Ocean County is located in southern New Jersey on the shore. It has several state parks, forests and popular beaches. Tourist attractions, like Six Flags Great Adventure are also located in this area making it a prime area for vacationing and camping in the summer. Ocean County has a small handful of State Parks that are open from dawn to dusk. Some of the state parks have campgrounds within them and others are closed off to the public in the evening.
Allaire State Park
This state park is best known for its 19th-century iron making town, Allaire Village and the antique steam trains on the Pine Creek Railroad. Allaire State Park offers a network of trails for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders as well as fishing and hunting in certain areas of the park. The campground portion offers 45 tent and trailer sites with fire rings and picnic tables.
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
The site of this state park is on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County. It's known for bird watching, many species of birds can be observed during spring and fall migrations. It also has the Maritime Forest Trail, which is a 1/5-mile long loop through one of the last maritime forests in New Jersey. This park is open from 8 am to 10 pm all year long. While there is no camping in Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, there are several campgrounds located just minutes from the area.
Bass River State Forest
This forest is used for public recreation and has a 67-acre man made lake in the centre that provides an area for swimming and a peaceful setting for boating and canoeing. There are 176 tent and trailer sites with fire rings and picnic tables in the forest. While swimming and boating are the most popular activities to do, there are also eight easy walking trails that range from 1 to 3.2 miles long.
Double Trouble State Park
This park is known for its example of the Pine Barrens ecosystem. It has a large resource base that offers an opportunity to introduce visitors to southern New Jersey's natural and cultural heritage. Cedar Creek Campground is located within this state park and offers guests the opportunity to rent canoes and explore the Pine Barren area from the creek. Trips ranging from one to six hours are available on the creek in a canoe.
Island Beach State Park
Island Beach State Park is a narrow barrier island with white sandy beaches and sand dunes stretching for miles. It contains outstanding examples of plant communities and offers recreational activities such as hiking, picnicking, swimming, fishing and hunting. Day permits are necessary for this State Park and you are only allowed to camp overnight on the beach if you are fishing and have a buggy permit from the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association.
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