While the University has plenty of activities for students to take part in every week, if one is looking to create an adventurous memory off campus, a great idea would be to get a group of friends together and appreciate the outdoors. While many may be unaware, there are plenty of campgrounds around Monmouth which have ideal conditions for beginners as well as experts.
The Outdoors Club advisor, Professor Reynolds, is well informed of which New Jersey campgrounds are prestigious choices. “We have several great campgrounds within an hour of our campus. Allaire State Park, Cheesequake State Park, Bass River State Park. Our club’s favorite one is Worthington State Park,” Professor Reynolds said. “New Jersey State Parks are absolutely sensational.”
Located in Wall Township, the closest camp site to the University would be Alliare State Park. The campgrounds have 45 tent as well as trailer sites and four yurts. According to their website, yurts are “circular tents built on a wood frame, featuring wood floors, a deck and plexiglas skylight.” Their website also states the campground has six cabins with a wood stove that can sleep four people. As for the group campsite, the park is open year round. The Allaire State Park campground offers discounts to any New Jersey resident.
The Cheesequake State Park is known for its scenery along the trails as well as being a great campground. A committee known as the New York New Jersey Trail Conference states, “This Park is a botanical preserve comprised mostly of salt marsh, Pine Barrens and mixed oak forest.” The New Jersey State Park website notes there are 53 tent and trailer sites which are accommodated by fire rings and picnic areas. Although the park does not open again until the spring, it is never too early to start planning a camping trip. The Park website also comments on how the Cheesequake State Park does have restrooms as well as portable water.
Another campground Professor Reynolds mentioned was the Bass River State Park, otherwise known as the Bass River State Forest. According to the state’s official Parks and Forests webpage, the Bass River State Forest was the first forest New Jersey preserved for public leisure as well as protected for nature’s sake. Taking up 67 acres in the center of the forest is Lake Absegami. Many use this lake for recreational purposes such as swimming, canoeing, and kayaking.
Unlike a lot of camping sites in New Jersey, Bass River State Park has 176 tent and trailer sites and is also pet friendly. Stateparks.com notes that the State Park has showers, restrooms, and even laundry facilities. Bass River State Park also has six lakeside cabins which can be rented for $65 a night or $455 a week, but these cabins can only be rented from April 1-October 31. Stateparks.com states the cabin’s accommodations are “living room with double-deck bunk and fireplace; two bunk rooms with double-deck bunks; kitchen with running water, electric stove, refrigerator; bathroom with shower, toilet, and sink.” Along with all of these, the cabin includes an outdoor fire ring, screened in porch, and electricity while accommodating a total of six people. For more information, you can call the campground’s number which is 609-296-1114.
From campus, Worthington State Park is about an hour and a half drive heading northwest. According to the division of parks and forestry, the campground is 6,584 acres with over 26 trails, including 7 miles of the renowned Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail continues through two other State Parks and is referred to as Old Mine Road. This trail used to be used to transport copper from the mines to the quarries and is also believed to have been an Indian trail. Stateparks.com writes, “Worthington State Park has 69 tent and trailer sites as well as fire rings and picnic tables.” The park does have restrooms along with showers. The rate for Worthington State Park is $20 per night for campsites and $35 per night for the group campsites.
One of Worthington State Park’s most unique assests is Sunfish Pond, which has been “Millions of years in the making, the pond was carved out by glacial forces during the last ice age,” Stateparks.com added.
If these campgrounds are too far, a close camping option can be found in Freehold, NJ. Known as Turkey Swamp Park, this campground is only open until November 15 according to their brochure, but does reopen on April 1. Also, their brochure states they have 64 wooded campsites throughout the park with fire rings as well as picnic areas.
If instead you feel the opposite and wish to go further, one of the most cherished campgrounds in the country is a mountain range known as the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Ranked the fourth best state park in the nation by adventurejournal. com, the mountain range has been a national park for over 100 years. Unlike many mountain ranges, the Adirondacks do not go in a line but rather form a dome shape. Since it is such a large park, it is hard to pinpoint one great camping site. If you wish to find out more about the Adirondacks, follow visitadirondacks.com for information. Along with camping as an option, the Adirondacks also provide a great whitewater rafting adventure since the Hudson River runs right through the range.
Recently, sophomore Rachel Fox made her first trip to the mountain range and left in awe. “I was truly amazed at how beautiful it was,” Fox continued. “The Adirondacks looked unreal and more as if it were a painting rather than an actual place. It really made me appreciate nature.”
If you are not comfortable with the thought of camping for the first time by yourselves a great option would be to attend one of the Outdoors Club camping trips. While there will not be any more until the spring, there are many seasoned campers in the club that will help you learn the essentials of camping and how to make a fire, pitch a tent, and chop down a tree.
Reynolds agrees that this option would be wise. “I like the people in the club because they are all so accepting of everybody,” Reynolds continued. “Everybody is welcome.” Keep in mind that camping is not for everyone and it is alright to dislike it.
In this technological era, it is refreshing to find a place where all of it can disappear and you can reconnect with nature. All of these campgrounds will allow you to do just that. With the information you have just gained, it is no longer a question of where but instead a question of when.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Lauren Anderson
