Camping in New Jersey: Best Months, Booking and Fire Rules
Across New Jersey's 3 NOAA reference stations, camping weather is mild from April to June and from August to October, with average highs of 63 to 85 F and lows of 43 to 66 F. Nights at or below freezing show up from October to April, most often in January, when they average 23.6 a month. State park sites are booked through NJ State Park Service camping reservations, up to eleven months ahead.
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The best months for camping in New Jersey
By NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, camping weather in New Jersey is mild April to June and August to October. Pick the station nearest your campground below; high ground runs colder than any station.
- Jan41° / 25°Freezing nights
- Feb44° / 26°Freezing nights
- Mar52° / 33°Freezing nights
- Apr63° / 43°Freezing nights
- May73° / 52°Mild
- Jun82° / 62°Mild
- Jul87° / 68°Hot
- Aug85° / 66°Mild
- Sep78° / 59°Mild
- Oct67° / 47°Freezing nights
- Nov56° / 37°Freezing nights
- Dec46° / 30°Freezing nights
Each month shows the average high and low across the state’s reference stations, in F. Mild means an average high of 60 to 85 F with lows of 40 F or more. Freezing nights means the stations average one or more nights a month at or below 32 F.
Atlantic Cityelevation 60 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43 F | 25 F | 23.6 |
| February | 46 F | 26 F | 21.5 |
| March | 53 F | 33 F | 16.6 |
| April (mild) | 63 F | 42 F | 4.8 |
| May (mild) | 73 F | 51 F | 0.2 |
| June (mild) | 82 F | 61 F | 0 |
| July | 87 F | 67 F | 0 |
| August (mild) | 85 F | 65 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 79 F | 58 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 68 F | 46 F | 1.8 |
| November | 57 F | 37 F | 11.4 |
| December | 48 F | 29 F | 21.4 |
Newarkelevation 7 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40 F | 26 F | 22.6 |
| February | 43 F | 27 F | 20 |
| March | 51 F | 34 F | 12.4 |
| April (mild) | 63 F | 44 F | 1.2 |
| May (mild) | 73 F | 54 F | 0 |
| June (mild) | 82 F | 64 F | 0 |
| July | 87 F | 69 F | 0 |
| August (mild) | 85 F | 68 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 78 F | 61 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 66 F | 49 F | 0.1 |
| November | 55 F | 39 F | 6 |
| December | 45 F | 31 F | 17.5 |
Trentonelevation 184 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40 F | 24 F | 24.6 |
| February | 43 F | 26 F | 22.1 |
| March | 51 F | 33 F | 15.4 |
| April (mild) | 63 F | 42 F | 2.6 |
| May (mild) | 72 F | 52 F | 0.1 |
| June (mild) | 81 F | 61 F | 0 |
| July | 86 F | 67 F | 0 |
| August (mild) | 84 F | 65 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 77 F | 58 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 66 F | 46 F | 1.2 |
| November | 55 F | 36 F | 9.6 |
| December | 44 F | 29 F | 21.5 |
How to book a state park campsite in New Jersey
New Jersey State Park Service (Department of Environmental Protection) takes reservations through NJ State Park Service camping reservations. The longest advance booking its page states is eleven months.
How far ahead you can book
Applications shall be accepted up to 11 months in advance of the reservation start date.NJ Department of Environmental Protection, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Cancellations
A minimum 24-hour notice for the cancellation of a reservation is required in order to receive a refund.NJ Department of Environmental Protection, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Quoted from New Jersey State Park Service (Department of Environmental Protection) pages read October 18, 2026. Windows and fees change, so confirm on the booking site.
Campfires when you camp in New Jersey
Campfires in state parks and forests
A person shall not start or maintain any open fire except for small handwarming fires in areas designated for ice fishing under N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.18(e), on any lands or frozen waters under the jurisdiction of the State Park Service unless specific approval is given by the Superintendent or designee.NJ Department of Environmental Protection, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Where fire restrictions are posted
All types of fire may be prohibited during periods of high forest fire danger, as determined by the State Forest Fire Warden or by Executive Order of the Governor.NJ Department of Environmental Protection, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Current restrictions: New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
New Jersey camping questions
Camping in other states
Where this page’s facts come from
- State park, forestry and federal land pages (read October 18, 2026). Booking windows, reservation systems, campfire rules, fire restriction sources and rules for camping outside a campground, each quoted word for word with a link to the page it came from.
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020 (read October 18, 2026). Average monthly high, low and nights at or below 32 F at 150 reference stations, the same stations the heat season and heating season pages use.
- National Weather Service alerts (live, read in your browser when the page loads). Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Fire Warnings, Freeze Warnings and High Wind Warnings, read live from api.weather.gov.
- National Weather Service 7 day forecast (live, read in your browser when the page loads). The weekend forecast for the ZIP code a visitor enters, read live from api.weather.gov.
Climate figures are NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals at 3 reference stations in New Jersey. Rules are quoted from agency pages and can change.