Best Kept Secret Camping in Northwest New Jersey

Yes, folks. I am going to tell you about one of the best, cheapest, hidden secret camping spots in New Jersey. It is the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation Campground. For around $22 a night, you can have a site with water and electric nestled in the woods of Morris County, New Jersey. This county park has only 18 RV sites. The sites are all different sizes, so I recommend using the county's app to see a description of the length, width and other special features of each site. I stayed on site 10 which had a paved pad that was about 35 feet long and 18 feet wide. The site was fairly level. There are no fire rings at the sites; just grills. There is one shared campfire ring with log benches that you can reserve if you want to use it. The showers are individual, private small rooms with a bench and enclosed shower stall. I loved it. The county also has tent sites, Adirondack lean-tos and the cabins to rent. These are in their own camping area across the road. There are some really nice hiking trails located right in the park. The best thing about this campground is its proximity to many of the historic and natural wonders of New Jersey.

While I was camping here, I went to Morristown to tour Washington's Headquarters at the National Historical Park.  Morristown is a lovely colonial town which also happens to have a great New Jersey archives and genealogical library. I spent the better part of a day talking with the wonderful librarians there. While I didn't find the records I wanted, I did learn a lot about colonial New Jersey.  Most of my ancestors lived in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania since the early 1700s.  So, it was fun to imagine their lives as I toured around the state.  My own family lived in this area until I was in the 8th grade. So, of course, I spent another day visiting the homes I grew up in, the grade school I attended and the lake where I learned to sail, fish and swim. Amazingly, Pines Lake seems just like it did almost 50 years ago! I even ran into the mother of one of my grade school friends.  In about an hour, she updated me on the lives of all my grade school friends and their families.  It was fun to take a walk down memory lane.

On another nice sunny day, I headed west to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.  Before the park was created, my grandparents owned a home, really it was a rustic cabin, along the Delaware River. This day trip brought back so many happy memories of tubing, canoeing, and swimming in the Delaware River. If you have a bike, the Old Mine Road is a great scenic gravel road with wonderful views of the Delaware River.  While there seemed to be boondocking available in the area, I don't recommend bringing your bigger RV down some of these old roads in the National Park. New Jersey roads are old and were not built for the taller and heavier RVs we drive nowadays. Be sure to check the clearance of train bridges and the weight of old wooden bridges that cross local streams and rivers.

New Jersey has a lot to offer, so take some time to come and visit. There are lakes, hiking trails, great restaurants, and even trains that will take you into New York City if you want to take in a show or tour the Big Apple. With a little research, you can avoid the most expensive toll roads and use your money to reserve a spot at the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation Campground. I can assure you, a camping trip to New Jersey will be worth it!