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Wharton State Forest offers diverse camping opportunities within 20 miles of Clementon, New Jersey, with Atsion Family Camp and Goshen Pond providing tent sites and cabin accommodations. The surrounding region includes Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA and Old Cedar Campground, featuring full hookups for RVs, cabin rentals, and primitive tent camping areas. The Pine Barrens ecosystem dominates the landscape, creating a unique environment for both developed campgrounds and more rustic camping experiences within a short drive of Philadelphia.
Camping in the Clementon area operates primarily from April through October, though several sites like Atsion Family Camp remain open year-round. Wharton State Forest campgrounds typically require reservations, especially during summer weekends when water recreation draws crowds. The sandy terrain of the Pine Barrens affects campsite conditions, with many locations featuring unpaved roads and natural surfaces. Limited cellular coverage exists throughout much of the forested areas, particularly at more remote camping areas like Goshen Pond. As one camper noted, "This is a great location, short ride to Atsion lake. If you find yourself needing supplies, there's a walmart and other stores only 15-20 mins away."
Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors to the Clementon area, with Goshen Pond and Atsion Recreation Area offering popular water-adjacent sites. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, campers appreciate the balance of natural surroundings and proximity to urban amenities: "This campground was mostly empty while we were there in August. Our site was very quiet, but a lot of the sites are close together without any barriers." Many tent and RV sites throughout the region provide fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary widely between state forest campgrounds and private facilities. The contrast between primitive camping in Wharton State Forest and full-service private campgrounds allows visitors to choose their preferred camping style, from secluded forest settings to family-friendly campgrounds with swimming pools, playgrounds, and organized activities.
"Atsion Family Campground Off US 206 and about 1/2 a mile up Atsion Road in New Jersey’s Wharton State Forest, you’ll find the Atsion Family Campground."
"It was a great location, closest site to the water with beautiful views. Super convenient if you're a Kayaker, you can launch right off that spot. Its a huge site, away from other sites."
"We did Chinatown and walked part of the Schuylkill River trail which we accessed by parking near Fairmount Park."
"In addition to the peaceful vibe, the people are friendly, the little office store has everything you forgot to pack, and if you look around the campground edges or follow the walking trail into the woods"
"The park was easy to find and located a short distance from the highway. We were met at the entry gate with a personalized folder containing lots of helpful information for our stay."
"We love the lake side campsites."
"Quiet Getaway Weekend
We went to Old Cedar Campground in Monroeville, New Jersey, for a quiet getaway weekend. This is a small and basic campground, not a resort. No fancy amenities."
"Not close off the highway, but wooden sites. Seems as though people spend their summers there. Pool was beautiful and looked new. Mini golf was decrepit and looked abandoned. Store was nice."
from $31 - $50 / night
Check Availability"It's only a one minute walk from the parking area to the site. Our site was right next to the Mullica River, and had excellent views if you walked just a couple steps from the tent."
"Great sites, great trails, lots of hiking and off road trails for dirt bike/atv/ trucks. Pretty good boating/ fishing. Just gotta check often for chiggers and ticks."
"I grew up near the pine barrens and would camp here many times with friends. If you want off the beaten path and not close to anyone... this is IT! You might even see the Jersey Devil :)"
"Best part about the campground is that it's right on the 50 mile Batona Trail so it's a great stop-over assuming you've made reservations. No first-come first-serve."
"There are grocery stores close by like Walmart about 20 minutes away. The beach is nice and clean. We rented canoes near the beach."
"Outside, to the back of the cabin, was a small deck with picnic table, a grill, and a fire ring. Beyond that you will find a path to the lake with beautiful swans."
from $20 - $65 / night
Check Availability"Lake with swing and fishing and two pools. No pets no alcohol no store but they have a snack stand. Make sure to get an end campsite or your table will be by the sanitary dump."
"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"
"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!"
from $3 - $60 / night
Check Availability"They have many amenities form a lake to swim or fish, to playgrounds,theres a convenient store and even an arcade, and the best part is all the farms around."
from $50 - $150 / night
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TravelerMany long term seasonal sites. Good community. Large shower house good and clean . Pool. Game room. Off leash dog park. Wooded/shady sites or no shade sunny sites. Lots of area to walk or play. Large field, basketball couture, frisky golf, play area and laundry room. We were here all summer (June-october). Lots to do in the area. Good food nearby. Ocean city 10 minutes away.
ScoutThis is one of the largest, if not the largest, campgrounds in Southern New Jersey. While on the pricier side, everything is top-notch. The roads are all paved, and not gravel (I hate trying to sleep and listening to the sound of stones grating together). The sites are more spacious than most campgrounds, so it doesn't seem so crowded. The bathrooms are all modern and spotless. There are numerous bathrooms which means most sites have one nearby. They do charge a quarter for showers to encourage water conservation and donate the money to conservation causes. The pool is large, as is the lake. Both are well-maintained. The camp store is enormous and is really nice and well-stocked with everything one might need from food to pool and beach stuff to camping supplies and equipment. There is a nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. The camp store has a lending library of books and DVDs. There are numerous activities that appear to be well-run, The grounds are shaded with many trees for a great wooded campground feel. The campground is so large that it has an internal shuttle with stations scattered about to help people go between the various important sites such as at the pool, the lake and the store. I found other campers, particularly the seasonals, to be more friendly than other campgrounds at the shore. This requires constant tree care including removing dead trees and branches which they do regularly. The staff is friendly and well-trained. I was in a tent, and when a rare October nor'easter came through, I was offered the opportunity to use a cabin free-of-charge. Fortunately my tent and equipment made it through days of rain and high winds just fine . On my first stay in May, I had to run my dog back to Baltimore towards the end of my trip where he was sadly diagnosed with incurable metastatic cancer. When I returned, I was late and unable to check out by 11, but they allowed me to take as much time as needed to clear the site, as nobody was staying there the next day, which was deeply appreciated - I was an emotional wreck. Oh, and I found the complimentary Wi-Fi to be a great service, and sufficiently fast to allow me to stream ultra-high-definition movies at my site - Most campgrounds charge extra for less-than-good service - a lot more. I find that a big bonus. Overall, I LOVE this campground and highly recommend it.
GuideThis campground is part of the Wharton State Forest and has several campgrounds in the area. Great wooded sites right on a lake. Pretty good separation between sites with good tree separation between sites. Some road noise not overly affecting site.
ScoutRestrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
RangerWe stayed just a couple nights here on our way north. The camp host was helpful before our stay and during check-in. Our site was pretty isolated from the others, so it was very quiet (no complaints here). There is a decent mix of sunny sites by the river and shady sites under the trees. The weather was perfect mid September. There wasn't anything spectacular for me, but it was a good experience and it was a nice taste of fall PA scenery. Beware that the roads are tight for a big rig. Side note, it did seem like most campers lived there.
ScoutMy check in was for 8-6-2026, and bc I’m a new driver and wanted to beat traffic I got there early (7am) so I sit there waiting till check in time. When suddenly the park police show up. He’s accusing me of camping over night there. I told him simply I wasn’t and where I was night prior (would never sleep somewhere without permission). So we go to the store to kill time before we check in. Come back for Check in and the whole staff in just the office alone were so arrogant and cold to my mom and I, leaving rude comments to us and not only where they like that but the staff outside the office was acting like that alongside the rangers and park police. They would watch us the whole visit in the distance parking there cars a little ways watching everything we did,even driving by slowly a bunch of times in just an hour alone. My mom and I couldn’t do anything with out them showing up 2 mins later. Example we were walking our dog enjoying our time(trying to) and all of a sudden one of the office ladies pulls up right in front of us speeding, parks their car, gets out and walks a distance from us standing there and taking pictures of us…. For walking our dog who’s on a leash and didn’t even do anything. The whole trip we felt uncomfortable and unwanted and to find out they police when we were going on walks where coming up to campers near us bribing them with free firewood to get any information on use (told to us by other camper). I paid a lot of money to be harassed and followed the whole time. We never did anything we abide by every rule and keep to ourselves everywhere we go. They even made my mother cry…
GuideBeautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
ScoutAs far as experience it was good. The main issue was the campsite where we were was uneven and caused many of the sleeping arrangements that we had to be not level. This seems to be a specific issue to the group campsite number two as when we went inwards it seemed like everything else was much better.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
The Pine Barrens terrain near Clementon creates specific challenges for campers, with sandy soil affecting site conditions and equipment selection. Most campgrounds in this region close in late October, though some tent sites in Wharton State Forest remain accessible year-round. Cell service varies widely across campsites, with reception strongest at private campgrounds closer to Williamstown and weakest in remote forest locations.
Fishing opportunities: At Hospitality Creek Campground, visitors can fish directly from waterfront sites. One camper mentioned, "Nice waterfront sites, level, and the hookups worked." The lake allows personal kayaks, and rentals are available for paddleboats to access more fishing spots.
Hiking the Batona Trail: The 53-mile Batona Trail runs through several Pine Barrens campgrounds, offering flat terrain ideal for beginners. A camper at Batona Campground noted, "Each campsite includes a fire pit with a grate (no picnic tables). There are two outhouses and one water source within the campground."
Swimming options: Multiple swimming locations exist within 15 miles of Clementon. Hospitality Creek features two pools and a swimming lake, while Lake Kandle offers "Lake with swing and fishing and two pools." During summer weekends, swimming areas fill quickly, especially at state park beaches.
Primitive camping experience: Goshen Pond Campground offers walk-in tent sites near water. A visitor explained, "This campground (Goshen Pond) was mostly empty while we were there in August. Our site was very quiet, but a lot of the sites are close together without any barriers."
Easy water access: Many campers appreciate sites with direct water access. A reviewer at Atsion Family Camp shared, "LOVE!!!! I always get site #8 and it has an amazing view of the lake. While camping at atsion family campground, you have free access to the recreation center (the beach and some trails)."
Farm proximity: Several campgrounds sit near local farms with seasonal picking. At Four Seasons Family Campground, a visitor noted, "They have many amenities from a lake to swim or fish, to playgrounds, there's a convenient store and even an arcade, and the best part is all the farms around. You can go apple picking and such at all the beautiful orchards that surround the campgrounds."
Tick and insect concerns: The Pine Barrens ecosystem requires vigilant tick checking. A camper at Brendan Byrne State Forest warned, "Ticks were very active on this visit be sure to remember your bug spray and tuck your pants in your socks!" Another visitor at Goshen Pond mentioned, "Great sites, great trails, lots of hiking and off road trails for dirt bike/atv/ trucks. Just gotta check often for chiggers and ticks."
Sandy roads: Many campground access roads consist of loose sand. One visitor observed, "The road into the campground is about 1 mile of loose sand. It can be accessed by a standard vehicle." Standard passenger vehicles can navigate these roads when driven slowly.
Bathroom facilities vary widely: State forest campgrounds often have basic facilities. A camper at Batona noted, "Bathrooms are very basic. Fresh water pump is located at entrance to campground," while private campgrounds typically offer full shower facilities.
Playground access: Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA offers extensive children's activities. A visitor mentioned, "This campground was so well maintained. There was so much to do there a pool, lake, horseshoes, cornhole, playground, big pillow and even more. They offer so many activities during the day and text you so you don't forget."
Swimming safety: Most swimming areas have designated hours with lifeguards. At Hospitality Creek, "The pools are nice and have on-duty lifeguards all day," making it safer for families with young children.
Water depth considerations: Lakes in the Pine Barrens region have tea-colored water with limited visibility. Parvin State Park features graduated swimming areas marked by ropes, with a camper noting, "Great for families with tree covered lake access, plus playground."
Site size limitations: Many of the best places to camp near Clementon, New Jersey have restrictions for larger rigs. An RVer at Old Cedar Campground shared, "Stayed for 10 days. A bit pricey for what ya get, in my opinion. Many spots had trees but we couldn't get one as they stated our rig would not fit."
Hookup locations: Water hookups at some campgrounds require planning. A camper noted, "The water hookups are shared every other site (at least in the Fence Loop). I was lucky my 75' hose barely reached the distance needed. Be sure to bring extra hoses."
Dump station access: Several campgrounds have seasonal dump station availability. At Parvin State Park, a visitor advised, "The dump station is sometimes secured has a combination lock. Ask for the combination during check-in."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Clementon, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Clementon, NJ is Atsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest with a 4.2-star rating from 26 reviews.
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