This may sound like an odd question, but does anyone know of any good private campgrounds that offer primitive sites (all we need is a fresh water hydrant, a porta-john, and a firepit) within a half hour or so of Atlantic City? Some friends of mine are getting together in AC for a bachelor party. The younger guys want to stay there of course and relive the movie "The Hangover." Us older guys (the ones who are already married with kids...lol) would rather find a campground in the Pines we can retreat to after a good dinner and a couple of hands of blackjack instead of having to fork over $100 a man for one room and having to share a bed. Obviously Bellepain State Forest is pretty close but we're planning on sharing some libations around the campfire, so that option is out. Is there a good campground anyone knows of, maybe somewhere along the Great Egg Harbor River?
Camping near Atlantic City?
- Thread starter Badfish740
- Start date
I think Belleplain is a LOT more than a half hour from Atlnatic City. A half hour from AC, you will still be in the suburbs. 
It takes me about 45 minutes to get to AC in "normal" traffic - maybe a lot longer in the summer. You wouldn't think it would take that long just looking at a map.
There are several places near me, I have no idea what they're like, they may be geared towards the RV crowd and not tents. But I've just noticed these while driving around... caveat emptor!
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...tr:m,1192432829759161248,39.417895,-74.798741
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...r:m,16043861883395711579,39.417812,-74.836314
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...r:m,16882311818413003637,39.369606,-74.853201
There's a place around Bass River State Forest that calls itself the "Atlantic City Campgrounds" (or it used to have a sign that said that anyway). I always got a big laugh out of that, it must be more than an hour away.
It takes me about 45 minutes to get to AC in "normal" traffic - maybe a lot longer in the summer. You wouldn't think it would take that long just looking at a map.There are several places near me, I have no idea what they're like, they may be geared towards the RV crowd and not tents. But I've just noticed these while driving around... caveat emptor!
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...tr:m,1192432829759161248,39.417895,-74.798741
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...r:m,16043861883395711579,39.417812,-74.836314
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...r:m,16882311818413003637,39.369606,-74.853201
There's a place around Bass River State Forest that calls itself the "Atlantic City Campgrounds" (or it used to have a sign that said that anyway). I always got a big laugh out of that, it must be more than an hour away.
There are a couple north of Smithville in Port Republic, and Bass River SF is just over the Mullica River. Furthest, Bass River, is about 25 miles. Might try this site;
http://www.newjerseycampgrounds.com
http://www.newjerseycampgrounds.com
In Port, You have NACO Campground, Blueberry Hill, and Redwing Lakes. Most people use campers but I'm sure that they can find a tent site. Redwing lakes is the most "rustic" but also has some good fishing in thier ponds. In Egg Harbor City at the lake there is a city run campground. Discrete libations are probably commonplace there. The County has camping at Lake Lenape, Much more discretion required there. Upstream from there on the GEH river is the private Winding river campground that is on Weymouth rd just south of rt 322 BHP. All closer than Belleplain. Even Bodine field in Wharton is in range, you can camp right on the wading river. Libation discretion required but I have never had a problem there.
Thanks for the suggestions-I found this place after doing some searching around. Looks like it's located within (or surrounded by) Bass River but is private?
http://www.pilgrimlakecampgrounds.com/index.html
Seems pretty no frills which is what we're looking for. Anyone know anything about it? Google Maps says 27 miles/32 minutes from AC which will work. I'm not concerned about traffic. We would plan to head down Saturday morning (taking backroads from Central Jersey, avoiding the Parkway), setup camp, hang out for a while, and then head to AC for dinner and some gambling. Then after the young'uns set off to sow their wild oats and chase some tail at the casinos, us old guys will head northwest to the campground. I would assume there will not be much traffic heading away from the shore at 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night?
http://www.pilgrimlakecampgrounds.com/index.html
Seems pretty no frills which is what we're looking for. Anyone know anything about it? Google Maps says 27 miles/32 minutes from AC which will work. I'm not concerned about traffic. We would plan to head down Saturday morning (taking backroads from Central Jersey, avoiding the Parkway), setup camp, hang out for a while, and then head to AC for dinner and some gambling. Then after the young'uns set off to sow their wild oats and chase some tail at the casinos, us old guys will head northwest to the campground. I would assume there will not be much traffic heading away from the shore at 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night?
That's right down the road from Bass River SF. I have never seen anyone entering or exiting the place. Bass River is not private. There is another, Arrowhead, where stage road comes out to Chatsworth Rd and another a short distance up Chatsworth Rd, Timberline, which is fairly active. You can see them on the directions map for the one you posted.
I didn't mean Bass River, I meant that this place is a private campground which seems to be surrounded by Bass River. I'll check out Arrowhead and Timberline too.
I decided to reserve a spot with Pilgrim Lake after chatting with the owner this morning. Sounds like a nice low-key place. No organized activities, nice clean 20 acre lake, and a natural setting. Plus hot showers which are included in the price of a tent site. I'll post a report afterwards. I'll be bringing a 4x4 as will a friend so we're planning on doing some exploring in Bass River before we make camp-any sites we should plan to see? I've been to Wharton via the entrance at Atsion a few times but never made it down as far as Bass River I don't think.