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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
See the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island right from the property. How great is that!?
Liberty Harbor RV Park is OPEN 365 days a year. for your convenience and also accept check-ins 24/7 even if the office is closed. The NY Waterway Ferry leaves from Liberty Harbor and runs Monday to Friday to Pier 11 at the foot of Wall Street (does not operate on weekends or holidays). Other Ferry options that run 7 days a week are located within walking distance.
Or you can walk up Marin Blvd. 5 blocks to the Grove St. PATH subway station which can take you up to 33rd Street and 6th Avenue or to the World Trade Center Site.
The PATH train is another great option to get you where you are going. You can walk up Marin Blvd.
Either way… Manhattan is just a 15-minute ride away. Stay a day or two or a week or two…it’s up to you. We have maps and directions to anywhere you want to visit and our friendly staff is always willing to help you get there.
You can check your email, pick up a package, or send a fax from our office. We even have postcards to send to your friends.
Whether you have a small motorhome, a big bus, slide-outs, or a tow car…it’s never a problem at Liberty Harbor RV. We do suggest making reservations. We want to make your stay a wonderful experience so you’ll want to come back again and again.
Call today – 800.646.2066 / 201.516.7500
$149 / 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.
Ranger
This RV park is literally just a parking lot and quite expensive for what it is.
The location is great, but the surrounding streets may be hard to maneuver with an RV if you’re a newbie. You can see the Statue of Liberty from the park, and there were several cafes and restaurants within walking distance.
If you’re looking for actual amenities, this probably isn’t the park for you. But if you just need a base camp for doing tourist activities in NYC then this place will do.
There is 24 hour security which is nice as well. We felt safe while we were there, but it was also fairly empty too.
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.
GuideFirst off, the rep on the phone who says Love all the time is just pure joy!
This campground is like a parking lot, with absolutely nothing but a spot to park. It’s pricy, but if your planning on seeing everything NYC has to offer, you can’t get a better base camp unless you got a room in the city.
It’s super close to public transportation. There’s cute good food spots all around. You feel safe for being in a big city. You can see Lady Liberty from the park.
Was it my favorite place to stay, no. But for the time we spent at home at the campground, which was minimal, it worked perfect. We got to spend 8 days in the city exploring, we were exauhsted, but we felt we did the city good!
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
GuideIf you want to visit NYC and surrounding areas, this is the place. Expensive but... When you look at local hotel rates, not so much. Getting in and out is not for someone in a brand new 45' travel trailer. Know your rig and know how to maneuver it in tight spaces. This is not for the timid RV driver. Security is tight. I would recommend talking to and meeting the guards before you leave so it doesn't feel like your mama just caught you sneaking out to drink in high school. They said it can get roudy outside the RV park at peak season but, before the Surf bar opens, it is both safe and quiet.
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.
GuideI would give this place a 5-star review based on how convenient everything was. There us a ferry 100-yards away that takes you to Wall Street M-F. There is a great market about 1/4 of a mile away, and the path that can take you to WTC or 33rd Street area is only a mile away.
However, it is just a gravel parking lot, with water and electricity. There is a dump station, but not the easiest to use. The laundry was not working properly and ate a good $5 of our quarters. We went to the office where the security guard told us that they cannot do anything and that we would need to come back when the office was open, we did that and they said they would look into it and call us back. No one did anything.
But, again if you are looking for a place to crash and hit up the city or Liberty Island, this place is great, just not 5-star.
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.
TravelerBasicly a parking lot, but the location can't be beat. 2 ferries that run to Manhattan. Path train is a 12 minute walk away that will take you yyo manhatten. Jersey city has a lot of restaurants and bars walking distance. Wonderful state park, liberty park, a bike ride ride away. Our experience was very good.
They also have a clean laundry room on site.
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.
LegendWe spent 3 nights here last week. I was in NYC for business and we took our RV. Very convenient location. My wife visited Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The sites had electric and water and were in a fenced off section of tue marina parking area. It was a little loud with city noises, but exactly what we expected being so close. Staff was great. Easy access with our 32 foot RV pulling our Jeep.
GuideThis is all about location. The closest RV park to NYC. It's basically a parking lot with a dump station. Not much else. Pick one of the larger end row sites to get a little extra elbow room. If it's packed, your neighbor with be within inches of your rig. Pluses, minutes walk to the Statue of Liberty, liberty Science center. Two blocks away from NJ Path train into Manhattan or take the ferry to Wall Street!
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.
GuideSo... the “campground” is nothing special. Literally a parking lot with water & electric hookups. Larger rigs will barely have a yard. And don’t bet on a private picnic table. On a slow checkout day, you might get lucky enough to not wait in line for the dump station.
We’ve paid much less for “more”... the $120 price per night was ridiculous. But being that they have no competitors in the area (and they know it), RVers wanting a quick escape to see NYC can get it here. The ONLY thing we really liked about it was it’s convenient location to the city with easy access to the ferry boats.
The area itself was under a ton of construction when we drove in, which meant for difficult to navigate roads and we barely squeezed by larger trucks who were also in the roadways. But we did manage to walk our way to the marina restaurant “Surf City”, which was a unique and fun spot for end of day dinner & drinks.
We would only consider staying here again during the “off-season” months when the campground isn’t busy. The woman who checked us in was very pleasant and helpful when helping us figure out how to get around without driving.
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!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Tomkins Cove, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Tomkins Cove, NY is Stokes State Forest with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Tomkins Cove, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Tomkins Cove, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
