Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Toms River, NJ

Butterfly Camping Resort accommodates pets at their tent, RV and cabin sites near Toms River. Most pet-friendly campgrounds in the area provide standard amenities including drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings and clean restroom facilities alongside pet-specific considerations. Tip Tam Camping Resort welcomes dogs with spacious sites that feature full hookups for RV campers, while Turkey Swamp Park and Indian Rock RV Resort also maintain pet-friendly policies. Sites are generally well-maintained with adequate space between neighboring campers. Most campgrounds enforce standard leash requirements and request that pet waste be properly disposed of in designated receptacles. The sites typically have dirt or sandy surfaces, which can be messy after rain.

Nearby Brendan Byrne State Forest offers pet-friendly hiking trails with natural terrain for dogs to explore. Camping with pets requires preparation for variable weather conditions, as summer temperatures can reach uncomfortable levels for animals left at campsites. The Jackson area provides convenient access to pet supply stores and veterinary services within reasonable driving distance. Several campgrounds feature seasonal activities that accommodate pets, though pools and certain recreation areas remain pet-restricted. Most campgrounds enforce quiet hours between 10pm-8am, though enforcement varies between properties. Campers report sites are generally clean, though sand can be difficult to manage with pets. Accessibility to both Six Flags Great Adventure and Jersey Shore beaches makes these pet-friendly campgrounds practical base locations for exploring the region with dogs.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Toms River, New Jersey (48)

    1. Turkey Swamp Park

    28 Reviews
    Freehold, NJ
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 462-7286

    $42 - $79 / night

    "   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"

    2. Allaire State Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    18 Reviews
    Allenwood, NJ
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 938-2371

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

    "My wife said she seen feds or some type of authority there with hound dogs when she was driving by one day when they closed it."

    3. Butterfly Camping Resort

    10 Reviews
    Toms River, NJ
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 928-2107

    $64 - $78 / night

    "My husband and I came to this campground for a quick weekend getaway with our dogs. We had a great time!

    The campground was very well taken care of."

    "Fishing lake is on the smaller side, but people were catching fish. Definitely in our top 5 New Jersey Campgrounds."

    4. Tip Tam Camping Resort

    9 Reviews
    Toms River, NJ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 363-4036

    "Just from walking around I saw the two pools, an RC track, bocci, shuffle and board. They did have organized activities set up as well."

    "It feels like you're camping out in a field with mostly sand around. But having said that, I'd still recommend it for all of the positive they do have."

    5. Brendan Byrne State Forest

    18 Reviews
    Chatsworth, NJ
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (609) 726-1191

    $3 - $60 / night

    "Allows dogs after a deposit. Must purchase their firewood. Good bathrooms/showers. Great location for hitting the 4x4 trails."

    "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"

    6. Timberland Lake Campground

    12 Reviews
    Cream Ridge, NJ
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 928-0500

    "They do their own haunted walk through that is just awesome! Everyone decorates. They have a dj every Saturday! Plenty of activities for the kids. They have cool raffles!"

    "As a kid - close to 6 flags where we had season passes... it was Jellystone yogi bear at the time.

    Very close to 6 flags great adventure."

    7. Pine Cone Resort

    7 Reviews
    Freehold, NJ
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 462-2230

    "No hiking trails. No pond or lake for fishing.

    $50 per night"

    8. Indian Rock RV Resort and Campground

    3 Reviews
    Cream Ridge, NJ
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (732) 928-0034

    $78 - $98 / night

    "We had a bad luck of the draw being next to a very loud, inebriated family with unruly dogs but luckily they only were there the one night."

    "Unfortunately, the bathhouse near our site had no hot water, but they were working on it, so I’m sure it won’t be for long. Well stocked store. It was our very first camping day."

    9. Adventure Bound Camping (Tall Pines)

    3 Reviews
    Roosevelt, NJ
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (856) 451-7479

    "My wife and I, residing near the Commodore Barry, sought a brief respite. Our thirteen-year-old son was unable to join us, so we proceeded without him."

    10. Baker's Acres Campground

    15 Reviews
    Eagleswood, NJ
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (609) 296-2664

    $43 / night

    "We stayed at Baker’s Acres Campground in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, for a weekend in mid-August. So did the rains of Hurricane Henri! "

    "We scored a site next to the playground that features a huge monkey bar set up, a ship, and a playhouse complete with kitchen. Not to mention swings and bouncers too."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Toms River, NJ

381 Reviews of 48 Toms River Campgrounds


  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 22, 2021

    Baker's Acres Campground

    Rustic and Classic Campground

    We stayed at Baker’s Acres Campground in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, for a weekend in mid-August. So did the rains of Hurricane Henri! 

    Our site(#Zoo-1) was a level back-in with 50-amp electric, water, sewer, and cable. It was easy to pull in and accommodates larger rigs. The hook-ups were all well-maintained and worked fine. We had plenty of room to fit our car too. The site included a picnic table and fire ring. My favorite thing about this campground is that most of the sites have plenty of trees and shrubs for semi-privacy, shade, and a rustic feel. 

    This campground has been family run for over 50-years and has an interesting history that’s worth reading more about. Our site is located across from the pickle ball court which used to be a petting zoo(now the site# should make sense, right?). We came because we wanted to experience one of New Jersey’s oldest campgrounds. We liked the interesting vignettes they created around the campground as well as the goldfish pond near the office and store. 

    Baker’s Acres is well-maintained. The amenities include a swimming pool, lots of sports courts/fields, and a bunch of family-friendly scheduled activities. There is a camp store with all the usual items as well as bath and laundry facilities. The wifi service was ok, but costs$1 per day per device. Our Verizon cell service worked fine. 

    The front office staff were all friendly and we love that, especially when checking in at a new campground. 

    Drive time to Tuckerton Seaport is about 10-minutes and Long Beach Island is about 35-minutes depending on traffic. There are plenty of stores within a 5-mile drive if you should need anything including Walmart, super markets, convenience stores, and several restaurants. 

    Our only minor negative was that our site was sandy dirt which created a bit of a mess, especially after the rain. It is the Jersey shore, after all. This would have been 5 stars if the site had gravel, grass, or was finished with concrete. It’s a pet peeve, but I hate having to constantly clean up to keep the sand out of our RV. 

    This is a great old-fashioned campground close to LBI. We’ll can’t wait to go back!

  • Steve W.
    May. 31, 2022

    Atsion Family Camp — Wharton State Forest

    4x4ing in the Pine Barrens

    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. The facility is run by the Dept of Environmental Protection and offers Tent, Trailer and Group Sites. There are also Cabins for rent as well, but only available during the summer months, After Memorial Day until October. AFC is one of several campgrounds in WSF and is the largest with 50 camping sites. Amenities include a handicapped accessible restroom/shower building, several drinking water spigots, and a waste dump for trailers. There are no electric hook ups and cell service is low, but manageable. Plenty of sun (shady too) so bring your solar powered generators and cell signal boosters if you need to stay connected. AFC is also pet friendly, so bring your 4 legged furry family members, after registering them with the camp site.

    The individual sites are spacious with a pic-nick table and fire ring grill. Some sites have lake-side water access, so bring your canoes and kayaks and reserve these sites (4, 8, 10, 12, 20 and 22) early as they are popular. The ground is sandy and relatively level for easy camp set up. Some sites are close to a roadway, so you do get some car noise, and like all unmonitored camp sites, loud, unruly campers can be lurking among the pines. Be sure to get your fire wood from the guy that lives across the street from the campground entrance. 5 bucks, on the honor system, a good amount of wood, open 24/7.

    Nearby is the Atsion Recreation Area, which offers fishing, walking, biking and horseback trails, a life guard monitored beach by the lake with restrooms and snacks (Summer Months). Only 15 minutes away, a quick drive, is Batso Village, an old iron and glass community from the late 1700s to early 1900s. NJ State Park Rangers are working hard keeping the area clean, rehabilitated, and educational center allowing you to walk through the old buildings and time as you image what life was like back then. Wharton SF is huge, over 122,000 acres of sandy terrain, towering pine trees, lakes/rivers and off roading trails!! Y’all should come and play in the Pine Barrens

  • D
    May. 5, 2024

    Tip Tam Camping Resort

    Nice place to visit

    My family and I stayed at Tip Tam this weekend. The owners and staff were very friendly and accommodating. The camp store was great also. As it is very early in the season the pools were not yet open but appear to be very nice. There are alot of activities with in the campground as well that were impressive. Just from walking around I saw the two pools, an RC track, bocci, shuffle and board. They did have organized activities set up as well. There is also a pavillion in the middile of the campground with a Ms Pacman/Galaga classic arcard game, as well as a small library and soda machine. AT&T cell service was good. Te site are very close together, and you can hear your neighbors easily. There is not currently a dog park, but the owner told me that they were going to be constructing one in the future. There is a Monmouth County dog park under five minutes away that is huge. There are many close by food options and stores as well.

  • Kimmy F.
    Aug. 11, 2021

    Baker's Acres Campground

    Relaxing week near the island

    Bakers acres was beautiful. It’s set back in the woods and peaceful and quiet but still has all the amenities to keep my gremlins entertained. We scored a site next to the playground that features a huge monkey bar set up, a ship, and a playhouse complete with kitchen. Not to mention swings and bouncers too. The pool was a lot of fun and kept my little fish busy all day. The staff are all welcoming and helpful. We felt right at home and enjoyed taking the dogs to the new dog park to let out some energy. My favorite part by far was the early morning walks with my coffee through the dirt trails of the campground. We got to enjoy a day at LBI and a night out on the OC boardwalk too since this campground is so convenient to all the area has to offer.

  • Caitlin F.
    Jul. 11, 2021

    Butterfly Camping Resort

    Great for families!

    My husband and I came to this campground for a quick weekend getaway with our dogs. We had a great time!

    The campground was very well taken care of. The sites had good tree coverage and we didn’t feel like we were right on top of the next site. There was tons of stuff to do. There’s a pond to fish, trails to walk/bike, basketball, sand volleyball, the list goes on and on. Both nights we were there, there were events being put on (a tractor ride, kickball, and a pool movie night). There was also a dog park which was very nice!

    The staff was extremely kind and helpful and took great care of us!

    Overall I highly recommend this campground, very family friendly. We’ll be going back!

  • Jen W.
    Jun. 16, 2021

    Butterfly Camping Resort

    Will be back!

    This was our first trip to Butterfly and we will be back! Large playground and lots of activities for the kids. Site was large, and had trees and shrubs separating the sites (we had stayed on 105A). Friendly staff and clean bathrooms. Fishing lake is on the smaller side, but people were catching fish. Definitely in our top 5 New Jersey Campgrounds.

  • James R.
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Lower Forge Camp

    Great getaway from the everyday rat race

    Looking for a place to escape without having to drive out of your way to get to? Lower forge is the place. One if the few places in New Jersey you have to backpack into with access from either (Atsion 5+ miles in) or Batsto (7 miles) located right on the Basto River you’re even able to boat in. It’s one of my personal favorites to disappear for a weekend and great for beginners who you’re trying to break into backpacking. Located right off the Batona trail your bound for adventure.

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 7, 2021

    Holly Acres RV Park

    This is a nice campground with plenty to do nearby.

    5 Stars / Labor Day Weekend 

    We stayed at Holly Acres Campground in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, for Labor Day weekend. We’re so glad we did! 

    Our site(#A28) was a level pull-thru with 50-amp electric, water, sewer, wifi, and cable. It was roomy, shady, and easy to pull in and out. The hook-ups were all well-maintained and worked fine. We had plenty of room to fit our car too. The site included a picnic table and fire ring. 

    The gated campground was clean and well-maintained. The swimming pool was inviting. The store was a bit small and date, but stocked with basic essentials like supplies, fire wood, and snacks. Most of the neighboring RVs were nice and in good shape. The park has bath facilities, a dump station on the way out, and a fishing pond. 

    This park is just a few minutes from the Garden State Parkway and close to Atlantic City, Brigantine, Historic Smithville, and Absecon— all within 30-minutes drive-time. You can visit casinos, the Absecon Lighthouse, and several beach towns without going far. 

    For Labor Day weekend, the staff walked around Jezel, a friendly horse, and hosted a BBQ in their pavilion. 

    This is a nice campground with plenty to do nearby. We can’t wait to go back!

  • Amber A.
    Jul. 31, 2016

    Camp Gateway- Brooklyn NY - CLOSED — Gateway National Recreation Area

    Ok if you don’t have another choice

    The park itself is lovely and close to some other green areas. The nice thing about this campsite is that it’s so close to NYC. The bad thing about this campsite is that it’s so close to NYC. If you live in NYC this is a good, cheap, super quick escape accessible by public transport. If you’re visiting the area I’d recommend staying in Manhattan/Queens in an AirBNB for the full NYC experience or heading to Long Island, Pennsylvania, “Upstate” New York, or New Jersey for a better nature camping experience. For what it is, this site is a nice green little oasis. It’s National Park Service land and they try really hard to keep things clean and working well with so much traffic. Bring earplus for the airport traffic and the noisy neighbors. Tent sites are pretty and wooded, but there is also a TON of concrete from an old WW2 airfield.


Guide to Toms River

Turkey Swamp Park provides 64 campsites set on dirt roads across five camping loops, with a central bathhouse in D Loop. Campsites feature dirt pads with pull-through driveways, spaced for privacy with lantern hooks, picnic tables, and fire rings. Summer temperatures in the Toms River area can reach uncomfortable levels, while spring and fall bring cooler nights with daytime temperatures ranging from 60-80°F. The campground's sand and dirt surfaces become muddy after rain, requiring appropriate footwear regardless of season.

What to do

Water activities: Turkey Swamp Park features a lake with kayaking, canoeing, and fishing opportunities. "There is a lake with a boat dock and a small boardwalk. Kayaking/Canoeing, fishing, and swimming. In the summer, canoe, kayak, paddle boats, and row boats are available for rental," reports Lee D.

Winter recreation: Some campgrounds offer year-round access with seasonal activities. "Bring your bow and shoot at the hay barrels. Ice skate on the lake in the winter or just enjoy a gorgeous walk in the woods," notes Patrick M. about Turkey Swamp Park.

Beach proximity: Campsites provide practical bases for exploring Jersey Shore beaches. "The trip into LBI was an easy one. We borrowed beach tags from the camp store for a fee and headed to the Brant Beach section of LBI," shares Becca U. from Baker's Acres Campground.

Hiking trails: Brendan Byrne State Forest offers multiple trail systems for different skill levels. "There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails and never leave this state park," notes Benjamin K.

What campers like

Wooded privacy: Many sites feature natural vegetation barriers for privacy. "Each site has a fire pit, picnic table and garbage can," notes Jean T. about Turkey Swamp Park, adding that "sites are level and well maintained" with pull-through accessibility.

Clean facilities: Butterfly Camping Resort maintains their bathhouses regularly. Matt S. notes, "The swimming pool was large and the water crystal clear. The store was stocked with typical essentials like supplies, fire wood, and snacks."

Lake activities: Several campgrounds feature fishing ponds or lakes. "They do sell bait at the Ranger office. There are lots of trails and the packed dirt roads are nice for bike riding," reports Katheryn N. about Turkey Swamp Park.

Family-friendly atmosphere: Tip Tam Camping Resort emphasizes activities for children. "The place was fun.. they have peddle cars and playgrounds. They deliver wood to your site by the truck full! Nice little store and staff are all friendly," notes Jenn M.

What you should know

Site surfaces: Most campgrounds have sandy or dirt surfaces. "The sites were good sized, but the place is a little run down and could defiantly use some work," notes Christine A. about Pine Cone Resort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Toms River, NJ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Toms River, NJ is Turkey Swamp Park with a 4.4-star rating from 28 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Toms River, NJ?

TheDyrt.com has all 48 dog-friendly camping locations near Toms River, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.