Best Campgrounds near Wharton, NJ

The New Jersey Skylands region surrounding Wharton features several established campgrounds within a 30-minute drive, including Mahlon Dickerson Reservation and Stephens State Park. These areas provide a mix of camping experiences from tent-only sites to full-hookup RV accommodations, with some locations offering cabin rentals. Most developed campgrounds in the region are situated near lakes or along the Delaware River, providing water recreation opportunities. The forested terrain creates secluded camping environments despite proximity to urban areas, with many sites nestled within hardwood forests characteristic of northern New Jersey.

Access to campgrounds varies seasonally, with most state park facilities operating from April through October. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation offers paved, mostly level campsites with water and electric hookups, while more primitive options exist at Round Valley Recreation Area. One visitor noted that "Mahlon Dickerson Campground is a perfect place to spend a few nights or a couple of weeks. The campsites are paved and mostly level. They are wooded and large." Many campgrounds require advance reservations, especially during summer weekends when facilities reach capacity quickly. Cell phone coverage can be spotty in more remote areas, particularly in the valleys between ridges. Visitors should be prepared for encounters with wildlife including deer and black bears, with proper food storage being essential at all campgrounds.

Campers consistently highlight the surprising natural beauty found so close to densely populated areas. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides boat-in camping opportunities along the river, with several visitors mentioning the privacy and serenity of these sites. A reviewer described Namanock Island as offering "a feeling I have never experienced anywhere else. The campsites on this island are always very clean, if not pristine." Tent campers should note that some private campgrounds primarily cater to RVs, with tent sites sometimes located in less desirable areas. State park campgrounds generally offer more balanced accommodations for both tent and RV camping, though amenities like showers and flush toilets vary significantly between locations. Proximity to hiking trails, particularly sections of the Appalachian Trail, represents another frequently mentioned advantage of camping in this region.

Best Camping Sites Near Wharton, New Jersey (159)

    1. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation

    18 Reviews
    Jefferson, NJ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 697-3140

    "Located in the Skylands of New Jersey, Mahlon Dickerson Campgound is a perfect place to spend a few nights or a couple of weeks. The campsites are paved and mostly level. They are wooded and large."

    "It's beautiful and quiet, and close to beautiful hiking trails, lakes, and other outdoor recreation opportunities."

    2. Panther Lake Camping Resort

    17 Reviews
    Andover, NJ
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 347-4440

    "Panther lake was a pretty good campground with lots of spots to camp at. Our campsite had a picnic bench and a fire ring. They offer both RV and primitive camping."

    "The Lake is the gem of the campground with a really nice beach, good for fishing and kayaking. The negatives were the bathrooms. They are very primitive and quite dirty."

    3. Great Divide Campground

    16 Reviews
    Andover, NJ
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 383-4026

    " Our 4rth state in our 5 state trip is New Jersey! We wanted to see Delaware Water Gap NRA & I found a campground by Newton called The Great Divide. This is a private campground."

    "All the positive reviews about this place are accurate! Beautiful, clean, well maintained, lots to do, great value for your $$"

    4. Jenny Jump State Forest

    14 Reviews
    Johnsonburg, NJ
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (908) 459-4366

    "The bathroom/shower was only a few steps away which was convenient and clean."

    "All the sites are set up nearby the office where people are all day should you ever need anything. The workers are super friendly and regularly make rounds of the grounds."

    5. Swartswood State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    13 Reviews
    Newton, NJ
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 383-5230

    "We booked a campsite at the far end of the loop by the lake, which looked to be the right spot for some privacy, but a longer walk to the bathroom and water spigot."

    "The campsites are slightly separated from the lake (maybe 8 min walk to lake) but that also means you aren’t bothered by day guests. The lake is beautiful! Great for swimming and fishing."

    6. Stokes State Forest

    27 Reviews
    Layton, NJ
    23 miles
    Website

    $7 - $55 / night

    "It was a solid choice: private but close to the toilet and water. Some sites located around the opposite side of the ring back up to a babbling brook. The rushing water will soothe you to sleep."

    "We stayed at the campsite at Lake Ocquittunk Area. Campsite was very spacious and had a platform where we were able to fit two tents. There was plenty of space on the site for more tents."

    7. Round Valley State Park Campground

    25 Reviews
    Lebanon, NJ
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (908) 236-6355

    "The crystal-clear water is home to huge lake trout and the forests are bursting with wildlife. The sunsets across the lake are to die for."

    "Once you get to the campground trail it’s pretty easy going on asphalt surface."

    8. Worthington State Forest Campground — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

    39 Reviews
    Shawnee on Delaware, NJ
    27 miles
    Website

    "Full bathrooms are located behind campsite #15 (clean flushing bathrooms, with motion-sensed lighting, showers, dishwashing sink), but easily accessible from campsites nearby."

    "Bathrooms with flush toilets are conveniently located centrally every so often."

    9. Stephens State Park Campground

    5 Reviews
    Hackettstown, NJ
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (908) 852-3790

    "There are dumpsters but no recycling (not sure if New Jersey segregates recycling after pickup). 

    ATT had some reception but we forgot to check the Verizon phone. "

    "Was a bit hard to locate the office to check in but finally found it. The camp site was spacious. The bathrooms were struggling with the plumbing but were fairly clean."

    10. Kittatinny Valley State Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Andover, NJ
    12 miles
    Website

    "Site A is the best for seclusion and a spot closer to the lake (also amazing sunsets)"

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Recent Reviews near Wharton, NJ

940 Reviews of 159 Wharton Campgrounds


  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    friendly staff at the office

    Gave us a welcome folder with lots of helpful info, can walk to get food up the street, short drive to Liberty Park where we got out and walked at night to admire the city skyline and Statue of Liberty at night. They have hook ups and big laundry room.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Tohickon Family Campground

    Wonderful campground!

    Great camping, great hiking, pretty close to stores if you need anything. Staff is incredible!! Very polite, helpful, and just all around awesome People!!! They make sure your stay is exactly what you’d want it to be.. getting here was a little tricky having to go around the covered bridge but not anything that would ever deter me and my family from coming back. Overall very impressed!! They even were able To get us in very last minute WITH full hook ups for my trailer!!!!

  • Jessica V.
    Sep. 13, 2025

    Tohickon Family Campground

    Great weekend spot

    We went with friends for a weekend. Both families have little kids and it was a great spot with a playground, construction digging area, and a bunch of activities for the kids to do. We went in September so the pool was closed but it looked like a nice size. Full hook ups which was great! Also they have a nice stream that everyone went fishing at. They are building some new sites at the end of the property.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Round Valley State Park Campground

    Get Your Hard-Core Hiking In To Enjoy This CG

    Located just south of I78 and near the small hamlets of Clinton and Lebanon, what I love most about Round Valley SP is the fact that it has its very own eponymous fresh water reservoir, which spanning some 2,350 acres and is 180 feed deep in the middle, this body of water provides a solid amount of upside for anyone wanting to kayak, canoe or swim. One of the greatest assets at this particular SP CG are the wonderful rangers who keep this place in such tip-top condition year-round. From the North Picnic Area, Bray’s Hill Preserve and Round Valley Beachhead to the East Picnic Area, Round Valley Farm on the eastern side of the reservoir as well as Round Valley Rec Area, there’s a lot to explore at this SP.

    One interesting fact about this place– believe it or not– it is the only NJ SP that actually offers up true wilderness camping(a.k.a. primitive), which can only be accessed by hiking 3 to 6 miles– or if you come with your own boat, you can access by water– and can be found on the SE corner of the reservoir. There is a second area nearby called Spruce Run Recreation Area that can be accessed by driving to this location, which is on the other side of I78 NW of Round Valley SP. That said, if you’re looking to camp here at Round Valley, I highly recommend you boat in as the hiking path is incredibly difficult to manage without hauling all of your camping gear, so coming in with a ton of gear is even more difficult/ prohibitive.

    When you finally do arrive to this primitive CG immersed in NJ’s thick wild foliage, you’ll experience waterfront bliss with a crystalline bevy of trout-infused reservoir water, and you won’t get much in the way of amenities, apart from a few random water pumps and some rocks piled in a circle that, um, I guess makes up a fire ring. While there are backwoods-style bathroom pits, these are very ill-managed and you’ll come across the‘stank’ well before actually even arriving here, so we just didn’t use them. There’s picnic tables, but the one we had was in pretty rough condition. The thing I found odd about the place is that after hiking so far in to get to this location, you’re not allowed to swim in the reservoir, which kind of defeats the entire point IMHO. That said, the views are amazing and because there’s nothing else in these parts, you will experience true peace in nature.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few:(1) Whether hiking or kayaking to this CG, you will want to bring as little with you as possible– packing too much to come here just isn’t worth the work;(2) We found parking in the Southern Lot to be perfectly fine and while we were initially worried about leaving our vehicle parked there for a few nights, we were reassured by the park rangers who patrol the lot constantly;(3) While the water in the reservoir may look crystal clear, it is not crystal clean and I would STRONGLY encourage anyone who thinks that it is OK to drink from the reservoir to at least use a Life Straw to ensure they don’t get sick;(4) I have hiked throughout the entire US and consider myself somewhere between a moderate to skilled hiker and I found these trails challenging and uneven, so while the hike we made was only 3 miles, it was not easy and I would be worried about someone breaking an ankle getting to this CG– so at a minimum, ensure you are wearing proper hiking boots. Seriously, for what this SP puts you through to access this CG one really needs to question why they’re being charged anything at all in the first place.

    Happy Camping!

  • Kylie R.
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Mountain Vista Campground

    A mix of being able to unplug but also have the ammenities avavilble if wanted/needed

    This campground is very clean, staff and campers are very friendly. It’s a great spot if you have kids because they have many different activities(pool/arcade games/movie nights/ and more.)

  • Damia F.
    Aug. 29, 2025

    High Point State Park Campground

    Relaxing and Well-Maintained

    Stayed 2 nights and it was really nice. Camping for summer is pretty limited to Sawmill Lake, as the other locations are for groups or winter camping. Camps are secluded from each other and most if not all have an elevated space to put tents or chairs. Each place comes with a lamp hang, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Bathrooms are spaced out. No running water except for pump founded outside of the bathrooms. Toilets are pump flushed. Showers are only located INSIDE High Point State Park, not throughout the campsites, but entry is free for campers. One hiking trail is accessible in Sawmill campground, 3 others are accessible on the road outside of the campground and the rest are located inside the park. When you arrive you have to check in with the park office for your campsite tag. Hours are 8-4. Park officials come through the campsites pretty regularly, a few times a day which is nice. Areas are clean and well maintained.

  • j
    Aug. 27, 2025

    Cranberry Run Campground

    Don’t Stay here!!

    It’s not a campground. It’s where people stash their rvs, some of whom seem to live here permanently. Caretaker was rude. Sites were all rocky and many on steep inclines. Complete waste of our time. Plus, the site looks nothing like the pictures they post, which is an area you can’t camp at. Don’t stay here.

  • Paul K.
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Croton Point Park

    Not the Best Place to Go in the Northeast By a Longshot

    Croton Point Campground is a modest little campground, located along the Hudson River within Croton Point Park in NY. In addition to camping, the park itself offers many of its own attractions, including swimming, hiking, kayaking, cabin rentals, and a host of other family-oriented activities just along the Hudson. 

    The park, which is honestly probably the largest attraction here, is located just an hour and a half outside of the city. This proximity is both its perk and its downfall, as the park itself, but particularly the campground, has become laden with all sorts of inexplicable and burdensome rules, endless guidelines, and restrictions only a New York State-run bureaucracy could ever make sense of, let alone hope to justify. 

    This includes all manner of restrictions on how you can camp, where you can camp, what equipment can be used, and use in relation to what particular site you may have been lucky enough to reserve. Much of this you can understand while imagining what may have taken place here to bring them to such measures, but it doesn't make it any easier to contend with. 

    In terms of the actual camping conditions Both the tenting section and RV sites are each very clustered together, and quite crowded, with regular patrols🚓(actual patrols) being made day and night, by both the Park Rangers and what appears to be general park staff members, all looking to see if you or your family might be doing something that they might consider outside of the guidelines or not in compliance with the many restrictions. 

    This is not to say you can't possibly have a good time here. It just might mean being a bit more diligent toward reviewing the potential legitimacy of your normal camping routine to ensure it meets with many restrictions and guidelines imposed, while also making yourself comfortable with some fairly regular surveillance during your stay here. These all being things we hoped to get away from while camping ourselves It just turned out to be a bit much for our particular liking.

  • b
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Thunder Swamp Trailhead

    Gravel lot

    It’s a gravel parking lot. Plenty of shade. No one bothered me.


Guide to Wharton

Camping near Wharton, New Jersey, offers a mix of beautiful nature and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Hickory Run State Park Campground. One visitor shared, "We took the short drive to Hawk Falls Trail and also completed the Orchard Trail Loop." The area is known for its gorgeous hiking paths.
  • Fishing: Enjoy fishing at Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park. A camper mentioned, "There’s a small unguarded beach that allows swimming which was very nice."
  • Wildlife Watching: Campers at Stokes State Forest often spot deer and other wildlife. One reviewer noted, "We didn’t see any bear, but saw lots of bear scat, and passed a super chill doe and her two fawns casually grazing next to the trail."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Many campers appreciate the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A visitor at Tobyhanna State Park Campground said, "The facilities were clean, well organized, and access to the lake/firewood/basic necessities were all very satisfactory."
  • Spacious Campsites: Campers enjoy the generous spacing between sites. One camper at Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park mentioned, "Camp sites are generously sized, good spacing between sites and heavily treed."
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Families love the activities available at places like Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Gardiner. A parent shared, "This place is so much fun. My whole family loved the activities, awesome pools and water area."

What you should know:

  • Noise Levels: Some campgrounds can get noisy, especially during peak seasons. A visitor at Worthington State Forest Campground noted, "If you are looking for a nice peaceful getaway from the city...this is not it."
  • Limited Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell service in many areas. A camper at Round Valley State Park Campground mentioned, "Our Verizon cell service was practically non-existent and the park’s wifi service was just as horrible."
  • Reservations Recommended: Many campgrounds fill up quickly, especially on weekends. A camper at Camp Taylor Campground advised, "We had everything we expected for a camping trip... Make sure if you’re towing, you have a good tow vehicle."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Plan Activities: Make sure to check out the activities available at campgrounds like Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Gardiner. One parent said, "The kids are kids!!! They play in the creek, get dirty, build fires and hike on the premises."
  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for campgrounds that offer amenities for kids, like playgrounds and swimming areas. A visitor at Camp Taylor Campground shared, "The kids immediately took to exploring the creek and woods behind our campsite."
  • Pack Snacks: Keep snacks handy for the kids while hiking or exploring. A camper at Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park mentioned, "The rod into the campground was full of pot holes. Take a hike around Conservation Island."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure to check the size of the sites before booking. A reviewer at Clarence Fahnestock State Park noted, "Some sites are grouped in open areas. These lack privacy."
  • Be Prepared for Terrain: Some campgrounds have rough roads. A visitor at Stokes State Forest said, "I had to park in a small lot above my campsite and carry my belongings down a short slope to the site."
  • Bring Extra Supplies: Stock up on essentials before heading out. A camper at Tobyhanna State Park Campground mentioned, "There is a place to rent boats or kayaks from, we might do that this summer."

Camping near Wharton, New Jersey, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. With a little planning, you can enjoy the great outdoors and make lasting memories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Wharton, NJ?

According to TheDyrt.com, Wharton, NJ offers a wide range of camping options, with 159 campgrounds and RV parks near Wharton, NJ and 4 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Wharton, NJ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Wharton, NJ is Mahlon Dickerson Reservation with a 4.7-star rating from 18 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Wharton, NJ?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Wharton, NJ.

What parks are near Wharton, NJ?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 10 parks near Wharton, NJ that allow camping, notably Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Gateway National Recreation Area.