Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy New Windsor. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. The Dyrt can help you find the perfect equestrian sites that are scenic and easy to access.
Nestled in the Appalachian Wilderness of New Jersey, Stokes State Forest attracts campers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts all over thanks to its many viewpoints and wild terrain. Spanning over 16,400 acres, visitors can expect exciting adventures crammed with tons of wilderness activities. Surprisingly, there’s a large range of amenities within the various campgrounds located throughout. In addition, there’s a host of unique geographic features to keep even the most dedicated busy for weeks.
Speaking of geography, there’s no shortage of terrain diversity here. For example, Sunrise Mountain towers 1,653 feet over the undeveloped New Jersey farmland to the East, as well as virgin mountain ranges and forests to the West. Located along the legendary Appalachian Trail, this mountain peak is the most frequently visited site in Stokes State Forest. If you’re not one to hike up the side of a mountain for a view, Sunrise Mountain Rd. traverses all the way to the top for those traveling in a vehicle.
Nestled below, the 500+ acre Tillman Ravine Natural Area is a green wonderland home to endangered species such as the Barred Owl. The ravine showcases world-class trails spanning throughout its terrain, complete with babbling brooks and overly-curious bears to dodge during your stay.
Additionally, Stokes State Forest is home to the Lake Ashroe Recreation Area which has an area for Kayaking and Paddle Board rentals. Even though there is no boat ramp, nearby Lake Ocquittunk is perfect for small, electric motor boats. In contrast, those looking for swimming should head to Stony Lake, which features lifeguards on duty and a great recreation area for picnicking.
Campgrounds are plentiful here, with four different areas to camp at depending on your needs. Shotwell to the East, and Steam Mills to the west both offer normal park amenities, and are perfect for tent campers, or people interested in camping in a lean-to. Just West of Shotwell, Haskin’s Group Camping Area consists of 9 group campsites perfect for groups of 10-65 depending on the campsite. Finally, Lake Ocquittunk has its own campground with reservable campsites, and cabins as well. Fees & permits vary here, so be sure to check the park website for more info.
Regardless of your interests, if you love the outdoors in any form you’re going to enjoy your stay here. Stokes State Forest literally offers everything an enthusiast could ever dream of doing. From its babbling creeks and forested ravines, to the breathtaking mountain peaks, this is an Appalachian camping experience you don’t want to miss out on.
$7 - $55 / night
Traveler
Stokes is my go-to state park for unplugging and enjoying time with my family. We brought our son (23 months at time of visit) on his first camping trip this past September. He loved every minute of it.
Site T07 in Lake Ocquittunk is gorgeous and one of the few relatively secluded sites in the campground. You need to carry your gear down a narrow, rocky path that's a little steep near the road, but it's manageable. There's also a graded path into the site adjacent to a neighboring site, but you should check with those campers if they are ok with you cutting through to use it. (We opted not to disturb our neighbors and take the slope.)
I thought I would be able to launch my kayak from site 7 since it's waterfront, but there are a lot of huge rocks in the water that prevent you from getting out into the lake. We had to find a different launch spot. That was probably the biggest disappointment for us.
Still, I love site 7 and it's absolutely worth the privacy and the views every morning.
GuideStokes State Forest is a beautiful park with a lot of different trails to check out, though some of them are difficult to access due to parking. The camping areas are split between two different entrances. If you’re in Lake Ocquitunk, like I was, you don’t enter at the main entrance, you have to go past the main entrance about another mile on rt. 15 N. and enter by the YMCA. All the other camping areas are near the main entrance by the forest office. The campsites themselves are a little too close together in some spots with little coverage or privacy. There is a day parking area which is only accessible going through the main entrance by the forest office— if you visit during the week park entrance is free, but on the weekend fees can be a bit steep. I wasn’t super happy with my campsite as I wasn’t able to physically have my car on the site like I thought. I had to park in a small lot above my campsite and carry my belongings down a short slope to the site. I like to car-camp so this was a bit of a let down having my car separate from my actual campsite.
The bathrooms were nice and had flush toilets, but the showers were out of service during my time. Bathrooms are extremely spaced out so you will have to walk a far distance unless you strategically choose a site next to one. I drove through the other campsite and only saw 1 set of bathrooms that had toilets and showers per campground, not including the outhouses I saw for those in the small cabins.
Scout
Great first tent camping experience for kids. Lots of activities, clean restrooms. One thing to keep in mind is the tent sites on the opposite side of the road from the river has no shade. Site gets pretty hot on a sunny day. Sites by the river have some shade.
ScoutI used to camp there every weekend. Even during the cold in the fall. I love it!
ScoutLove it here but renting a golf cart is prob not the best option $175 for 2 days and it only goes 5mph I can walk faster than that.
LegendAshley here with The Dyrt. We're happy to have this campground on our platform! Check them out and leave them some love.
GuideI have been here twice and each time has been great. Big spacious sites with alot of privacy. Hikes are great around here. Bathrooms are clean.
If you want pictures you can actually go onto Google maps streetview and see every single campsite.
LegendThis is a HUGE Jellystone park in upstate NY. There are literally hundreds of cabins and RV sites. We are in site 136, which is a back in spot. Plenty of room between campers. Gravel spot which is pretty level. Full hookups. Picnic table, cable, fire ring, large camp store, showers, toilets, and full laundry area. Also has playgrounds, pillow jump, fishing pond, golf carts, game room, Waterpark, pool, and tennis courts. All of this nestled into the mountains. Nice and family friendly.
Scout
I set up a hammock and a 1 person tent .. there’s room for a camper but sparse
RangerRented a cabin in November (#009) and again in December (#008) of 2021. I favored Cabin 8, the kitchen and bathroom were separated from the main room.
The cabins are reasonably priced and well-appointed, if a bit rustic. The interior features are just what you'd expect for getting away for the weekend. THe main room has a bunk bed and two twins, a table with benches, two Adirondack chairs, a wood stove set into a fireplace (some cabins still feature a fireplace only, but these two did not), hot/cold water, electric stove with oven, refrigerator, toilet, bathroom sink, mirror, plenty of hooks to hang jackets and coats, storage cabinets in the kitchen area, overhead lighting, wall outlets, and screened windows.
The doors feature deadbolt locks - so be sure to always take the key or set the lock to be unlocked all the time.
The mattresses are vinyl covered, so you can wipe them down with your own sanitizing wipes. There was hand sanitizer in each cabin as well.
Outside is a picnic table, fire ring, and grill. There are hooks near the door to hang a lantern.
The park office is not nearby, about 2(?) miles away. They sell wood, and there are a few road stands near the campground, but that wood is wet. You'll need to find some birch to get your fire going if, like me, you didn't buy wood on the way (plenty of signs for wood as you approach the park office) and the office was closed upon arrival. I bought wood from a house across the street from the entrance to the cabins and it was damp, but in November, I wasn't complaining, it took awhile but I got a nice blaze going. You need that wood stove to heat up the cabin. Turning on the oven is a help, but not a good solution. The wood stove definitely heats the room up nicely. I went through two bundles of wood in one night, and could have used more in the morning. (There's plenty of fallen wood around but it was damp/raining both times I visited). The second time I took six bundles of wood and used them all from Friday to Sunday morning, and 7 would've have been better.
The trails nearby are varied, read the maps (especially NY NJ Trail Conference Maps) to get an idea of difficulty/elevation. We went in November when there was a light rain that turned into a thunderstorm with hail and sleet! It was certainly an adventure. The area was incredibly peaceful in December with many cabin reservations abandoned due to rain in the forecast. It did rain, but was still a great trip. The photos of the tent sites were taken in December.
GuideNice place to set up and car camp. Enjoyed some fishing and hiking within walking distance from the site.
GuideStokes is nestled in a beautiful part of New Jersey and it’s just remote enough that you can get away from the crowds and activity while still being in a short driving distance of restaurants, grocery stores, etc. We stayed at Lake Ocquittunk, which was a little disappointing. The site itself (T001) was absolutely massive and stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, when the site was cleared, trees were cut down to the stump and the stumps were just left there. This posed both a tripping hazard and a driving hazard. You have to weave your way around the various stumps and small boulders protruding from the ground in all lighting conditions. The site is on a gentle slope, which made it difficult to find a level area for the tent, but we found a spot that suited us perfectly. The campground overall needs some improvement. It almost felt neglected or abandoned. The bathrooms weren’t great, but I’ve seen much worse. The park staff were incredibly helpful and generous with time and information. Directions were easy to follow and we felt comfortable staying there. Ultimately, we would gladly return in the future, but we might visit in a warmer season.
GuideWe stayed at site #T007 is was a short walk from the car to the site, but so worth it for many reasons. The site itself is huge and we were able to position our tent facing the lake, it was beautiful!
RangerSo it rained during set up and it rained during take down. It stopped raining for a bit and we took a nice walk around the campsite, out to the lake and back. Then night fell and so did the rain. Listening to the rain drops fall all night long was a treat. Getting up to move the air mattresses to avoid the rain inside the tent was also a treat.
We knew ahead of time that it would rain all weekend. We also knew our large 20'x10' tent was a bit old, so we brought a GIANT 20'x16' tarp to keep out the rain. It worked for most of the weekend. We were more worried about pitching the tent at the bottom of a slope since the campsite has a small incline, but we didn't wake up in a pond or even much of a puddle. There was a bit of mud we tried to avoid tracking into the tent, but otherwise this site was okay for tents in the rain.
This is a large pull-through trailer campsite, right across from the restrooms with sinks/shower. Water is down the road a bit, not by the restrooms. There is a campsite right next door and their firepit is 15-20 feet away from where we pitched our tent, but it stayed empty that weekend. Traffic to the restroom as constant, and close by, so not very private/secluded.
ScoutWe had a fantastic time in Gardiner, NY which was before this trip. Unfortunately, this was not good. We thought we had a good deal with our lot, but they had us right on a main road. The locals drove so fast on it that we felt uncomfortable at all times with our kids. The water park is not as nice as Gardiner's and there is a lot less to do. While driving through it I did notice some nice sites though that looked very quiet, but unfortunately ours was not nice.
TravelerA few of us rode in to the steam mills campsite on motorcycles and took a couple days to enjoy the mountain air and views.
RangerMy first time staying at Stokes Stat Forest, December 2020. Chose this campsite based on the photos online, the river right there was a big deal. I knew it would be cold and planned accordingly. The days were a good temperature for hiking, the nights were chilly. Once the fire died down, I snuggled up warm in my tent-ception (tent within a tent) and journaled or watched Stargate SG1. I packed up one night early, before the rain.
I met a group of roof top tent campers and after a long discussion on the pros/cons of RTT, they introduced me to jet boil and dry pack meals. Very quick and delicious. Note for the future.
I got a visit from a dog who lives nearby. Snuck out of the house without his collar the first day so there was concern initially, but after talking to his owner, the doggo's visits each day were very welcome.
Each campsite has a firepit/ring and picnic table. This site has a platform and a bear box. Never seen one of those before. There is a small lake(large pond?) that feeds the river right next to the campsite. There are benches and a gazebo on the lakeshore. I took a walk around the whole campground to check out other campsites, several are just as secluded, but there are many that are closer together and less private.
Campsite sells fire wood. Pit bathroom across the way, no toilet paper supply during the pandemic, but I came prepared. Water spigot down the road a bit. No sink, no showers.
ScoutWe went to Stokes for a one nighter to test out my new truck tent. We stayed at site 11 on Lake Ocquittunk. While making reservations it said almost all sites were full but upon arrival the vast majority of sites were empty which made for a quiet/relaxing night. It was a fair sized site with room for a couple large tents. Site was located on a small hill next to the lake with the road directly in front and water about 50 yards away and the bathrooms about 100 yards away. Facilities were clean and stocked so no complaints there. After packing up we drove down the road and were able to get in a nice 5 mile hike up to the fire tower. Due to cooler temps there were really no bugs to complain about while camping.
Overall we had a great time and will definitely be coming back for a more extended stay. If you are looking for more secluded campsites try to get 13 or 14 as they seem to sick back more. Sites 8-11 are adjacent to the road and in peak times probably have a fair about of foot and vehicle traffic.
GuideWe threatened a Jellystone stop for years, and finally made it happen. Great place for kids and staff runs a great park. Its crowded, loud and in constant movement but as expected. Sites here are pretty spread out and it’s big rig friendly with some level concrete pads which is a huge bonus. Park is doing a great job with COVID in the common areas. Not our normal type spot but definitely worth it to break up our 2 month road trip. Safe travels all!
Scout
I’ve been coming to Uncle Pete’s for the last 15 years. Very reasonably priced and a 2 minute drive from the center of town. Car camping so you can park right next to where you sleep, makes dining and sleeping comfortable very easy. Plenty of creekside tent sites that offer a large section of riverfront. Large baseball field and playgrounds for kids. Each site comes with an electric hookup, fire pit and picnic tables. Cheap firewood can be bought up front at the bathrooms. Becky and Danny are super accommodating!!
TravelerEnjoyed a great weekend at Stokes State Forest. 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. Site came with bear proof bin for garbage and fire ring. Very comfortable site, quiet but still with plenty of amenities. Bathrooms and shower were all single stall and very clean, only a 5 min walk from our site. Two water sources nearby as well. We didn’t have direct views of the lake, but were within a minute walk to some quiet views of the lake. Also the location is amazing; there are trail heads near the campsites and longer trails, including access to the Appalachian Trail within a short 10-15 minute drive. You can also rent kayaks and SUP at the main office. Highly recommend Stokes.
GuideI would definitely recommend this campsite to anyone wanting a beautiful, remote setting, but with all of the conveniences that the campgrounds offer. Anyone from a beginner to an expert would enjoy Stokes. Whether it be just a short, relaxing weekend trip or an adventure-packed week long trip, this place has the potential to be whatever you make it.
Pros:
Has the perfect balance of feeling secluded without feeling completely alone in the middle of nowhere; the campsite we were specifically on was just far enough to be remote-feeling and fully private with trees surrounding it
Cute little pond right on the campgrounds
Our site had a fire ring, a picnic table, and a large sturdy pole with a hook for your lantern/mesh dry bag/etc
Even, rocky, yet soft enough ground to sleep on, many trees available for hammock camping
There was a huge, nasty storm one night that we stayed there, with terrible downpour and flash flood warnings, our site was elevated and did not get flooded
A lot of firewood and kindling in the area to be gathered, or you can buy firewood right from the office
Lots of stuff to do in the area for nature-lovers and outdoors-enthusiasts (Hiking trails, fishing/fly-fishing, sightseeing, mountain-biking, kayaking/paddle-boarding (rentals in the area if you do not own), hunting, swimming, horseback riding, waterfall-hunting, bird/wildlife watching (there are hawks, rabbits, owls, deer, toads, snakes, turtles, frogs, foxes, bats, salamanders, many interesting bugs, beavers, and bears in the area, you never know what you will see), lots of beautiful brooks and streams throughout the entire park, many awesome remote areas to set up your hammock and relax) Whoever said that there wasn't much to do here is just either not an outdoors person or straight up lying!
Water and dumpsters are within walking distance, or if you are not up to walking you can just take a short drive to fill up and dispose of your trash
There are outhouses scattered around, or if you are really needing a clean restroom where you can wash your hands, the park office's restroom is always open and very clean
Can be buggy at night time however, I was pleasantly surprised to have experienced zero mosquito bites and ZERO ticks on ourselves and even our dog (however she did have a leech on her from playing in the brook all day). We moderately used bug spray on ourselves and the dog had her flea and tick topical on.
Beautiful view of the stars on a clear night (Which can be breathtaking especially to city folk or those that cannot see stars from their homes)
Cons:
Can hear the traffic from 206, but generally gets much quieter at night
Campsites are close enough that you may occasionally hear other groups if they are being very loud (We were next to a group campsite that had a very noisy party crowd, but could really only hear them at their loudest, and we weren't bothered)
Tent sites are located just off the dirt road where people travel to get to their sites, which means other campers' cars will occasionally pass right through your area. If this bothers you, be sure to book a site as far back as possible. Ex: Site T137 should have no vehicle traffic but your own and is the most remote of that area
Water fill stations can be a bit busy at certain times
Our fire ring rack was bent, but luckily we came prepared with our own rack to place on top of it and it worked out
Lots of poison ivy in the area, if you are not immune to it be very mindful of where you are stepping!
Our neighbor warned us that they got a flat tire after arriving at their campsite, and after searching their site found a bunch of nails almost intentionally thrown about. It's not the park's fault and the rangers were made aware of it. Carefully check your site after arriving for anything out of place and report to the office if necessary to keep these campsites safe and enjoyable.
Points of interest nearby the campsite:
Big Flat Brook - A beautiful babbling brook that runs all throughout the area. Has great fly fishing for stocked rainbow trout. Access to the brook was only a short but beautiful hike north from our site through some thistle fields and woodlands.
Buttermilk falls (Tallest waterfall in NJ), Tillman Ravine, Dingmans Ferry/Falls, and my personal favorite, Silver Spray Falls - Multiple gorgeous waterfalls and ravines just waiting to be explored, all within ~15-20 min by car. I definitely recommend checking them out while you are camping here especially if you live far away from the area.
Sunrise Mountain and Rattlesnake Mountain - Catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset on top of Sunrise Mountain, which is a pleasant, scenic car ride directly to the top where there is a small parking lot, a smelly outhouse, and a nice picnic table area with a great view. Rattlesnake Mountain is a part of the Appalachian Trail and is somewhat barren towards the top which makes for excellent views. Like its name, it's not uncommon to see many snakes in the area, rattlesnakes tend to hang out on the top and sunbathe on the rocks. Keep your pets on a leash and have a stick handy just in case, however, they will leave you alone if you keep your distance.
Lake Ashroe, Stony Lake, Lake Ocquittunk - Many lakes for multiple activities in the area such as fishing (trout stocked waters), kayaking, swimming (Stony lake has a beach area with lifeguards, restrooms, and picnic areas. Check their website for more info.)
Horseback riding - A few great horseback riding places nearby, some offering trail rides through the beautiful park.
Appalachian Trail - The widely-known Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only trail in the world, that runs all the way from Maine to Georgia goes right through this area. You may run into very interesting people from all over who are thru-hiking the AT.
PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR VISIT. LEAVE NO TRACE. KEEP OUR PARKS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU.
TravelerGreat fun. 8 guys from our Bible study group. Lots of firewood available to gather. Clean site. Well behaved neighbors. Definitely will go there again.
TravelerSussex county is beautiful. Stokes is such a peaceful campground! We stay in the cabins. It’s great to have the small kitchen when camping with the family. A must see campground.
TravelerThe cabins by the lake are great! Very peaceful. Great hiking. Close to High Point. Dale’s market is great. Sunrise Mountain is a must. Close to Space Farms. Fishing is ok, changes year to year. Showers are nice. Nice place for families.
LegendThe caping set up was nice and I enjoyed the proximity to available hikes in the area. The ‘lake’ however, was kind of a disappointment. It was much smaller then I expected and a rather underwhelming. Of the camping options in Stokes State Forest, Lake Oqcuittunk and Steamill were each a bit closer to High Point which offers more hiking options. Each campsite was set up with a picnic table and a fire ring. One big positive was the covered picnic area which was a nice place to bring food and eat and hang out during the day to get out of the sun.
RangerCampground Review
Stokes State Forest has four campgrounds. The Steam Mill Camping Area is tucked out the of the way and is the most primitive. It is the smallest of the campgrounds with 27 sites only suitable for tents or small trailers/campervans. No pets or alcohol allowed.
The campground has a pit toilet and a well. Each large campsite has a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern hook. Some sites also have a tent platform. Many sites are a bit rocky.
We selected site T219. 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.
Remember, this is bear country so proper food storage is a must. Bear lockers are not provided. The area also has ticks and rattlesnakes.
Outdoor activities in the area abound. Go fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, and more. There are 21 marked trails that cover over 63 miles within the boundaries of Stokes State Forest. Twelve miles are part of the Appalachian Trail. Pick up a hiking map at the park office or download the Avenza Maps app.
This visit we hiked the Tillman Ravine trail (tip: make the trail a loop and visit both the ravine and the nearby old cemetery).
You can also drive or hike to Sunset Mountain Scenic Overlook for a view of High Point Monument. High Point Monument is the highest elevation in New Jersey and is located in High Point State Park which borders Stokes State Forest on the north. High Point State Park also offers camping, hiking, sightseeing opportunities. And, on the western border of Stokes State Forest is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. So, there is lots of outdoors to get out and explore!
Product Review
We camped at the Steam Mill Camping Area in Stokes State Forest in our campervan over a chilly autumn weekend. We had the opportunity to cook some soup on our stovetop and chill out by the campfire. And, as Rangers for The Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time so we were psyched to try out some new dinnerware and cutlery. This included the FlexiBowl and GoBites from humangear.
What made these humangear products pretty awesome? Well, the fun colors to start. I mean, seriously, my orange bowl rules. The FlexiBowl also has some neat features: it’s flexible - just like the name suggests - and foldable. The bowl can be squished and stuffed anywhere. And, the top section can be folded down to create a smaller bowl. The FlexiBowl is versatile yet durable. It held my hearty, warm soup just perfectly.
I paired the FlexiBowl with one of the GoBites utensils (the Uno model). The Uno model is my favorite - it has a fork on one side and a spoon on the other side. Very simple and convenient. The other GoBites models include the Duo (separate fork and spoon that can snap together) and the Trio (a fork, spoon, and knife - with bottle opener - in a case).
PRO TIP: I keep the Trio GoBites model in my travel pack at all times. It recently came in handy on a (non-camping) trip to Sardinia. The knife on the Trio allowed me to slice some delicious local cheese to pair with bread, jam, and wine that was purchased from the grocery store. YUM.
Horse camping in New York offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the companionship of your equine friends. With a variety of well-reviewed locations, equestrian campers can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near New Windsor, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near New Windsor, NY is Yogi Bears Jellystone Park Camp-Resort at Lazy River with a 4.2-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near New Windsor, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near New Windsor, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
