Round Valley Recreation Area

This is New Jersey wilderness camping at its best.

The brisk blue waters of Round Valley Reservoir attract swimmers, boaters, anglers, picnickers and campers to its scenic shore.

Trails are open to mountain bikers, horseback riders and hikers. Cross-country skiers and sledding enthusiasts congregate at Round Valley in the winter months.

Round Valley is one of the few New Jersey state parks to offer wilderness camping. The campsites on the eastern side of the reservoir are accessible only by hiking or boating.

The campers' parking lot is three miles away from the nearest site, which is reached by a steep and rugged trail. Camping is available from April 1 through Oct. 31.

The Round Valley Reservoir swimming area was created by an earth dam built across a narrow waterway on the west side of the reservoir, separating it from the main part of the reservoir. The reservoir covers 2,350 acres and is more than 180 feet deep, making it one of the deepest reservoirs in New Jersey.

It is stocked with brown and rainbow trout. Ice fishing is popular in winter.