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Equestrian Camping near Pemberton, NJ

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    Brendan Byrne State Forest offers equestrian camping in New Jersey's Pine Barrens with spacious sites that accommodate horses and riders. The forest's extensive trail network provides miles of riding opportunities through pine forests and wetlands. Campsites include fire rings, picnic tables, and lantern hooks with enough space for horse trailers. The bathrooms and showers are clean and well-maintained. Sites have reasonable privacy from neighboring campers with plenty of trees for hammocks. The forest's remote location creates a quiet camping experience away from traffic noise and city sounds, allowing campers to hear abundant wildlife including foxes, deer, and bats at night.

    Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold Township complements the equestrian camping options near Pemberton with pull-through sites that offer water and electric hookups. The park encompasses 2,283 acres with a 17-acre lake and multiple hiking and bridle trails. Horse owners appreciate the park's spacious wooded sites that provide privacy through natural vegetation. The dirt roads throughout the campground may become muddy after rain, requiring careful navigation with horse trailers. The park maintains an archery range, playground, and seasonal boat rentals on the lake where fishing is permitted. Riders can access several short trails with the longest extending 2.5 miles through the forested landscape. The campground enforces quiet hours and fire restrictions in the evening.

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    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Pemberton (4)

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      1. Brendan Byrne State Forest

      4.7(18)11mi from PembertonRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my"

      "Sand roads crisscross the whole area and navigation can be a bit tricky the first time around. The campgrounds are clean and simple."

      from $3 - $60 / night

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      2. Turkey Swamp Park

      4.4(30)26mi from PembertonRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "We stayed in New Jersey for our 5th campground on the East Coast: Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold. This is a County park.

       Near some Revolutionary War battlefields.

       I really liked this park!"

      "Heavily wooded and supremely quiet, it’s located not far from anywhere you’d want to be. 30 minutes to the shore. Every site is a pull-through, large and spacious with great woodland views. 30amp and"

      from $42 - $79 / night

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      3. Allaire State Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

      3.6(18)32mi from PembertonRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Lots of walking paths surround the park & you are also close to Belmar, Point Pleasant, Manasquan (all fun shore towns)."

      "Nice state park with trails nearby."

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      4. Mountainview Campground

      4.8(16)49mi from PembertonRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "We were kindly escorted to our site (a nice refreshing change from having to wander around to find the sites ourselves), which was the one farthest away from the entrance."

      "Close by to a couple of nice state parks. Cute sheep and goats that wander about during the day! Sweet little spot, we'll definitely be back!"

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    Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Pemberton, NJ

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    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Pemberton, NJ

    82 Reviews of 4 Pemberton Campgrounds

    • Cynthia K.
      Aug. 30, 2024

      Turkey Swamp Park

      My favorite!

         We stayed in New Jersey for our 5th campground on the East Coast: Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold. This is a County park.

       Near some Revolutionary War battlefields.

       I really liked this park! They have 2283 acres. A 17 acre lake. Some hiking trails & a nice campground! The sites are all pullthrough. There's lots of vegetation for "privacy". We had a site on the perimeter, which are forest views. Only problem is none of the roads are paved. All are packed sand. We could tell it rained recently because of the muddy tracks. Fortunately it didn't rain while we were there!

        Shower/bathrooms are clean, but dated. They're checked regularly. The bath house is for the entire campground. 3 out of the 4 women's were working. There's a shared dressing area. 

      There's a laundry that doesn't take quarters. EPay. 

      There's a nice playground in the campground.

       They have 3 cabins for rent, with forest views.

       The lake has fishing & boat rentals. No gas motors. There's no swimming at the lake. Cell service was fair.. No WiFi. 

      They have an archery range. 

          This was my favorite campground on our trip! I really enjoyed camping here! There's a rustic retro quality to the place. I adored the campsites & I didn't see any really bad ones.

    • S
      Jun. 27, 2021

      Brendan Byrne State Forest

      Nice campsite for car camping

      Flat site, no tent bed, enough space to park two cars. Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my site). Could hear the traffic on Rte 72 at night despite being a half mile away.

      Bathrooms were clean and stocked, warm/hot water available. No issues with firepit, water, plenty of tinder nearby. Bought firewood at the office for $7, but there is plenty of dead wood lying around outside the campsite. Picnic tables were somewhat hacked/battoned for kindling, but many sites had a log lying around for such purpose.

      Went during the week and there were only 3 other campsites in use, ran into very few people on the trails. Ticks were definitely present but wasn't too crazy - found 2 on me in 3 days, no mosquito bites... thanks permethrin!

    • JThe Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 5, 2023

      Brendan Byrne State Forest

      Beautiful, remote and pristine

      This was definitely a unique camping experience for me. The forest is absolutely beautiful, but not by any design. Instead, nature is just doing its thing. Sand roads crisscross the whole area and navigation can be a bit tricky the first time around.

      The campgrounds are clean and simple. Some reviews mentioned that the borders between sites are a bit murky, which I agree with. In the larger loop, one site easily blends into another. I stayed in the smaller loop (1-13), which was simple and a bit more private. The bathrooms nearby were immaculately clean, which hasn’t been the case at many other state campgrounds. There was some occasional road noise, but nothing that kept me up at night. However, there was some low flying air traffic going in to the joint base nearby. It wasn’t terrible, but it was definitely noticeable.

      In a pinch, there’s a Wawa about 5 minutes away from the campground. Beyond that, there’s a bar and a gas station a bit further away. Anything else is a bit of a hike. If you want to get away and feel like you’re truly in nature, this is a good spot to visit.

    • Dorian P.
      Jun. 24, 2021

      Brendan Byrne State Forest

      Great campground

      First off, I will start by saying you have to drive a good amount of distance to get into the campground and that is something I really enjoyed! Made me feel super secluded and disconnected from the outside! The bathrooms and showers here were in really good condition, well cleaned and stocked, and was pleasant to use! The campsites are a little bit close to each and didnt offer much privacy but they were right in top of each other. Only weird rule I saw was that fires can only go from 6pm till 7am which was odd but wasn't a deal breaker. Seasonal rangers drove by a handful of times and there was a dumpster at the entrance of the campground area which was nice. Overall, I would 100% go to this campground again and I really enjoyed my site. Also, there is a good amount of trails and a wawa down the street if you forgot anything for your trip

    • Jessica D.The Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 23, 2023

      Allaire State Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

      Situated in nature, fun events in summer, close to beaches"

      Allaire State Park is a favorite spot of mine. In addition to their tent sites and group gathering areas (we have had several family reunions here), we enjoy all the activities! There is a historical village where you can visit a blacksmith shop and other spaces to learn about the history. They have a flea market many weekends in the summer months and in early fall. They also. Have Halloween themed events like a hayride. Lots of walking paths surround the park & you are also close to Belmar, Point Pleasant, Manasquan (all fun shore towns). Bathroom maintenance could use some sprucing up, but other than that- great place to visit.

    • Christina H.
      Nov. 12, 2019

      Mountainview Campground

      Beautiful, quiet, and remote campsite in the mountains.

      This place was actually fantastic, I don't really have anything negative to say about it. The whole scene was exactly what I love about camping, a nice little remote campground in the mountains.

      We actually only stayed here overnight to just get out and see the autumn colors before winter hit, so I wasn't really expecting much, but man was I impressed. The drive up to this place was so breathtaking the entire way. Adorable little mountain houses, with bridges that go over a stream to get to their front door. Made me quake with jealousy.

      My husband said he would come back here just for the scenic drive to this campsite even, and I'd have to agree. We couldn't have picked a better time of the year too, the fall leaves were so vibrant. When we got to the campsite and checked in, there was a chicken right outside the camp office, which my dog seemed to appreciate most! We were kindly escorted to our site (a nice refreshing change from having to wander around to find the sites ourselves), which was the one farthest away from the entrance. We were able to just drive right up into our site and make ourselves at home for the day. The drive to our site had some inclines and was relatively rocky and some vehicles would surely struggle.

      This place was just so calming and quiet, it was really just such a relaxing place to be. There was no irritation from loud, busy nearby roads, no city noise, no people yelling or stomping about. We set up camp and went for a little walk around to explore a bit. There were some open fields, some hunting trails with tree stands, and some remains of old structure foundations, chimneys, and farm equipment. Nothing super exciting but a nice way to walk the dog anyway.

      Once it was time to turn in for the night, that's when the cool part happened. I've camped many times at multiple state parks, huge remote state forests, but I've never heard so much wildlife there as I did here. Only shortly after we settled into our tent did we hear foxes fighting right outside our tent, the snorts of deer, and there were bats right above us all night making noise! I guess if you don't like that kind of stuff you should avoid an area like this, but for some of us, this is what camping is all about. It was just so awesome to hear the sounds of wildlife all around you, and it's not something that's too easy to experience at a lot of NJ campgrounds, usually because the places aren't remote enough or campers are too rowdy. This place really delivers when it comes to spending some time in nature.

      After a nice relaxing night out in the woods we packed up early in the morning (it was planned to rain the entire day) and headed out to the Cracker Barrel in Clinton to get a hot breakfast before heading home. Every moment was well worth it and the trip was just so rejuvenating despite how short it was. I will definitely be back next season.

      Pros:

      • Picnic tables and fire rings at each site. Fire ring had a grate for cooking.

      • Nice flat area for your tent. Our site was fully private (could not see or hear neighbors).

      • Beautifully secluded and quiet. Pretty rare for campgrounds in NJ.

      • Drive right up to your spot for your convenience. The drive up to the campsite was literally jaw-dropping the whole way up into the mountains. You pass through beautiful, quaint little towns and go over aged bridges, along mountain streams and though open valleys. The entire area is just gorgeous, open country.

      • Campsites are either in thick, wooded areas, or in open fields.

      • Dog friendly!

      • A playground for kids.

      • Porta-potties were super clean and...actually smelled good??? Maybe they were just cleaned or they are just really well cared for. Either way, it was unusual for a campsite.

      • Close to the Delaware River, Spruce Run Reservoir, and Round Valley Reservoir.

      • Wildlife everywhere!

      • The free-range chickens by the office are a warm welcome. 

      • Our site was on a hill and most likely not in a flood area.

      • Strict rules so that nature lovers can enjoy the outdoors without worrying about noisy neighbors or trash everywhere. Not a place you go to if you want to throw a rowdy party and just generally be a nuisance.

      Cons:

      • Occasional, very minor traffic noise (mainly just from loud sports cars on the highway)
      • The ground is moderately rocky, so there may be some slight troubles getting tent stakes in the ground.
      • They do not allow you to gather your own firewood, but they do sell it in their camp store.

      Points of interest nearby:

      • Spruce Run Reservoir and Round Valley Reservoir are nearby for all your fishing, boating, hiking, and swimming (even scuba diving) needs.

      • If you're looking for a scenic drive that makes you forget that you're in NJ, head on over to the Alpha Grasslands Preserve in Alpha, NJ.

      • The Delaware River is nearby with some great fishing spots.

      • Just past the Delaware River through Milford NJ, into PA, is a park called Ringing Rocks County Park. Some waterfalls to see and hiking to do. If you strike certain rocks with a metal hammer they ring, hence the name of the park!

    • David R.
      Jul. 20, 2021

      Turkey Swamp Park

      Quiet Woodland Campground

      Turkey Swamp Park is a great find! Heavily wooded and supremely quiet, it’s located not far from anywhere you’d want to be. 30 minutes to the shore. Every site is a pull-through, large and spacious with great woodland views. 30amp and water. Dump station.

      The park has miles of shady forested trails for hiking and dog walking. there’s a large lake here too, for water based recreational activities.

      The bathrooms, showers, and laundry are co-located in a centrally situated structure. Everything inside is clean and well-maintained.

      We’ve got good cell signal with Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. (We use all three.) Good OTA television signal also.

      We spent three days here in July 2021.

    • Benjamin K.
      Jul. 18, 2016

      Brendan Byrne State Forest

      My fav!

      I grew up at this camp ground. Spent every summer here. Some of my favorite things about this place are 1) it's far away from traffic noise. You can't here any cars or any other noise from civilization at all. It's at least 10 miles away from anything more than a single house in the woods. 5 miles away from the main road. It just makes for better camping. 2) it's in the great NJ pine barrens. This place is fantastic! The smells, the sounds, the wildlife. Love it. 3) the walking trails! There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Can't tell you how much I love it. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails and never leave this state park. 4) clean bathrooms to take a shower after your adventures. Well...pretty clean by camping standards. 😉 Hot showers are there. Everything you need.

    • G
      Jun. 30, 2018

      Turkey Swamp Park

      Nice wooded sites, fishing lake & trails

      Water is more than 40 feet away from your parking so 25' hose if not enough.

      If you have GFIC in your RV, ask for a non-GFIC site, or it will trip on you.

      Public use available for picnics near lake.

      Last week of June was not busy. Many open sites.

    Guide to Pemberton

    The Pine Barrens region near Pemberton, New Jersey sits on the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system, which holds 17 trillion gallons of water. This sandy soil creates unique camping conditions with quick-draining ground that stays relatively dry even after rain. Camping elevations in the area range from 80-200 feet above sea level, with mild temperatures averaging 75-85°F during summer months.

    What to do

    Explore hiking trails: Brendan Byrne State Forest offers extensive trail networks through diverse pine forest ecosystems. "There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Can't tell you how much I love it. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails and never leave this state park," notes Benjamin K. in his review of Brendan Byrne State Forest.

    Archery practice: Turkey Swamp Park maintains a dedicated archery range with hay bale targets. Patrick M. recommends "Bring your bow and shoot at the hay barrels" at Turkey Swamp Park, which offers this activity year-round along with other outdoor recreation.

    Fishing opportunities: Several parks offer accessible fishing in stocked lakes. According to Katheryn N., Turkey Swamp Park has a "pretty lake with good fishing and they sell bait at the Ranger office." The lakes typically support bass, sunfish, and catfish species with seasonal fishing regulations.

    Winter activities: For cold weather camping, Allaire State Park remains open year-round. "We found this campground one night when we were in NJ. It ended up snowing that night. The bathrooms were clean and warm," shares Lisa S. about her winter camping experience at Allaire State Park.

    What campers like

    Wildlife viewing: Camping in this region offers abundant wildlife observation opportunities. "It's far away from traffic noise. You can't hear any cars or any other noise from civilization at all. It's at least 10 miles away from anything more than a single house in the woods. 5 miles away from the main road," writes Benjamin K. about Brendan Byrne State Forest, highlighting the natural setting.

    Clean facilities: Reviews consistently mention well-maintained bathhouses across most campgrounds. Dan M. notes that at Brendan Byrne, "Showers and bathrooms are ok, kept pretty clean. Lots of good hiking trails, most the sites have pretty decent privacy from the other ones."

    Private camping spots: Mountainview Campground offers secluded sites for those seeking privacy. Christina H. describes her experience: "Our site was fully private (could not see or hear neighbors). Beautifully secluded and quiet. Pretty rare for campgrounds in NJ." The woodsy Mountainview Campground sites range from thick forest to open meadow settings.

    Equestrian-friendly sites: Several horse campgrounds near Pemberton, New Jersey accommodate equine visitors with spacious pull-through spots. These specialized sites typically include extra room for trailers and staging areas for saddling horses.

    What you should know

    Ticks and insects: The Pine Barrens ecosystem has active tick populations. Laura Y. warns about Turkey Swamp Park: "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." Permethrin-treated clothing and regular tick checks are essential.

    Road noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience highway sounds. Justin S. mentions Allaire State Park is "Noisy with highway traffic. Well maintained though." Consider site selection carefully if seeking quiet.

    Campfire regulations: Fire restrictions vary by campground and season. Dorian P. notes at Brendan Byrne State Forest: "Only weird rule I saw was that fires can only go from 6pm till 7am which was odd but wasn't a deal breaker."

    Water supply access: Water spigots can be inconsistently maintained. "Spacious campsite, although the closest water spigot wasn't working. Not a big problem as there are plenty of others," Megan S. reports about her June camping experience at Brendan Byrne State Forest.

    Tips for camping with families

    Playground options: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. Sarah notes about Mountainview Campground: "This is a smallish campground with many seasonal spots and some rental spots. Our spot was #27 and pretty spacious." The site includes a playground area suitable for younger visitors.

    Bug management: The Pine Barrens ecosystem has varying insect activity by season. Jaewook P. shares a positive experience: "We went camping with our 2- and 3-year-old kids. We were worried about bugs, but we didn't even use mosquito repellent and didn't get a single bite!" Insect activity varies significantly by season and weather conditions.

    Tent limits: Be aware of tent quantity restrictions. Jesse G. notes from experience at Brendan Byrne: "If using an RV in a tent site you are not allowed to add another tent to the site. There is a two tent limit per site despite the site allowing up to 6 people."

    Horse-friendly family camping: The equestrian camping areas near Pemberton accommodate families with horses, offering unique multigenerational experiences. Several locations provide both standard and horse-specific sites with appropriate amenities.

    Tips from RVers

    Electric hookups: Many campgrounds offer basic electrical service. Dan W. shares about Turkey Swamp Park: "Campsites are roomy with electric and water hookups. They don't have primitive campsites so your stuck paying the higher rate even though you don't need the hookups."

    Road conditions: Dirt access roads can be challenging after rain. According to Lee D., "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."

    Pull-through sites: Several campgrounds near Pemberton offer convenient pull-through sites for larger rigs. Sarah from Mountainview Campground notes: "The power station was well intact with 15/20, 30, and 50amp. Overall it was a nice stay and served our purpose."

    Water hose requirements: Some sites require longer-than-standard water hoses. Shawn advises RVers to "Bring a LONG water hose" for Turkey Swamp Park, as connections may be positioned far from optimal RV parking locations.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Pemberton, NJ?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Pemberton, NJ is Brendan Byrne State Forest with a 4.7-star rating from 18 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Pemberton, NJ?

    TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Pemberton, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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