Willow Pond Camp

We stayed at Willow Pond CG on our way to NY and again on the way back. It was pretty cold, and bare, but we were the only ones there. The only troubles we had were finding the CG and paying for it! No one actually knew where it was at the Front Gate or the Police Station. We had to bumble around and find it on our own in the dark. It's located at Willow Loop and 8th, and there is no sign to point the way. The sites are lined up along 8th street separated by trees. There is a bathroom at one end, but it was locked up. The park located beside the CG is very nice. Playground, basketball courts, and tennis courts are situated on Willow Lake. I discovered upon trying to take a walk around the CG and park that the Canada Geese have pooped everywhere. It was a terrible mess. They do have a compression gun to scare them away that went off every now and then, but they were always around honking away. The airplanes were noisy, but stopped flying before we went to bed. We found all the air pumps at the gas stations on Ft. Dix and MaGuire AFB to be faulty and we couldn't air up our tires. Had to go to Firestone, which happens to be there on Ft. Dix. I agree with the previous review that this place is overpriced, but since there are no other CG's open in the winter we were glad it was there.

It’s a nice place for the money. Food and the PX are close. The only down side is the constant aircraft noise. I enjoyed it because it felt like Afghanistan again but some will find it to be a burden. The bathrooms were open but not very clean. There is no sewer lines so you have to haul your waste via a cart or hook up and move over there every time you’re full. That’s a huge downside. The barracks behind it can get noisy during weekend drill, but that’s ok Soldiers are enjoying their time together. All in all we’re going to stay here for a month in the summer. Can’t be that bad.

This is now Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst. A very large base with many gates. If you have a site number, unhook and then check in at Outdoor Rec. Directions to famcamp from Route 68 Gate - after entering gate go around traffic circle and take first right onto 4th St. At first stop light/dead end take right onto New Jersey Ave. Take first left after church onto 8th St. Go approx 1 mile (past Firestation and VA clinic) and around curve (you will see campground on your left behind trees), taking left onto Willow Pond to site. Directions from Route 545 (Brown Mills Gate, on southside of base) - inside gate street turns into Texas Ave. At first stop light, take left onto 8th St. Take first right onto Willow Pond to site. Do NOT use Route 545/Wrightstown Gate(northside of the base only) coming into or out of the base in your rv. This gate has a 6000 pound limit and a 13'0" height restriction. If using this gate in your vehicle, once through gate take 2nd exit (Texas Ave) on the traffic circle. After passing Burger King/Express Station on the right, turn right at the 2nd traffic light onto 8th St. Take 1st right to Willow Pond. To Outdoor Rec from fampcamp - exit famcamp turning right onto 8th St. Approximately 1 mile (passing VA Clinic and Firestation)take a left onto Doughboy Loop. Passing Red Cross and pool, Outdoor Rec will be on your left. The ITT Office and Equipment Resource Center are in the same building. Yes, there are only 8 sites, but they do take reservations. Reservations are nice so you don't have to make the drive if there are no openings. Sites are decent with gravel pads but only 30A and water. We were here only for 4 nights, so not having sewer was not an issue for us and will use the dump station on the way out. Bring your water filter as they have problems with rusty water. Older restrooms, but no shower house or laundry. Very nice PX and Commissary! For $20/night we were happy with the sites for the security and distance to Philadelphia, Atlantic City and some sightseeing around the state. Some neighbors were active duty waiting for housing and were very friendly and helpful, others were here just for a few nights as we were.

D.R. left this review using the Directory software: First time staying at a military RV park. Nice little park. No homesteaders, clean restrooms, and a dump station right next to campground. Excellent Post Exchange. Nice pool on base although didn't use it. The office where you check in is next to the bowling alley, they also had a miniature golf course there. Quaint town 11 miles off base, Bordentown where we had an excellent meal if a little pricey at Marcello's restaurant.

After reading some of the reviews, I agree with some of them. There needs to be a laundry room, some kind of showers and sewer sites on the Willow Pond sites. They also might want to look into putting a host site on both Willow Pond and Range 14. So as for those that have some issues with these campgrounds. Just enjoy the campground and the views that are available to all. Have fun.

The scenery in front of this campground can be picturesque although noisy due to location (near barracks and main road just behind sites). New D-Fac (that is chow-hall for old timers) being built next to the bathroom facility. I figured after the D-Fac Construction, they might clean up the campground area. Most campers are staying long term and keep place dusty since they seem to drive in and out of the unpaved dirt road in front of the sites.. Stayed during Labor day weekend so no troop movement. Bathroom was closed, no shower facilities, although Mr. Bob was available. Cannot expect too much from this campground but rental is available for kayaks and equipment at the MWR, just have to drive a mile. Fort Dix has a few good sites where they could have constructed better campgrounds and attracted campers whom would not mind paying.

Two separate sites are available at Ft Dix; 7 spaces on the main post next to Willow Pond and 12 more spaces a few miles east at Range 14 (Rod & Gun Club). All spaces are on grass or gravel with water and 20/30 amp electric; a dump station is located at the Willow Pond site. These aren't RV resorts; there's no laundry, showers, or camp office. But the area is clean and pretty, with all the facilities of Ft Dix and McGuire AFB nearby. The Range 14 sites get noisy on weekends when the skeet shooters are firing, and $20 per night seems pricey considering the amenities, but otherwise we enjoyed the camps at Ft Dix.

The RV park is small but useful and in a good area. There are only 8 spots all of which are big rig friendly. The only thing is that you need to back it in. All spots are gravel with water and electric (30 amp) service and fairly level. There is a dump station at the entrance of the park. The pond area is OK but there's a nice little park right next to it. There's also a small dock to do some fishing off of. The bathroom looks a bit run down and is currently closed due to the season (according to the sign posted). Overall, we found the RV park a small but nice area to do some over night or weekend camping. Lastly, the location is pretty good since the AF base and Army post have everything one needs for the trip.

This was my first camping trip in my RV. I needed a test trip to see what I didn’t think of when outfitting my rig. I’ve been RV’ing with family so I’m familiar with campground etiquette.
Getting the reservation was easy enough, over the phone. When I stopped by to pick up my receipt I wasn’t given any type of briefing or list of rules, just a spot number. The area was in a nice spot along side Willow Pond, more like a lake then a pond. It has a small play ground and pavilion open to all, All-in-all plenty of space. The BX/Commissary is not quite walking distance but close by. The shoppette/Class 6, gas station and a Burger King are all in the same area. The pad was gravel and level with 30 and 20 amp service shared with adjacent site. Each site had its own water and there was a dump station at the entrance of the camp area. There was a toilet facility but no showers (you could always go to the gym to shower). There was plenty of space between each site but it was obvious guests were parking in that area instead of in front or in the parking lot. I had a rut running right in front of my door. If a picnic tables were installed that would block vehicles from parking on the side. There was several extended stay guests, one of them had set up a toyland (trampoline, Little Tot toys, etc). There is also a tent camping area nearby but it is unmaintained and those that use it, park their vehicles in the camp sites instead of the designated tent camping parking area. There is potential for a great little RV camp, if guests showed a little bit of courtesy and MWR set some guidelines. A few improvements would help too, picnic tables and showers.

Well another year has gone by and I spent another 4th of July at Willow Pond. Every year the “powers to be” tell me they will be improving the campground with: 1. Posted Rules (no parking in the grass alongside your RV); 2. Picnic tables (to block parking alongside your RV); 3. 50 amp power; 4. Get the water fixed (so its not yellow); 5. Eventually individual sewer hookups; 6. Eventually showers. They said “they were going to use Dover and Andrews as an example”. Well it didn’t happen, they did how ever get picnic tables, but they put them over on the tent camping side. So if you tent camp you now have two or three tables. This time they did something new, over booked my spot. The camper in the spot had been there for over a month and never showed all weekend. Good thing for me a camper in a pop up set up off in the grass. Oh, the water is still yellow and no lights in the bathroom after dark. i know I keep complaining and keep coming back but I live just down the road and Fort Dix has a great fireworks display on the 4th of July.

It is a good place to park for the night, that's about it. No Cable, no sewer. About 1/4 mile from the AFFES. Didn't see any full timers there although it looked like they were there at one time or another.

This place is a joke. Out of all the campsites only one was available to a "non-homesteader". They have allowed people to stay as long as they like so it has turned into a trailer park instead of an RV park. Many of the "RV"s had junk around them as well. In addition, the "bath house" closes in the winter so if you want to take a shower or use the restroom the only one available is at the gym. They only have water and electric hook-ups, for the price, its too high. There are no washing facilities either. To enter you have to use the 'truck' entrance at gate nine. Bottom line, don't waste your time as MWR wants one thing, your money...for no service.

Willow pond is a nice quiet campground. Sites are level and full hook up. We did have a problem with out power and had to be moved to Range 14. Willow pond is close to all post amenities and its an easy in and out. Dump station is large and clean. Limited sites make it a nice quiet place to stay.

OMG This place is one step up above Walmart. You pay 20 bucks for a secure armed by guards campsite with water and 30 amps/ I guess its good for a one nighter! Good thing we stopped at the BX first for a slice of pizza. The gate guard guard here did not ask abut weapons.

This place may be one of worse experiences we have encountered at a military famcamp. Made a reservation only to arrive and find an RV in our site. Contacted MWR and a rep was sent over. Rather than put us in one of the sites that was empty and reassign the site that was occupied to the next arrival (no difference in sites, all are crap), we had to sit around for 2 hours while the owner of the RV was called to move it to another location. Half the sites were occupied by active duty, including the one I was assigned. After his departure we took possession of a site littered with trash and just for the final straw, a disposed condom. I hate to make such a blanket statement, but I am starting to be of the belief that active duty who use these parks as a housing hedge really do not appreciate the value of these parks as do older retirees. They really have not taken any effort to learn or understand RV park courtesy. They seem to come and go with trailer park mentality. $20 an night for 30amp and water. Should have found a local park using our good sam catalog.