Best Dispersed Camping near Sussex, NJ
Several dispersed camping areas surround Sussex, New Jersey, with most requiring hiking or walking to access primitive sites. Hemlock Ridge MUA offers free camping in a quiet wooded area where campers must set up at least 150 feet from the trail. The small parking lot accommodates only 4-5 vehicles, and the area provides no amenities, water sources, or reliable cell service. Fires and pets are permitted at this location.
Hickok Brook in New York features lakeside sites with difficult access. The road contains large potholes requiring high-clearance vehicles, though camping itself requires walking in. A camping permit is needed for New York state land, available from the county ranger's office. The Appalachian Trail Designated Backpacker Campsite 2 near Columbia, NJ provides free backcountry camping with bear boxes but no water source. According to one visitor, "There's plenty of space. We camped nearer to others but there are secluded spots too." Thunder Swamp Trailhead in Pennsylvania offers a shaded gravel parking lot with access to hiking trails, though a permit is required.