M
Michael M.
Scout
ScoutTurkey Swamp Park
Water/power at the campsite, and and centrally located dump station. Lots of trees and nice separation of sites
Tent Camping near Port Republic, NJ
15 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Several tent camping areas can be found in and around Wharton State Forest near Port Republic, New Jersey. Bodine Field Campground offers tent sites along the Wading River with a rustic, secluded atmosphere. Mullica River Campground provides walk-in tent sites that require either a 5-6 mile hike or boat access to reach. Batona Campground is located in the northern section of the forest and features flat, shaded tent sites beneath pine trees.
The ground at most tent sites is notably soft and sandy, characteristic of the Pine Barrens ecosystem. Campers should be prepared for primitive facilities, as most locations offer only basic amenities. Composting toilets or outhouses are available at most sites, though their condition varies. Drinking water can be found at several campgrounds via water pumps, but availability is not universal. Bodine Field has potable water but reviews indicate it may be of poor quality. Most tent campgrounds in the area operate seasonally from April 1 to October 31, and fires are permitted at designated fire rings.
The Pine Barrens provide a unique tent camping experience with dark, tannin-stained rivers and a distinct ecosystem. Walk-in tent sites at Lower Forge and Mullica River campgrounds offer greater seclusion, accessible only by hiking or paddling. Areas closer to the Batsto or Wading Rivers allow for filtering water despite its naturally brown color from decomposing pine needles. Tent campers should be prepared for ticks, particularly during warmer months. According to one visitor, "The unique ecosystem of the barrens gives campers some advantages: the ground is soft and comfortable to sleep on, and there is plenty of kindling to gather for fires." Weekday camping typically provides a quieter experience, as reviewers noted that weekends can bring larger groups and more noise to these otherwise peaceful tent camping areas.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Port Republic (15)
1. Bodine Field — Wharton State Forest
"You’re right next to the wading river/creek with that amazing cedar water. As well as a quick drive Harrisville Pond which mine as well be a lake."
"Bodine Field is one of several camping locations within Wharton State Forest. I am writing this review over a year after our stay so forgive me if the details are lacking."
2. Red Wing Lakes
"Swimming lake catch and release lake sells wood has bath houses, electric, water and sewer hookups. They always have something going on. And a skeet range http://www.redwinglakes.com/lakes.html"
3. Batona — Wharton State Forest
"Bears frequent this campground so be bear aware and practice proper food storage. "
"The Batona Campground is in the northern area of the Wharton State Forest and is a bit removed from most trails and other campgrounds in the park."
4. Buttonwood Hill — Wharton State Forest
"Great location for Questival, would visit again. Easy access and felt very safe and secluded."
5. Mullica River — Wharton State Forest
"This campground is hike-in or boat-in only, no car access. We camped here for one night on an overnight loop in Wharton State Forest. Wild blueberries abound during summer months!"
"Enjoyed a site away from the crowds. Quiet. Peaceful. Place is huge with many campsites to choose from. Checking in is slow so come early."
6. Hawkins Bridge — Wharton State Forest
"Wharton State Forest has a few campsites available for primitive camping (my preferred choice). This is a review for HAWKINS BRIDGE."
"This is a primitive campsite near the river. There is water but just compost toilets that are bit few for the size campground."
7. Abbot Sawmill
"Close to the main roads but feels remote."
8. Goshen Pond — Wharton State Forest
"I like campgrounds which have you park off and walk in to your site. There is more foot traffic, but you don't hear as many cars coming and going and driving past your site all the time."
"The boyfriend and I stayed for a weekend at one of the primitive tent sites. Our site was private and secluded. We had a great time."
9. Lower Forge Camp
"Looking for a place to escape without having to drive out of your way to get to? Lower forge is the place."
from $5 / night
Check Availability10. Sleepy Hollow Family Campground
Drive Time
- 14 min from Atlantic City, NJ
- 42 min from Vineland, NJ
- 57 min from Philadelphia, PA
- 1 hr 8 min from Trenton, NJ
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Port Republic, NJ
22 Photos of 15 Port Republic Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Port Republic, NJ
490 Reviews of 15 Port Republic Campgrounds
Andrea B.
TravelerColonial Meadows Family Campground
Great park
Many 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.
- J
John Y.ScoutOcean View Resort Campground
One of the best campgrounds I have ever stayed in
This 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.
- bbob J.
GuideAtsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest
Pine Barrens New Jersey
This 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.
- DDiane M.Scout
Brendan Byrne State Forest
Just ok
Restrooms 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.
- AAmanda N.Scout
The Depot Travel Park
Enjoyed my stay
I’ve stayed here multiple times over the past 15 years and I have enjoyed each trip.
Depot Travel Park is a well-maintained family-owned campground. It is also reasonably priced, especially given the location that is within a bicycle ride to the beach, the ocean, and lots of shops and restaurants in Cape May. It is the only campground on the Cape May side of the canal.
Please note that this is not a resort campground and it doesn’t have a pool. There is so much to do in Cape May that is doesn’t need to be a resort.
Since it’s not a resort campground, there are not many golf carts, so most people use their bicycles or cars to get around. That also makes the campground pretty quiet, even during the peak of summer.
The campground sells firewood and propane, but there is no camp store. Again, it doesn’t really need one, since there is a farmers market at the end of the driveway, and a CVS and an ACME supermarket within bicycle riding distance.
If your site doesn’t have a sewer hookup, the dump station is a little awkward to access, but they have a daily honey wagon for a reasonable fee, which is great. If you notify the office the day before you need it and they are usually there in the morning.
They close for the season n October, but they reopen briefly during the Cape May Christmas Parade weekend in December. That’s one thing that I’d like to do soon.
I really like this campground and I am always recommending it to friends.
Adeline M.GuideBrendan Byrne State Forest
Beautiful campground, loud campers
Beautiful 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.
- CCarlos E.Scout
Turkey Swamp Park
Really nice campground
Stayed three nights in a tent and enjoyed it very much. Sites have electrical hookups, shared water connections, large picnic table, and fire ring with adjustable grate. Electrical and water are at the outer edge of each site so you might want an extension cord and/or hose. Bathrooms are clean; showers have separate stalls but they’re clustered together (not the most private). There are hiking and biking trails, a lake, and archery park. Staff are friendly. Office is open through 9pm, and firewood, ice, and bait for fishing are available. Site C3 is in an okay spot; it’s close to the bathroom and laundry room, but also right next to the playground. We were able to visit the beach; easy 25 minute drive to Asbury Park.
Nadine R.GuideAtsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest
Not my vibe
I personally did not like this campsite. First of all, our site tag was leftover from SEPTEMBER. Did no one look at any of these sites and leave someone else’s registration posted there for almost a year? Wild. Our campsite had trash leftover from previous campers. The whole campground was loud - from other campers to just the sounds from the nearby road. If you are looking for peace it is NOT here. If you’re looking to have loud music time all night with no repercussions as your kids ride around yelling and carrying on past midnight then you’ll have a blast. The pros of this campsite was supposed to be the access to Lake Atsion but we were turned away at the gate at 12:30 as they stated they were at capacity. Checking into our campsite they specifically asked if we would be utilizing the recreation area so we would have a pass for entry, but that’s seemingly not in their logistical headcount. I would not visit here again.
Guide to Port Republic
Tent camping near Port Republic, New Jersey offers a distinctive Pine Barrens experience with sandy soil and cedar-stained waterways. The region sits at low elevation (less than 100 feet above sea level) with moderate temperatures ranging from 30°F in winter to 85°F in summer. Camping areas typically require advance reservations during peak months between April and October, with many sites filling completely on summer weekends.
What to do
Kayaking the Wading River: Access points available at Hawkins Bridge Campground with steep but manageable put-ins. "We put in the water the next day and travel 10 miles to Bodine Fields campground... Wading river has a nice flow. It's a dark black river from the tannins. Not much fishing, mostly easy with some trick currents for inexperienced paddlers," notes Thomas M. from Hawkins Bridge — Wharton State Forest.
Skeet shooting: Available at Red Wing Lakes, which also offers fishing options. "Season camped for 2 years there. Swimming lake catch and release lake sells wood has bath houses, electric, water and sewer hookups. They always have something going on. And a skeet range," according to Barry G.
Backpacking the Batona Trail: Access directly from multiple campgrounds with varying difficulty levels. "We stayed at Mullica River camp ground it is a hike or boat in only camp ground has a pump to get water and 2 outhouses (hold your breath) start hike kayak trIp at 206 hike 6 miles in camp then hike kayak out 5 miles to batsto," shares Ragen W.
What campers like
Sandy terrain for sleeping comfort: The Pine Barrens soil creates naturally cushioned tent sites. "Very open basically sandy field with a handful of trees in the middle, group sites available. You're right next to the wading river/creek with that amazing cedar water," reports Dan M. from Bodine Field — Wharton State Forest.
Access to water recreation: Many sites provide direct water access for paddling. "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. Our site was right next to the Mullica River, and had excellent views if you walked just a couple steps from the tent. We were able to put our kayaks in right next to the site which was very convenient," explains Anna D. from Goshen Pond — Wharton State Forest.
Seclusion on weekdays: Most campsites offer more privacy during non-peak times. "During the off season and during the week, it's very peaceful and awesome place to be. During the weekend it's very populated and tends to be pretty noisy," advises Adeline M.
What you should know
Primitive facilities: Most sites have only basic amenities and composting toilets. "The campground is hike-in or boat-in only, no car access. Individual sites are closely packed, which was not a problem as we were the only ones there. Site boundaries are pretty clearly marked, and each has a fire ring," notes Rebecca S. from Lower Forge Camp.
Tick prevention essential: Ticks are abundant throughout warm months. "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," warns Eldad K.
Weekend crowding: Sites that feel spacious on weekdays can become noisy on weekends. "Originally it was very hard to first locate the site, I believe it is on google maps since we went last, the welcome center will also give you coordinates to get there. The turn off is only labeled in one direction so keep an eye on both sides of the signs. The campsites are semi close together," mentions Christian.
Tips for camping with families
Water filtering knowledge: Teach children about natural tannin water coloration. "Batsto River provides plenty of water for filtering--don't be weirded out by the brown color caused by tannins. River access at higher-numbered sites is marshy, water flow and quantity is more substantial downstream from the lower-numbered sites," explains Rebecca S.
Off-season timing: School-aged children may enjoy better experiences during shoulder seasons. "Bodine Field is one of several camping locations within Wharton State Forest. Once we arrived at the site we quickly realized we were some of the only brave souls that chose to be outdoors in early April. It was cold and rainy the entire day and did not get better when the evening arrived. We had a great time despite the cold and the rain," shares Michael M.
Swimming opportunities: Batona Campground provides good access to swimming areas. "It's also a 5 minute drive from Atsion lake, a great place for kayaking and swimming," notes Anna D.
Tips from RVers
Road access challenges: Many campgrounds have narrow, sandy access roads. "The road into the campground is about 1 mile of loose sand. It can be accessed by a standard vehicle. Site are suitable for tents or small campers. The unpaved road into the site is narrow and tree lined. A larger RV would not fit," cautions Meghan G.
Limited hookup availability: Red Wing Lakes offers some of the only sites with electric, water, and sewer connections in the region. Most forest campgrounds like Batona and Bodine Field have no hookups.
Seasonal considerations: Most tent camping near Port Republic closes between October 31 and April 1, with limited options during winter months. "We stayed for one night on an overnight loop in Wharton State Forest. Wild blueberries abound during summer months," notes Rebecca S.
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Port Republic, NJ?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Port Republic, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Port Republic, NJ is Bodine Field — Wharton State Forest with a 3.8-star rating from 8 reviews.
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Port Republic, NJ?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Port Republic, NJ?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Port Republic, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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