Nov 2026: Every site shows as closed for the off-season on the reservation page. The park says shelters may stay open until December 15 if the campground's heated bathroom is available, so call the park office at 973-383-5230 before planning a late-fall trip.
Swartswood State Park Campground At A Glance...
- Six cabin-like shelters on a shady ridge each sleep up to four, with two double bunks, a wood stove for heat and a picnic-style table.
- Pick a wooded or grassy site within walking distance of Swartswood Lake, the centerpiece of New Jersey's first state park.
- Todays Sunrise: 6:38 am, Sunset: 4:47 pm
- New Jersey Skylands Region Sussex County
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Swartswood State Park Campground is part of Swartswood State Park
About Swartswood State Park Campground
The campground is inside Swartswood State Park, within walking distance of Swartswood Lake. You choose from wooded or grassy campsites in a natural setting, and all of them are drive-in. Sites vary in size and shape, from small ones of roughly 35 by 25 feet to large ones of roughly 55 by 45 feet. Each has a fire ring, a picnic table and a lantern holder, and up to six people can stay. Drinking water, flush toilets and showers are in the campground, and campers can reach the beach, the boat launch and the trails on foot. Sixteen sites are marked pet friendly.
Six shelters sit on a shady ridge. They are cabin-like, with a wood stove for heat, two double bunks and a picnic-style table, and they sleep up to four people including children. Each has a fire ring, a picnic table and a lantern holder, with flush toilets nearby and showers in the main campground bathhouse. Extra tents are not allowed on shelter sites.
Three group sites have pit toilets. Sites A and C hold up to 20 people each and site B holds up to 15.
There are no water, electric or sewer hookups at the sites and no electrical outlets in the park, so plan for charging and cooking without them. Campsites were designed mainly for tent camping.
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Camping:
- Drive-up camping
- Group Camping
- Tent Camping Available
- Multi-use Trails
- Pet Friendly
- Rentals Available
Rules/Regulations:- Alcohol Not Permitted
Contact / Location
Tips and Tricks
Black bears live in the area. Keep all food and coolers in your vehicle at all times. Firewood is not provided but can be bought at the park office. Generators are not permitted. Alcohol, smoking and vaping are not allowed. Pets are allowed only in designated areas and are prohibited on the beach and in the water.
Admission & Guidelines
Tent and trailer sites are $20 a night for New Jersey residents and $25 for non-residents. Shelters are $48 and $60 a night. Group sites A and C are $40 and $80 a night, and group site B is $30 and $60 a night.
Each campsite takes up to six people. The largest group that can camp together is two campsites with no more than six people at each. No more than two vehicles, trailers included, can be parked at a camping site; extra vehicles can use the campers' visitor parking area for $5. Visitors to campers pay the day-use parking fee, and the number of visitors may be limited. The earliest you can reserve is 11 months ahead and the longest stay is 14 nights. Changes and cancellations have to be made 24 hours before arrival, and standard fees apply. Book through the NJ Outdoors page linked on this record.
Hours / Season of Operation
Campsites are open April 1 through October 31. Shelters follow the same dates and may stay open until December 15 if the heated bathroom is available. Check-in and check-out for campsites and group sites is noon. Shelter check-in is 3 pm and check-out is noon. Check-in is required when you arrive; if the park office is closed you can go to your site and check in the next morning. The park office is open from 8 am to 4 pm daily. Visitors are allowed at camping facilities from 8 am to 8 pm, and quiet hours run from 10 pm to 6 am.
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More To Explore in Swartswood State Park Campground
Nearby Places
- Swartswood State Park Campground (~0 miles)
- Windy Acres Campground & RV Park (~3 miles)
- Lentini Farms (~3 miles)
- Windy Brow Farms (~3 miles)
- Sussex Branch Trail (~4 miles)
- Buttermilk Falls (~5 miles)
- Kittatinny Valley State Park (~6 miles)
- Tillman Ravine (~6 miles)
- The Great Divide Campground (~6 miles)
- Stokes State Forest Campgrounds (~6 miles)
- Ideal Farm and Garden Center (~6 miles)
- Skylands Stadium (Sussex County Miners) (~7 miles)
Swartswood, New Jersey 07877