Moon Valley Campground in northern New Jersey houses distinctive geodesic domes providing luxury accommodations with spectacular views. This small, intimate glamping resort also offers safari-style canvas tents fully outfitted for comfort, located near the New York border in a tranquil woodland setting. "This was a great campsite nestled in the foothills of Northern NJ on the NY border. Small, clean with great views and great location for hiking, cruising etc," noted one reviewer. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation and Camp Glen Gray provide additional glamping opportunities in the region, with Camp Glen Gray featuring well-maintained cabins situated amid miles of hiking trails. Both locations combine wilderness experiences with modern comforts, including electric hookups, heated facilities during colder months, and amenities that elevate the camping experience beyond traditional tent sites.
The Appalachian Trail's proximity to Moon Valley Campground creates exceptional hiking opportunities while maintaining surprisingly easy access to Manhattan, just an hour's drive away. This unique combination of wilderness seclusion and metropolitan accessibility distinguishes the Oak Ridge area's glamping options. Camp Glen Gray's extensive trail network offers glampers varied terrain to explore, with the trading post providing convenient access to supplies and refreshments. One visitor shared, "Cabins are always clean and stocked with firewood. Lots of hiking trails. Trading post is well stocked and volunteers are always friendly." Several glamping sites in the region operate seasonally, typically from April through October, with Mahlon Dickerson providing extended season amenities including heated shower facilities. Advance reservations are strongly recommended for these popular glamping accommodations, particularly during summer and fall foliage seasons.
"Arrived to campsite late but easily found. Campsite and lean to was clean. Fire pit with grill and picnic table."
"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."
$7 - $55 / night
"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."
"So it rained during set up and it rained during take down. It stopped raining for a bit and we took a nice walk around the campsite, out to the lake and back. Then night fell and so did the rain."
"Very kid and pet friendly, lake to fish and kayak on, lots of activities, great pool and awesome hot tub."
"The campground is clean, the people who live there are friendly, very well organized, sites are big, street are easy to travel, the amnesties are good, the welcome center store is has the basic needs,"
"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."
"Love the pool and small pond for fishing it is well stocked with little fish. The barn with games is nice. They have theme weekends with lots of activities. Nice store & food by the pool."
$5 - $20 / night
"Camping for summer is pretty limited to Sawmill Lake, as the other locations are for groups or winter camping."
"It is not very private/secluded as it is right by the road, but we enjoy waving at neighbors driving or walking by. Short 5-10 min walk to the restroom and water, no sinks or showers."
"This campsite, CS52, was in the woods and we were able to get the illusion of privacy by parking the cars along the road as a makeshift wall and pitching our tents beside them, facing inward."
"This campsite was in the open grass area and not very private, but that was okay for this trip as I spent the days hiking around lakes and waterfalls in the area(45min drive)."
$75 - $400 / night
"The staff was friendly and accommodating, and the camp store was well-stocked with essentials."
"Rafting and hiking is always a great time, and you can have a good campfire with music and a few beers and nobody is going to bother you."
"great location. great scenery. full hook ups animal petting and good fishing."
"Upon arrival we had a bit of a mix up. Someone was planted in our assigned spot. After a phone call, all was ok. The farm has goats, a donkey, and a pony within the campground. Very cool."
$50 - $275 / night
"This was a great campsite nestled in the foothills of Northern NJ on the NY border. Small, clean with great views and great location for hiking , cruising etc."
"The Moon Valley Campground is an awesome spot for those who want to camp in luxury, with their awesome dome structures. "
$5 - $200 / night
"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"
"One rustic place with many hiking trails to choose from. Camp also provides trucking of gear weather permitting. No vehicles allowed to drive through camp. Trading Post for treats and other items."
ScoutThis was a great campsite nestled in the foothills of Northern NJ on the NY border. Small, clean with great views and great location for hiking , cruising etc. Bring your tent or use the existing glamping tents. Headed back for a fall weekend in the "dome" which has incredible views. Try it you won't be sorry.
GuideEasy 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.
RangerCampground 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.
ScoutMe and two friends do a yearly kayak trip down the Delaware river and have progressively moved north each year. This year, MDW of 2023, we were traveling between Narrowsburg, NY and Port Jervis, NY. Traveling 10-15 miles a day, we ended our second day of paddling at Slumberland on the Rivers Edge. The host put out a orange cone that made finding our campsite easy and a nice beach made unloading and loading kayaks pretty easy. The accommodations were top notch, with lights already on, and a table set, along with a grill, fire pit, and covered porch and canvas tent that housed two queen sized beds along with an electric stove and a woodstove. We were able to relax on the adirondack chairs on the deck as the sun went down and our fire (wood provided by host) and the porch lights remained glowing. It was nice change from camping in our tents and sleeping pads as we are used to along the river, as the beds were very comfortable, and the heater and canvas tent kept us warm during 40 degree temperatures at night. It was quiet and peaceful and you had your own space far from the other sites at slumberland (unlike many other campgrounds along the river). We all enjoyed our stay and had a great time and I would highly recommend to any kayak campers along the river looking for more than just a patch of grass to set up a tent on.
TravelerHaving been here on a few occasions I will say it is def a beautiful spot in many regards. However, there are some downsides.
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.
Negative: limited access to firewood. sites are picked clean, quiet hours are strongly enforced- which can be a good thing depending upon who you are, the lake is anything but refreshing.
GuideStayed 2 nights and it was really nice. Camping for summer is pretty limited to Sawmill Lake, as the other locations are for groups or winter camping. Camps are secluded from each other and most if not all have an elevated space to put tents or chairs. Each place comes with a lamp hang, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Bathrooms are spaced out. No running water except for pump founded outside of the bathrooms. Toilets are pump flushed. Showers are only located INSIDE High Point State Park, not throughout the campsites, but entry is free for campers. One hiking trail is accessible in Sawmill campground, 3 others are accessible on the road outside of the campground and the rest are located inside the park. When you arrive you have to check in with the park office for your campsite tag. Hours are 8-4. Park officials come through the campsites pretty regularly, a few times a day which is nice. Areas are clean and well maintained.
RangerThe lake is gorgeous and there are nice hiking trails, but sites are very small and close together. Let’s are allowed in less than half of the campground, which means all the dogs are in a smaller area and barking at each other more than other places. The no-pet area was practically empty when we were there midweek but the pets-allowed area was much more crowded than we would have liked.
Also rules and signage are wildly confusing, lots of things contradict each other. Cell service exists but not great for remote work.
ScoutNice, family friendly campground with 3 levels to camp at. Top level has a pool, showers and bathrooms with laundry area and game room. Middle level has open field with bathrooms with sinks and running water. There is water and electric on the sites at the middle level. River level has more primitive bathrooms and some bathrooms with running water. You can camp right next to the river and it has a great view.
RangerMy first trip to this campground was September 2020. We wanted to get out of the house, but stay clear of other campers during the pandemic. This campsite, CS52, was in the woods and we were able to get the illusion of privacy by parking the cars along the road as a makeshift wall and pitching our tents beside them, facing inward. The other 3/4 of the campsite was bound by trees and shrubs which was nice and why we chose the spot. Other sites are more open and only the darkness of night will give you privacy. Each campsite has a firepit/ring, picnic table, and lantern hook.
We hung out at the campsite mostly, using the fire pit, playing frisbee, and relaxing in our hammocks. When we did roam a bit, there was a nice lake, with seating every so often and a boat dock ramp thing in the campground. There was also a playground, beach, pavilion, and picnic tables, but we did not use any of that.
Campsite sells fire wood. Clean bathrooms with flush toilets and showers, masks required for the pandemic.
Northern New Jersey's Oak Ridge area sits where the southern Appalachian Mountains create rolling hills and valleys at elevations between 900-1,400 feet. Camping here means experiencing distinct seasonal changes, with warm summers averaging 75-85°F and fall temperatures dropping to 45-65°F. Winter camping options remain limited, with most campgrounds operating from April through October.
Hike the Appalachian Trail sections: The famous AT passes near several campgrounds, offering day hiking opportunities ranging from 3-15 miles. At Stokes State Forest, trails connect directly to the AT. "Did a small part of the Appalachian trail while there (about 15 miles). Would love to go back when I'm better shape and try the whole trail," notes one visitor.
Explore multiple waterways: The region features several lakes and streams ideal for paddling and fishing. At Panther Lake Camping Resort, campers can rent boats to use on the lake. A visitor mentioned, "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."
Visit High Point Monument: This landmark sits at 1,803 feet above sea level, marking New Jersey's highest elevation point. "You can drive to High Point monument that is 1803 feet above sea level and you get a spectacular panorama view," explains a camper at High Point State Park.
Secluded forest sites: Many campgrounds offer wooded sites that provide privacy. At Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, "The campground is small but also secluded. We always hike to the lake here, it's a very easy hike and also very peaceful," reports one regular visitor.
Modern facilities: Despite the rustic settings, many campgrounds maintain clean, well-equipped facilities. One Great Divide Campground visitor notes, "Bathrooms clean and shower was warm and clean as well. They even have a heater to keep you comfortable in and out of the shower."
Wildlife viewing: The region offers opportunities to spot native wildlife. At Swartswood State Park, one camper had an exciting encounter: "Three black bears strolled by the campsite next to ours in the early morning — gave us more of an energy boost after a sleepless night than our coffee!"
Bear country precautions: Black bears inhabit these forests, requiring proper food storage. "Remember, this is bear country so proper food storage is a must. Bear lockers are not provided," notes a Stokes State Forest camper.
Reservation timing: Most popular sites fill quickly, especially during fall foliage season. At High Point State Park Campground, advance planning is crucial during peak periods.
Yurt camping Oak Ridge, New Jersey options: Yurt accommodations provide alternative shelter beyond traditional camping. Great Divide Campground offers yurt rentals as seen in visitor photos. "They also had covered wagons which I believe you can sleep in, but I did not pursue this option," mentioned one visitor describing the alternative accommodations.
Choose campgrounds with organized activities: Several sites offer structured programming for children. A Pleasant Acres visitor notes, "Lots of seasonals and lots of cabins, many RV sites I think all with full hookups. There were some organized activities which was nice."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Oak Ridge, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Oak Ridge, NJ is Mahlon Dickerson Reservation with a 4.7-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Oak Ridge, NJ?
TheDyrt.com has all 51 glamping camping locations near Oak Ridge, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
