, electric hookups, and camp stores. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for weekend stays during summer months when facilities reach capacity quickly. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which borders the region, enforces strict camping regulations including permits for river access sites. A visitor to Stokes State Forest noted, "The 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."

Waterfront camping locations receive particularly high ratings from visitors, with several campgrounds offering lake or river access. Worthington State Forest Campground within the Delaware Water Gap area provides scenic riverside sites, while Swartswood State Park features lakeside camping opportunities. Campers frequently mention wildlife viewing as a highlight, with opportunities to see deer, various bird species, and occasionally bears. One reviewer of Round Valley State Park observed, "Round Valley is certainly a must see for any type of outdoors person. It is a semi-mountainous, forested setting with a very large lake. The crystal-clear water is home to huge lake trout and the forests are bursting with wildlife." Many campgrounds in the region maintain hiking trail access, with several connecting to the Appalachian Trail which passes through the area, providing excellent day-hiking opportunities directly from campsites.

Best Camping Sites Near Newton, New Jersey (194)

    1. Stokes State Forest

    27 Reviews
    Layton, NJ
    9 miles
    Website

    $7 - $55 / night

    "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."

    2. Great Divide Campground

    16 Reviews
    Andover, NJ
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 383-4026

    "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 $$"

    3. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation

    18 Reviews
    Jefferson, NJ
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 697-3140

    "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."

    4. Panther Lake Camping Resort

    17 Reviews
    Andover, NJ
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 347-4440

    "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."

    5. Worthington State Forest Campground — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

    39 Reviews
    Shawnee on Delaware, PA
    18 miles
    Website

    "Full bathrooms are located behind campsite #15 (clean flushing bathrooms, with motion-sensed lighting, showers, dishwashing sink), but easily accessible from campsites nearby."

    "Bathrooms with flush toilets are conveniently located centrally every so often."

    6. Swartswood State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    13 Reviews
    Newton, NJ
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 383-5230

    "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. Dingmans Campground — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

    16 Reviews
    Dingmans Ferry, PA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 828-1551

    "The 2 young staffers at the desk hooked me up with site 94 which was far away from everyone, grabbed a bag of ice for “sodas” and cup of noodles and had a great night."

    "Easy access to Delaware River.

    • Large field for kids to run around.
    • Dogs allowed.
    • Fire pits at each site but no grates to cook on."

    8. Jenny Jump State Forest

    14 Reviews
    Johnsonburg, NJ
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (908) 459-4366

    "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."

    9. High Point State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Matamoras, PA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 875-4800

    $5 - $20 / night

    "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."

    "There are about 40 to 50 sites around Sawmill Lake. Many of these sites , like ours, are walk in sites (about a 50 yard walk) that sit lakeside."

    10. Camp Taylor Campground

    24 Reviews
    Pahaquarry, NJ
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (908) 496-4333

    $33 - $42 / night

    "Positives: sites are decent sized with fire pits and picnic tables. easy access to hiking, convenient to a beautiful vineyard, peaceful region, and the most amazing wolf preserve is right next to you.  "

    "They were knowledgeable about the surrounding towns, their campground, and basically everything nature related. This was our very first night camping in an RV (we were renters at the time)."

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Recent Reviews near Newton, NJ

1034 Reviews of 194 Newton Campgrounds


  • Erin N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 19, 2025

    Tri-State RV Park

    Friendly Owners and Reasonable rates

    We just stayed the night last minute. We hit unexpected traffic on the way and the owners were kind enough to wait for us to check in. The sites aren’t anything glamorous but the hookups are great and easy to pull through. It is by the highway so it can be loud at times but I don’t mind. Beautiful river on the property. Bathroom and showers were clean and well stocked.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Clayton Park RV Escape

    Top Notch

    A well run, well staffed, facilities are excellent. Will return

  • Missy R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Dingmans Campground — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

    Beautiful, wooded, campsites

    I’m stopping through for the night and so grateful that I did. This campground is lovely. The spots are wooded so you have a bit of privacy. And you are so close to activities throughout the park. I’m changing my schedule to enjoy the campground and park a bit tomorrow.

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    Functional with excellent access to the City

    Very plain & functional, no frills but right on the harbor & on the very edge of Jersey City, close to a ferry & the train that takes u across to New York City. Shopping & restraunts are right next door. We brought scooters & had a great stay! Plus you can see the Statue of Liberty from there!

  • Mindie C.
    Sep. 27, 2025

    West Point FMWR Round Pond Outdoor Recreation Area

    West Point

    No frills but beautiful. Bath houses are absolutely spotless. Fire pits, electric and water hook ups only. Will return! Staff is friendly and helpful. Military families should check it out!

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    friendly staff at the office

    Gave us a welcome folder with lots of helpful info, can walk to get food up the street, short drive to Liberty Park where we got out and walked at night to admire the city skyline and Statue of Liberty at night. They have hook ups and big laundry room.

  • R
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Tohickon Family Campground

    Wonderful campground!

    Great camping, great hiking, pretty close to stores if you need anything. Staff is incredible!! Very polite, helpful, and just all around awesome People!!! They make sure your stay is exactly what you’d want it to be.. getting here was a little tricky having to go around the covered bridge but not anything that would ever deter me and my family from coming back. Overall very impressed!! They even were able To get us in very last minute WITH full hook ups for my trailer!!!!

  • Jessica V.
    Sep. 13, 2025

    Tohickon Family Campground

    Great weekend spot

    We went with friends for a weekend. Both families have little kids and it was a great spot with a playground, construction digging area, and a bunch of activities for the kids to do. We went in September so the pool was closed but it looked like a nice size. Full hook ups which was great! Also they have a nice stream that everyone went fishing at. They are building some new sites at the end of the property.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2025

    Skyway Camping Resort

    One night stoo

    Nice well maintained park, full hookups with cable and wifi. Office forgot to give us wifi info and had closed early. Very nice staff.


Guide to Newton

Situated in the highlands of northern New Jersey, Newton offers camping opportunities with elevations between 600-1,800 feet, creating diverse microclimates ideal for spring through fall outdoor activities. The area's deciduous forests provide dense shade during summer months but open up for clearer stargazing in early spring and late fall. Seasonal temperatures range from 70-90°F in summer to 40-60°F in spring and fall, with humidity generally lower than coastal regions.

What to do

Lake activities at Swartswood State Park: The park features a swimming beach and boat rentals during summer months. "Beautiful park with nice campsites and even better views of the lake!" notes one camper who visited the Swartswood State Park Campground.

Wolf preserve tours: Camp Taylor offers unique wildlife education opportunities. "There is a section of RV spots that are each cut out in the woods so very private... 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 visitor to Camp Taylor Campground.

Hiking to viewpoints: The High Point Monument at 1,803 feet above sea level provides exceptional panoramic views. A camper states, "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."

What campers like

Private wooded campsites: Many campgrounds near Newton offer secluded options. "The spots are huge, and mostly private. When we go camping we don't want to be right up against our neighbors and at worthington we pretty much had our own little island," shares a visitor at Worthington State Forest Campground.

Clean, modern facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms are consistently mentioned as a plus. "The bathrooms are the cleanest we've ever seen at any campground. They are newly built or refurbished and spotless," reports a camper at Dingmans Campground.

Spacious campsites with platforms: Many sites include raised platforms for tent placement. A visitor to Jenny Jump State Forest notes, "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."

What you should know

Bear safety requirements: This region has active black bear populations requiring proper food storage. "Remember, this is bear country so proper food storage is a must. Bear lockers are not provided. The area also has ticks and rattlesnakes," warns a camper at Stokes State Forest.

Seasonal operation limitations: Most campgrounds operate from April through October. Great Divide Campground, located directly in Newton, operates from May 1 to October 14, limiting late fall and winter camping options.

Alcohol policies vary: Rules regarding alcohol differ between campgrounds. One visitor notes, "Campground rules do not list anything about alcohol on the website or the emailed rules given after reservation, however there is a alcohol prohibited sign as you enter."

Reservation requirements: Summer weekends fill quickly, particularly at waterfront sites. A camper advises, "We went on 4th of July weekend so the place was packed. We were able to get a secluded spot in the woods which was great!"

Tips for camping with families

Lakeside activities: Multiple lakes offer swimming and boating options for children. "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," reports a family at Camp Taylor Campground.

Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. "This campground is lovely. Very wooded. Some sites are more private than others but all have a wooded and private feel. It's GREAT for kids. A nice playground with tons of kids running all over," shares a family camper.

Educational opportunities: Wildlife viewing and nature programs engage children. "This was our second time camping at High Point State Park, Sawmill Area... 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," reports a visitor with family.

Cabin options for novice campers: For families new to camping, Great Divide Campground offers cabin accommodations. "They had covered wagons which I believe you can sleep in, but I did not pursue this option," notes one visitor about these unique family-friendly options.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds have uneven terrain requiring additional preparation. "So, we got in with no reservation, which was great. It's in the same park as the high point, also great. The sites are varied, some have tent platforms, it's just off the AT, but we have a trailer and the 'trailer' sites aren't level."

Water hose distances: At some campgrounds, hookups may require long hoses. "Very clean and quiet. 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," explains a visitor at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation.

Access road considerations: Some campgrounds have narrow entry roads. "Careful on the roads to the campsite, they're a bit on the bumpy side. Defo smaller roads than your usual ones. We have a minivan so we had to take our time on all the pot holes."

Seasonal site availability: Many parks offer limited full-hookup options. A visitor to Panther Lake observed, "Mainly seasonal... Majority of sites are seasonal campers with LOTS of cottages. Went early in the season so many had not been maintained in months. Only a handful of full hook up sites surrounded by seasonal cottages."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find camping sites in Newton, NJ?

Newton, NJ offers several camping options within a short drive. Great Divide Campground is located directly near Newton and provides a scenic setting with a small lake, pond, and surrounding woods—perfect for RVers wanting to explore Delaware Water Gap. Just a short drive away, Stephens State Park Campground offers a lovely wooded setting, though it may not accommodate larger RVs and has a no-pets policy in some areas. Other nearby options include Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, Stokes State Forest, and High Point State Park—all within easy driving distance from Newton and offering various camping experiences from primitive tent sites to more developed options with hook-ups.

How much does it cost to camp in Newton, New Jersey?

Camping costs around Newton vary significantly based on the type of campground and amenities offered. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation offers relatively affordable camping with water and electric hookups, and is known for its paved, mostly level sites. Stokes State Forest provides budget-friendly options, with its Steam Mill Camping Area offering primitive sites suitable for tents or small trailers. Private campgrounds like Great Divide tend to be more expensive than public options, with some campers noting it was the priciest stop on their multi-state tours. For even more economical options, boat-in campsites at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are available for a nominal fee. Most state parks in the area charge between $20-45 per night depending on residency and hookup needs.

What amenities are available at Newton, NJ campgrounds?

Campgrounds near Newton offer a range of amenities to suit different camping styles. High Point State Park Campground features beautiful lakeside campsites with hiking and biking trails accessible directly from your site, plus swimming opportunities in the lake. Sandyston Boat In Campsites in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area offers a more primitive experience with open sites accessible only by canoe or kayak. Other campgrounds in the area provide varying levels of facilities—from the basic toilets and water spigots at more rustic locations to full hook-ups, dump stations, and recreational amenities like fishing ponds and swimming areas at more developed campgrounds. Most state parks offer toilets, potable water, and picnic tables, while private campgrounds typically provide additional conveniences like showers, laundry facilities, and camp stores.