Dingmans Campground

I’ve camped all over that area. Dingmans Campground is the best one I’ve stayed at. Right along the river, a lot of different sites, friendly staff, River trips, pretty good camp store, and really really bad cell service. Everything needed for a good camp experience.
The campground is actually on state land so state laws are enforced. A lot of reviews complain about the park rangers and no alcohol allowed. You can drink here but be discrete. Those that are usually busted are the morons who party all night and are complete A-​holes to everyone else around them. I wish the Rangers were actually a bit more visible. Last experience there, I had to deal with previously stated morons and A-​holes. Nice bunch of 20 somethings but a loud.
The river trip Dingmans provides is very leisurely and slow. You will have to paddle but quite beautiful. If you are looking for a more exciting trip, do the Pond Eddy to Matamoras trip.
Fire wood is expensive but convenient.

Its definitely a Car Camping site. Some spots are closer to neighbors than others so you just need to check them out to match your needs. We did not go to the river and were in an RV spot near the front. You can see your neighbors but for the most part at least on our visit the neighbors are respectful.
Extremely friendly staff.
I love that I can bring my dogs without any headache from the staff. We were worried that ours would be the barking ones that some people mentioned but they were well-​behaved and I didn’t hear any others except the occasional one defending their campground when we walked by. Of course we’ve only been once!
Alcohol free which I didn’t mind and didn’t experience any of the drama that some other reviewers had of our stuff being searched.
Very quiet and dark once the sun goes down. Good family camping. I would return.
Tips for future campers. More observations than complaints:
#1 I’d pick up firewood or charcoal before you arrive The firewood sold to us for ~$ 8/​bundle was too green or wet to use and (Our fire did not catch despite trying for an hour to keep it going and we build fires all the time)… apparently that is something they’ve heard before so we were given no apologies. This was really the only annoying thing about our experience and would have been a real drag if everything else hadn’t gone pretty smoothly.
#2 Shoes for the bathrooms… they are super low-​maintenance and even the woman at the front desk advised wearing water shoes in the shower. Plus side there is running hot/​cold water. But the bathrooms were well placed and we had no trouble finding them.
#3 Food supplies. The general store is ok but mostly junk food. A little pricey but that’s to be expected. There is barely anything around there within 30 min drive so make sure you arrive prepared. Especially if you have a long day of hiking behind you because the closest restaurants are 30 minutes away. So unless you feel like taking a pretty but long drive looking for food make sure you are prepared.
#4 If you are cooking at the site bring your own grill top for the fire pit or bring a grill or you can buy one when you get there. The store does have lots of supplies if you forget anything though.
#5 So many great trails in that area! Make sure you pick up the map in the store! Very helpful.
Hope this helps future campers!

I liked this chill campsite where you can bring your dog & just relax. I mentioned it in a camping story I wrote about good places to go near NY:
OFF THE GRID: DINGMAN’S CAMPGROUND, PENNSYLVANIA
The setting: Dingman’s Campground on the Delaware Water Gap in the Poconos. It’s so low-​key that when my phone died two hours after arrival, I didn’t care. The campsites are quiet, clean, and pet-​friendly.
The supplies: Ironically, you can bring your best furry friend, but you can’t bring alcohol, making this a great place to detox. Bring lots of food to ensure maximum meander-​in-​nature time and minimal drive-​to-​the-​deli-​for-​sandwiches time. That said, the general store has decent supplies (bacon, eggs, hot sauce, blankets, ice, firewood), and is a pleasant walk away.
Bring shoes that are easy to take on and off for quick access in and out of tents and to forge tiny streams while hiking. Better yet: Forgo footwear entirely and go «earthing,» which sounds really crunchy but only entails walking around on natural terrain barefoot. Research shows it helps to improve sleep, reduce inflammation, and increase antioxidants. Whatever: It’s supremely relaxing and surprisingly freeing. There are also excellent trees for climbing all around.
Camp attractions: Most campers opt to float down a ten-​mile stretch on the river on kayaks or canoes, a very satisfying activity. When you’re paddling yourself around a body of water, swathed in sunlight with nothing but blue skies above and forest greenery around you, it’s nearly impossible to worry about anything. Except maybe sunburn.

No complaints. Great site, friendly and well stocked store, beautiful river. Coffee in am. The firefly and star show was worth it. You can sense and sometimes hear campers (partying) in the distance. But, hey, it’s car camping. You can also hear the silence of the woods. The sites are really clean and well maintained. The wood was slightly damp, but the day was also very humid. Nearby Dingman’s falls were serene especially on Sunday at 8 am. It was a great getaway from NYC and I’d definitely return. Compared to another campground in this area I visited some years ago, this was way better and private.

This place is a $#!T Hole. They need to update the bathrooms. They have Night Ninja Park Ranger Patrol… they sneak up on you in the woods with no flashlight and nightvision to catch you drinking beer or whatever else you want to do camping just to give you a Ticket to make extra income for their State Park. What a way to chase patrons out! I’m all for removing rowdy drunk people but quiet campers are not the problem. Totally blows. I would never recommend this place or visit again, go to Kittatinny or Jerrys 3 River less than 20 min north on Delware River also.

I’m sad to write this review because I have been to this campground several times and have had enjoyable experiences. This was my first time at Dingmans with a pop-​up and the space provided was VERY close to neighbors on all sides (it was Memorial Day weekend). On previous visits I have seen rangers around several times quieting people after quiet hours. This was not the case on this trip. There was a very large and noisy group next to us keeping us up. The bathrooms could have been cleaner and close to $ 40 for a pop up site is steep. I write this review in the hopes that campground staff will make some changes. I will use this campground again just because the waterfalls and hiking are so amazing.

We came in from NYC Saturday — Monday morning. Camp staff were very friendly and the campground was very clean. We stayed on the river front which has great views of the gap. Will definitely be going back we had a great time.

I had an amazing time with my friends for 2 nights and 2 days. Here’s why:
–the facilities (campground, showers, etc.) were all clean and cared for
–our canoe outing down the Water Gap was extremely pleasant and easy to set up
–the general store staff were extremely friendly: we needed charcoal but couldn’t make it to the store in time, so they left it outside for us, letting us purchase it over the phone
–Ranger Ben put on a fantastic bear show, informing us and the younger members of the audience all about black bears. We even learned how to scare a bear. (I won’t reveal my secrets here; you’ll have to stay here and ask Ranger Ben yourself!)
The campground has a no alcohol policy; however, responsible and discreet adults, I’m sure, will be able to get around this.

I absolutely hated this campground, so I’m giving it 1 star. I realize though that other people may have a different idea of what «camping» is to them and so they might think this place is fine. I’ll just explain my experience and others can decide for themselves what kind of camping experience they’re into.
Basically, if you’re looking for a decently priced, pretty, quiet campground for a relaxing night of sleeping outdoors and listening to nature sounds and campfires crackling, this is NOT the place for you.
If you’re looking for a place to bring a huge group of friends, your loud kids, your obnoxious barking dogs, and your radio to blast your music for all your neighbors to hear, this place will probably be for you — as long as you’re also cool with nasty, muddy bathrooms and camping close to other large groups of people (who are often within spitting distance from you). It’s worth mentioning though that a park ranger seems to circle the campground in a truck nonstop (another annoying thing), so if you’re looking for a full-​fledged drinking party, you’ll definitely have to be discrete.
As for me… the level of noise and the closely crammed campsites was not the experience I wanted, so I ended up leaving (even after paying the hefty $ 35 fee to camp there). Also… I’m not normally one to complain about the bathrooms (I’ve camped at plenty of places without bathrooms or water at all), but if I’m paying that much for a tent camping site… I’d expect the facilities to be clean and well maintained. Otherwise, what the hell is this money being used for?
I just spent a month and a half driving up the East Coast from Texas to Maine, then down to Pennsylvania/​New Jersey. I camped at a different place almost every night and this was the most expensive campsite out of all of them (and surprisingly the crappiest). I asked the people at the check-​in office if they could refund my money since I had just arrived and paid about an hour prior, but they said no — no refunds! I spent another hour sitting in my hammock tent wondering if I could tough it out since I had already spent the money, but I was miserable and wasn’t going to get any sleep at all (especially with the constant noise of the barking dogs next to me), so I packed up and left to go camp in a friend’s friend’s backyard. I was definitely glad I did.
The only thing this place has going for it is that it’s in the Delaware Water Gap, which is a pretty area to explore.

Dingmans is a decent campground.
As with any campground, your stay is often as good as the other people there. Who is camping, is a random thing.
Sometimes groups are loud and keep you up. Sometimes you are loud and keep others up.
If you rent boats, you can get a ride up river and then make your way down the water gap back to the campsite. That is a pretty good reason to use Dingmans.
Sites are ok. Some sites are somewhat far from the showers.

Staff was very friendly, they had activities (volleyball, horseshoes, a field to run around in) for kids. The location is perfect. There are a ton of trails and falls, scenic overlooks, etc nearby. They rent canoes I believe, but we didn’t do that (though there are places to launch from, some of the other guests had brought kayaks).
The campsites are well maintained, but a bit close together. Maybe a bit pricey for the amount of space/​privacy you get. The sites on the river, where my son and I stayed, are really nice.
My biggest qualm was that the staff didn’t have enough «gusto» to quiet down the young couples and groups around who wanted to stay up late having loud conversations. I felt bad that I was the only one there with a kid who wanted to sleep (around 11 pm, he’s 4 so his bedtime is usually 8), but to the other guests’ credit, when I politely asked that they keep it down a bit they did, so it wasn’t a huge problem.
So the pluses are that there are tons of things to do during the day, staff was friendly, the sites, during the day, offer a decent amount of privacy and the river-​side sites are beautiful. Cons are that either a) if you’re there with your kids it might be too loud at night or b) if you’re there with friends some old killjoy like me will wander over with a flashlight and request that you keep it down. But overall a great time was had by all.

The locations is great in terms of the proximity to NJ & NYC metro area.
The grounds are well maintained, the store carries a good amount of food/​supplies, and the people are nice.
The campsites are on the small side, but still pretty comfortable for 4 people. I’m sure it’s more crowded in the summer. We didn’t see many rangers, but we had alcohol in containers. Obviously don’t leave beer cans out in the open.
Overall great experience, if you are looking for a nice place for car camping.

Off season, Last minute campers, drove in from Hoboken NJ to get away from the city for the weekend. Found the location on Google and took a chance as it was one of the few if not only campgounds in the Gap that are open year round. I have been to over a dozen parks all over the country and this place was one of the nicest privatly run facilities.
We pulled in late on a friday. The gate was open yet the office was closed, although we didn’t find that strange as it was off season. The sign said set up and find us in the morning, Easy enough as its common practice in the national parks. So we picked our own wooded site, all of the sites we passed were well spread apart and unique if you want to feel distance from your neighbors there are plenty of sites to choose from, and none were to far from the bathhouses (also very clean and well kept w/​free hot showers) While setting up we were greeted by the owner Walt who was very pleased to have us. He kindly offered to Drop of some fire wood, told us to enjoy our night and would catch up with us in the morning. The honer system alone made us feel very welcome.
Met up with Walt the owner in the general store/​office the following morning. The store is well setup with everything you need while you stay and a beyond. You quickly got a real sense of the care and attention to detail Walt takes in running the campground. Very friendly and accommodating.
To simplify this place is
Highly recommended !!!
Great location within the water gap. Easy access from north or south.
Huge choice of tent sites. We will stay next to the water next time.
RV sites with hookups.
Clean well working bathhouses.
Close proximity to Falls and trails.
The type of place you will want to return.
As far as the alcohol is concerned its a gov. enforced rule and it may be a deal breaker for some but if you can go without or keep it on the DL which I don’t recommend based on the others experience with the rangers you will enjoy yourself.

me: «what’s it called?
Rob: Dingman’s Ferry»
me: «huh?»
rob: «dingmans»
me: «digmans?»
rob: «DING-​MANS»
me «dingers?»
rob: «no dingmans»
me: :dingleberries?“
rob: «yes, dingleberries Danica»
hahah this was the conversation my husband and i had on the way up. so from now until forever Dingman’s will be known as Dingleberries in our book.
We ended up at dingleberries because our usual spot doesnt’t allow dogs anymore. That last place was on the delaware gap and well, we thought that was a pretty sweet deal. Dingleberries is also on the gap, SCORE!
We had site 120, right on the gap, close to the horseshoes, volleyball and open field great for activities. the portapotties (which had ample toiletries and a sink with pump water) were nearby also.
We had a nice view of the river, too bad it got freezing. Might be nice in the summer though.
We brought our dog, staff was friendly, neighbors were friendly, they were older men and offered us stew upon arrival since we arrived right before it was getting dark. Sites were close and you could hear your neighbors but if you want peace and serenity go wilderness camping!
Only complaint, wood was wet. Took forever to get a decent fire started, My husband was hacking away trying to make kindle and it just wouldn’t take for almost 2 hours. Our friends even bought more wood but it was all the same.
And although Dingleberries is almost 2 hours from our front door, We will go back

I would come back, for sure. My long term boyfriend and I are late twenties/​early thirties and just back to NYC after a 3 day, 4 night stay at Dingmans. It was a short ride on NJ Transit + 1.5 hr rental car drive away and every bit as restful as we’d hoped.
I had been calling the few days up to our arrival to check on the status of the Delaware River after Hurricane Irene — the very friendly staff was in touch with the Park Rangers to ensure the the River Trips they run would be on — and assured me I could receive credit for the pre-​paid stay if the River was deemed too high for kayaking after all.
We arrived on Friday night and were thrilled to find on site firewood for cheap so we could pitch our tent and get the fire going before dark. The general store was well stocked and the staff member I’d been in touch with by phone even remembered my name. We were greeted with stern, but friendly instructions on the dos and don’ts of the campground. We were disappointed to hear that alcohol wasn’t allowed, but had been warned when making the reservation ahead of time so were prepared for this news. In a state park this is to be expected — No one, however, checked our car to make sure we didn’t have a nonchalant bottle of wine or two in the trunk.
The wooded sites with water and electric hook-​ups are on the smaller side, are closer to the road and therefore pedestrian and other traffic are more noticed. We stayed at one of the larger campsites without hook-​up, which was well set back from the road. While the mosquitoes were vicious at times, and while on Friday and Saturday nights we were aware of other campers, we were not bothered by them or visited by Park Rangers. Sunday and Monday nights were particularly nice because it felt as if we were the only ones there — the grounds emptied out significantly.
Water spigots are located near the bath-​houses, which my partner (a male) reports to have been spotless, while the one I frequented left a bit to be desired, but had most of the basics — and very hot water!
On Day 1 we hiked the trails around the campsite, Day 2 did the River Trip from Milford on kayaks (beautifully peaceful), and Day 3 drove south toward Culver Lake and hiked the Appalachian Trail to a look out tower and back — a good 4 hour hike.
For those looking to play music, loud games, or party with alcohol, this is not your site. If you’re looking for a calm, quite, well maintained campground with activities for kids and adults alike, this is your spot. Even though I’m in NYC and could easily pick a spot in the Catskills or Adirondacks, I’m happy to report that Dingmans at the Delaware Water Gap Recreational Area left little to be desired.

This place is one of the best campgrounds I’ve been to in years. Great campsites, great staff, great facilities, great location.
We came up for a weekend campout, got there pretty late (9:30) and had no problem checking in. Our site was really good: two flat places for tents, secluded enough even on a busy summer weekend, not muddy. We walked through most of the camp over the course of the weekend and I was checking out other sites because we already knew we’d be coming back; I didn’t see any that were obviously bad sites. We were at #34 which was great – there’s a fairly secluded loop there which is closer to the road, but away from the rest of camp. Otherwise, the clear prime real estate is the sites by the river… but I would avoid the ones right next to the river access because it will be loud all day.
If I have one gripe it’s that the fire pits are kind of small… basically oil drum size, so even some of their own pre-​chopped firewood is too wide to fit very well.
The bathrooms were very clean, had plenty of hot water and TP; the store had a surprising supply of useful stuff and the prices weren’t gouging. We also went canoeing with them, which was amazingly convenient: go park next to the store, they take you up the river and you wind up right back at the camp next to your car.
The no alcohol thing gets a bad rap here, but it’s part of a general vibe of clean and friendly. If you were the kind of person who really wanted to drink, I feel quite confident that with a cup or water bottle and the sense of a 12 year old you could manage to have a good time while not disturbing anyone else.
Did I mention that it’s beautiful, and the stars are amazing? There’s a huge field down by the river, we had clear nights and the milky way was amazing, shooting stars every few minutes. If this isn’t nice, what is?

It is a pretty place, beautifully laid out and maintained, but when it comes to other things to call it as a campground, this is one of the worst campgrounds around I went to. It should be called a military rule ground. I went here with a bunch of friends to have a good time, and when I am saying a good time… that doesn’t mean partying and getting wasted. First they didn’t give us enough parking, half of our friend had to parking all the way in the front and walk down even after we had 2 campsites booked. And our campsites were in the extreme end so it was quite a long walk.
The first night we got there late as we left friday after work and at 10 pm, the park patrol came and warned us to be quiet because we were just talking to each other inside our tents going to bed, which felt awkward.
The next day comes, we all woke up late… and setup the campsite for grilling our food for lunch and all. We all went to play volleyball in the after noon and then we all went hiking at a nearby spot… BTW the hiking trail near this campground is truly amazing.
By evening we fire up our grills for cooking food and playing card games, All of sudden the park rangers come looking for us, specifically our campsite, so as their duty they took away the alcohol kept there, which was not even opened at all, coz we realized the no alcohol policy there. We were just still cooking and eating our food, and we get fined by them as well. I wouldn’t say it was a bad thing, but atleast the park patrol could have gave a heads up instead of sending rangers straight to us.
We didn’t had any music blasting or nothing, our campsite was so far in the end, we were not even bothering any neighboring sites as behind our site was deep woods we were in the extreme end
They should either turn this place into purely a summer camp place for kids or shut it off, this place is not good to go with friend at all even if your are not drinking.
Adults with friends… stay away!!!
Families with kids… ok spot

It is a BEAUTIFUL campground in an extraordinary area of the Upper Delaware Highlands with amazing lush views.
What else can you ask for?

My partner and I have been camping at Dingman’s twice a year for the last 5.
We have never seen a park ranger or met an employee on the grounds, (especially invading our campsite). The staff has always been helpful with advice on local hikes and river activities.
We always camp on the river and it’s very quiet there. The sites are a little close but I have never had a loud neighbor and we usually stay up late at night partying quietly.
Sometimes the group campers can be rowdy, but never for long and the spots we pick are far away from the group sites anyway.
SOME TIPS FOR THOSE WHO POSTED EARLIER…
1. Put the kids to bed early.
2. Learn how to quiet your dog. (most well trained dogs know how to stop barking if you have raised them well). leave them home if this is not possible.
3. HIDE your alcohol and pour it in a cup, dummy. Don’t get hammered and start yelling like a frat boy.
4. Try to take in every hike you can. there are some amazing swimming holes around.
5. NOBODY LIKES YOUR MUSIC. turn it down or off and listen to the frogs and crickets.
6. Book in advance. I mean weeks in advance.
BTW, we usually like truly primitive camping. Does anyone know of a primitive site that is remote where you can bring a dog and build a fire?
I miss camping in other areas of the U.S. where this is possible and the nearest neighbor is mile away. We live in NYC and like to camp no more than 3 hours away.
Have fun!

This had to be the worst camping experience ever (thanks to this facility and staff).
The Space aka cubicles:
the lots are separated by a thin line of trees (if you are lucky)
some are only separated by logs to make boundaries
Tents are practically on top of each other and the grounds are really small.
the good spots (by the water) are spaced out a bit better, but the water is filled with rocks and shallow.
Either way, it doesn’t matter. The grounds are so small and laid out so poorly, you can hear your tent neighbor’s conversations.
The Staff:
So, when my boyfriend and I got to the campgrounds, we were so excited to get away from the city and start our wilderness adventure (despite the crappy grounds) we didn’t read the rules and didnt see the signs saying «no alcohol». (sorry).
Within seconds of unpacking the beer, the staff came over and told us that there was no alcohol permitted. I apologized and said I didn’t know and then he said…
«So, you couldnt see the signs right when you came in that said no alcohol, or was it the rules that you couldn’t read. I am going to be nice and not make you pour it out just as long as you put it back in the car and you better do that because i am coming back with a ranger tonight.»
This… was something that pissed us off. 1. if we KNEW it was not okay, would we have put it out on the picnic table in clear view of the road and the camp staff’s house cabin? 2. Freaking rude… last thing he needed to do was insult my intelligence and talking to me like i was 5…
to add insult to injury…
Late at night (about 2am) the same staff (Aussie accent), HAD ABOUT 10 of his friends being rowdy and SMOKING POT. Apparently drinking is not okay but smoking pot is…
what he should have been doing was telling the arguing couple that swearing up a storm to be quiet in the hours past midnight and the families with dogs who couldn’t stop barking… to the point that by 7 am the dog’s voice was hoarse.
DO yourself a favor and DO NOT go here unless you are desperate and forgot to book a campground 2 days in advance.
The only positive to this campground is that:
1. You can walk-​in and probably still get a spot the day of.
2. It is the only campground within the Delaware water gap
3. the bathrooms are somewhat clean.