Re: Round valley camping

[yumasdad]

I have been wanting to fish RVR but live about as far NORTH in NJ as possible (2 or 3 Ryan Leaf passes to NY line) so was thinking about doing an over night camping trip with my boat. Any suggestions as to good camping site #'s which offers a good shore line area to beach boat. Would prefer someplace not too far away from the parking lot so I can make am run for more herring @ bait shop.

I hear that the sites should be reserved in advance as they fill up quick when the weather is good.

Appreciate any input.

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by yumasdad

I have been wanting to fish RVR but live about as far NORTH in NJ as possible (2 or 3 Ryan Leaf passes to NY line) so was thinking about doing an over night camping trip with my boat. Any suggestions as to good camping site #'s which offers a good shore line area to beach boat. Would prefer someplace not too far away from the parking lot so I can make am run for more herring @ bait shop.

I hear that the sites should be reserved in advance as they fill up quick when the weather is good.

Appreciate any input.

All the campsites are as far away from the lot as can be.
You'll have to boat it to the lot and then the bait store.
http://www.reserveamerica.com/campin...&parkId=670044

[FASTEDDIE29]

RV is a great place to camp but once your there you can't leave once they lock the gates at the main entrance. Its a nice dark campground and the noises you hear at night are AWESOME! Pulling up to your camp by boat or hiking in is great. I miss my 9.9 engine all because of the great camping and fishing memories I have at RV. Actually my 9.9 blew up on RV! LOL, good times! The tackle shop is right around the corner from one of NJ's finest reservoirs.

[Bruce Litton]

Go for it, even if getting bait complicates. I've done it only once, in 1978, but the memories are forever. Every time I witness, think of, or am reminded of camping at RV--as you've reminded me--I am deeply grateful that the camping remains, something stable and down-to-earth in this runaway society that seems in some ways to go nowhere fast.

[Trevordog]

I have camped there many times. Night fishing is great, campsites are large enough to accommodate tent and gear but still remain wilderness. There are fire pits at each site. If you go on a weekend or holiday, it can get crowded. You will not see your neighbors, but you may hear them if they are a bit rowdy. I usually stay between site 69 - 76. Water sites are beautiful with unobstructed view of reservoir. Very easy to pull your boat up to sites. You may have to watch some of the rocks on the shoreline when pulling up depending on water level. These sites also give you closest shot to the public launch. We leave one car parked at the public launch just in case we need to get out in the middle of the night or early morning bait run. Behre Bait and Tackle is very close and they are the best around! I take my kids (7,8, and 9) and they have a blast. I highly recommend it!!

View from our campsite
[IMG][/IMG]

Campground map
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandf...letterpage.pdf

[huntcountypussbuck]

RV is great camping. Been many good times since the 1980's. Just be careful of the winds that can and WILL kick up when you least expect it. Make sure you have an anchor so that if you have to you can anchor off the shore somewhat. I had a hole eaten into the hull on the old arkansas traveler fiberglass boat on the rocks one time. Trevordog is right on with the campsite numbers. RV is not a nice as it used to be as almost no rangers patrol. People do whatever they want at the campsites with no enforcement. The campers parking \ main entrance is locked at night after hours but they give you the combo to the lock if you need to get out. Fishing is good as you can get out early and fish at night. Shore fish for some S \ L mouths as well. Great sunsets.

[yumasdad]

Thanks for the helpful feedback. I did fish RVR once in an all electric boat 25 years ago-learned the hard way that that you do need a gas motor there to get in to shore quick if a storm rolls in. (which man did it ever roll in). Nothing like RVR in the state.

Really looking forward to going for a w/e camping trip there real soon if this dam wind stops howling already!

[briansnat]

As others said, it's a great place to camp. Unlike most public campgrounds, the sites are nicely spread out so your neighbors are not on top of you. The sites are fairly primitive. Fire ring and that's all, though several have picnic tables they are in the vast minority. If you go by boat you must take a water site, they don't allow boaters to talk off water sites, and the water sites go pretty fast.

The sites are all on the opposite side of the reservoir. The group sites (1-7, I think) are closest distance wise to the launch and are an option if you are going with a large party of campers.

A few years ago my ex-wife and I visited almost every water site that wasn't occupied. It was mid week when most weren't . Such as distance from water (closer was better), view from the site. If there was a beach type area, flattness, size, exposure to sun (my ex felt that was important as she like to soak up the rays), dampness, bugginess and a sizeable "beach area". We made a list of 5 prime spots, about a dozen very good sites, about 10 no-go and the rest were OK. The no-go were soggy, dark and buggy with little flat ground.

I'll look around for the list. I ain't giving out the primo or very good list because it seems others have also flagged them as desirable and they are hard to come by. Don't need more competition. I will be happy to share my no-go sites tho.

One consideration is how to handle your boat on the rocky shore while you are in camp. It can get rough quickly. One time I had it pulled partly up on the beach and the waves were breaking over the transom and filling the boat. And it can get pounded on the rocks too. I've taken to double anchoring, bow out just away from shore. About 50 feet from shore I drop the front anchor and back in until the stern is in about thigh deep water and drop the stern anchor straight down. That way the boat rides the waves nicely even if it gets really windy and you can still access the boat easily. If you have a boat that is small enough to pull all the way up on the beach, that can work, but beware, if the wind is right and a storm hits, that beach can disappear under waves in an instant. We almost lost a canoe that way. Had to go out in the storm to pull the canoe up into the campsite or it would have washed away.

One problem since they switched to Reserve America is that you have to book for two nights on a weekend and must check in before 5:00. For us working folk it's hard to get here by 5 on Friday to check in so we wind up booking for 2 nights and only using one. I'm sure a lot of people do that.