What a great weekend at Stokes! My boyfriend and I camped for 2 nights at Shotwell campsite this past weekend. We had a great site (103) it was private but close enough to walk to the bathrooms when we needed to.We set up our ten on the raised platform and had no problems with mud or bugs (it did rain a bit at night). We were able to cook all our food on grill that was attached to the fire ring. Although there were no showers at the Shotwell site, we drove over to Stony Lake and used the showers there. They had great water pressure.We went for a drive to a local winery called Westfall on the recommendation of one of the park employees. We lucked out, because it was Oktoberfest there. The cost for entrance was $5, and we enjoyed free wine tasting, free hamburgers and hotdogs and they had a live band. We had a great afternoon there.Overall we had a great weekend. Next time we will be doing some more hiking, as there are many trails in the park. p.s. Take a drive up to Sunrise Mountain and then walk to the pavilion, you won't be disappointed with the views...
When choosing a campground, being able to relax in the peace and quiet of nature is my main goal. Camping at Stokes for the first time, I was nervous to be stuck next to rowdy neighbors or cramped in too closely with others. My husband and I chose the more rustic Steam Mill campground and selected site #209. Could not have been happier with our choice! The site was tucked away from the road with a comfortable buffer of trees between us and our neighbors. Other campers were quiet and respectful. We made full use of the fire pit's built-in grill. The bathroom was very basic, just a pit toilet with no sink or running water or lights, and it was in bad need of de-cobwebbing, but it didn't phase us. We did a couple nice hikes within Stokes during our stay. The Tillman Ravine trail is supposed to be a loop, though we wandered off the loop in spite of trying to follow the trail markers and ended up at an old cemetery. Never did find the other part of the trail, but at least we eventually found our way back to our car!
The trees, the trails, the woods...makes you forget you are in New Jersey. Took a hike from the side of the park that does not enter the park. We hiked up 3.5 miles of the 7 mine road to the top and saw an awesome view of mountains and valley. Hiked back down and then drove the road out stopping at the other scenic over pass..
We camped at steam mill because we wanted to feel far away from anyone. I think we were the only ones there. There was a creek behind our site and just woods. A truly great campsite. The pit toilets are gross and smelly so be prepared for that. The drinking water is delicious. There are many miles of beautiful hikes. Unfortunately didn't see any bears. We will definitely return because there was so much left to explore.
Really nice cabins to rent. Fireplaces, refrigerator, stove, bunk beds, etc. outdoor fire put, grill, picnic table. Have to reserve a year in advance. I walked around and saw tent camping and smaller cabins near the lake. Nearby you can drive to waterfalls and beautiful scenic overlooks. Wonderful area, clean, quiet, peaceful and totally in the woods. Space farms is nearby, which is a good attraction for families. I believe there is no fee to just hike or enjoy the lake and trails. Camping of course has a fee.
We stayed in the Steammill campground over the July 4th weekend and were sad to leave! Our site (T216) was set back from the road and backed up to a really lovely wooded area with a creek running through it. The sites on that side of the road were spread out and felt very private - there were people on both sides of us but we could hardly see them. We drove through the other camping areas in the park and Steammill seemed to be the most secluded and had the best nature (Oquittunk area was really nice, too) - for us, it was worth not having easy access to flush toilets and showers. Our only complaint was that the camping area was a little tricky to get to and the roads were not well marked. We arrived after the park office was closed (I'm sure they'd have given us directions to the camping area otherwise), and fortunately they had brochures out front with maps, or we'd have never made it to the site. Just something to keep in mind if you will be arriving after the office closes at 4pm. We didn't explore Stokes much beyond our camping area because the weekend entry fee (for anything accessed through the main entry) is a little pricey for out-of-staters ($20/day). Raymondskill Falls, Dingmans Falls, and Childs' Park were all great for free hiking, though, and there were several free hiking paths in/around the Steammill camping area.
We enjoyed our 2 night stay at steam mill camp site in states state forest. Perfect site for camping in woods. A small creek runs by the campsite which was beautiful. I wish we could have stayed more. We will definitely come back.
The hike was fun and I loved the scenic overlook. Though we got lost the map isn't that reliable I still had a great time
Whether you like camping, fishing, hunting or picnics, this park has everything for you! Go to the waterfalls at buttermilk or enjoy either of the two lakes. The hikes are great for all levels of ability and fitness. Fishing is good both in lakes and the streams (reel and fly fishing). Good places to go eat lunch or dinner around here. If you like camping, you have your choice of great sites regardless of where you decide to set up a tent. We come here almost every month of the year and always find something interesting to do.
We had a great time camping at Stokes. Good time with family and friends. Looking forward to next year !