Best Equestrian Camping near Island Heights, NJ

Island Heights is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Island Heights, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Island Heights, New Jersey (3)

    1. Turkey Swamp Park

    28 Reviews
    Freehold, NJ
    20 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
    15 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)."

    "Nice state park with trails nearby."

    3. Brendan Byrne State Forest

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

    $3 - $60 / night

    "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"

    "Sand roads crisscross the whole area and navigation can be a bit tricky the first time around.

    The campgrounds are clean and simple."

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Island Heights, NJ

64 Reviews of 3 Island Heights Campgrounds


  • Cynthia K.
    Aug. 30, 2024

    Turkey Swamp Park

    My favorite!

       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! They have 2283 acres. A 17 acre lake. Some hiking trails & a nice campground! The sites are all pullthrough. There's lots of vegetation for "privacy". We had a site on the perimeter, which are forest views. Only problem is none of the roads are paved. All are packed sand. We could tell it rained recently because of the muddy tracks. Fortunately it didn't rain while we were there!

      Shower/bathrooms are clean, but dated. They're checked regularly. The bath house is for the entire campground. 3 out of the 4 women's were working. There's a shared dressing area. 

    There's a laundry that doesn't take quarters. EPay. 

    There's a nice playground in the campground.

     They have 3 cabins for rent, with forest views.

     The lake has fishing & boat rentals. No gas motors. There's no swimming at the lake. Cell service was fair.. No WiFi. 

    They have an archery range. 

        This was my favorite campground on our trip! I really enjoyed camping here! There's a rustic retro quality to the place. I adored the campsites & I didn't see any really bad ones.

  • S
    Jun. 27, 2021

    Brendan Byrne State Forest

    Nice campsite for car camping

    Flat site, no tent bed, enough space to park two cars. 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 site). Could hear the traffic on Rte 72 at night despite being a half mile away.

    Bathrooms were clean and stocked, warm/hot water available. No issues with firepit, water, plenty of tinder nearby. Bought firewood at the office for $7, but there is plenty of dead wood lying around outside the campsite. Picnic tables were somewhat hacked/battoned for kindling, but many sites had a log lying around for such purpose.

    Went during the week and there were only 3 other campsites in use, ran into very few people on the trails. Ticks were definitely present but wasn't too crazy - found 2 on me in 3 days, no mosquito bites... thanks permethrin!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2023

    Brendan Byrne State Forest

    Beautiful, remote and pristine

    This was definitely a unique camping experience for me. The forest is absolutely beautiful, but not by any design. Instead, nature is just doing its thing. Sand roads crisscross the whole area and navigation can be a bit tricky the first time around.

    The campgrounds are clean and simple. Some reviews mentioned that the borders between sites are a bit murky, which I agree with. In the larger loop, one site easily blends into another. I stayed in the smaller loop (1-13), which was simple and a bit more private. The bathrooms nearby were immaculately clean, which hasn’t been the case at many other state campgrounds. There was some occasional road noise, but nothing that kept me up at night. However, there was some low flying air traffic going in to the joint base nearby. It wasn’t terrible, but it was definitely noticeable.

    In a pinch, there’s a Wawa about 5 minutes away from the campground. Beyond that, there’s a bar and a gas station a bit further away. Anything else is a bit of a hike. If you want to get away and feel like you’re truly in nature, this is a good spot to visit.

  • Dorian P.
    Jun. 24, 2021

    Brendan Byrne State Forest

    Great campground

    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! Made me feel super secluded and disconnected from the outside! The bathrooms and showers here were in really good condition, well cleaned and stocked, and was pleasant to use! The campsites are a little bit close to each and didnt offer much privacy but they were right in top of each other. Only weird rule I saw was that fires can only go from 6pm till 7am which was odd but wasn't a deal breaker. Seasonal rangers drove by a handful of times and there was a dumpster at the entrance of the campground area which was nice. Overall, I would 100% go to this campground again and I really enjoyed my site. Also, there is a good amount of trails and a wawa down the street if you forgot anything for your trip

  • Jessica D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2023

    Allaire State Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Situated in nature, fun events in summer, close to beaches"

    Allaire State Park is a favorite spot of mine. In addition to their tent sites and group gathering areas (we have had several family reunions here), we enjoy all the activities! There is a historical village where you can visit a blacksmith shop and other spaces to learn about the history. They have a flea market many weekends in the summer months and in early fall. They also. Have Halloween themed events like a hayride. Lots of walking paths surround the park & you are also close to Belmar, Point Pleasant, Manasquan (all fun shore towns). Bathroom maintenance could use some sprucing up, but other than that- great place to visit.

  • David R.
    Jul. 20, 2021

    Turkey Swamp Park

    Quiet Woodland Campground

    Turkey Swamp Park is a great find! 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 water. Dump station.

    The park has miles of shady forested trails for hiking and dog walking. there’s a large lake here too, for water based recreational activities.

    The bathrooms, showers, and laundry are co-located in a centrally situated structure. Everything inside is clean and well-maintained.

    We’ve got good cell signal with Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. (We use all three.) Good OTA television signal also.

    We spent three days here in July 2021.

  • Benjamin K.
    Jul. 18, 2016

    Brendan Byrne State Forest

    My fav!

    I grew up at this camp ground. Spent every summer here. Some of my favorite things about this place are 1) it's far away from traffic noise. You can't here any cars or any other noise from civilization at all. It's at least 10 miles away from anything more than a single house in the woods. 5 miles away from the main road. It just makes for better camping. 2) it's in the great NJ pine barrens. This place is fantastic! The smells, the sounds, the wildlife. Love it. 3) the walking trails! There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Can't tell you how much I love it. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails and never leave this state park. 4) clean bathrooms to take a shower after your adventures. Well...pretty clean by camping standards. 😉 Hot showers are there. Everything you need.

  • G
    Jun. 30, 2018

    Turkey Swamp Park

    Nice wooded sites, fishing lake & trails

    Water is more than 40 feet away from your parking so 25' hose if not enough.

    If you have GFIC in your RV, ask for a non-GFIC site, or it will trip on you.

    Public use available for picnics near lake.

    Last week of June was not busy. Many open sites.

  • p
    Aug. 22, 2016

    Allaire State Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Nancy was a mess

    We stayed here for 5 days and it was ok. There was this crazy lady who called herself Nancy who was next to us. It was ok at first but as the week went on she became NUTS. The trip was supposed to be 7 days but when i got up at 6 to take a run there was Nancy right outside my door. We cut the trip short but it is a nice campground minus the creepy people.


Guide to Island Heights

Horse camping in New Jersey offers a unique way to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With several well-reviewed campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to saddle up and enjoy nature.

Equestrian campgrounds include ample amenities

  • Turkey Swamp Park provides a variety of features such as drinking water, picnic tables, and sanitary dump stations, making it a convenient choice for horse campers.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

  • Brendan Byrne State Forest is known for its extensive trail network, perfect for horseback riding, along with opportunities for hiking and exploring the beautiful pine barrens.

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like designated sites

  • Allaire State Park offers specific sites for horse camping, ensuring that equestrian visitors have the necessary accommodations for a comfortable stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Island Heights, NJ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Island Heights, NJ is Turkey Swamp Park with a 4.4-star rating from 28 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Island Heights, NJ?

TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Island Heights, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.