If you love camping at unique, historic New Jersey locations, check out the new Nike missle campsite at a restored 1950’s U.S. Army barracks at Sandy Hook.
The campsite, which is an official listing by the National Park Service, opened recently behind the historic Nike Missile Radar site at parking lot L.
Group campsite at Sandy Hook.NPS
The National Park Service only has bookings available until July 13.
It offers two tented barracks without bed frames and one with metal bed frames, providing a choice for anyone who wants to sleep in a bed or on the ground.
The new campsite includes two new charcoal grills, parking, a fresh water station, lock boxes, and port-a-potties.
There’s also access to the campground store, which sells the only firewood permitted on Sandy Hook.
Group campground at Sandy Hook features renovated barracks and new barbecue pits.NPS
The park offers restroom facilities with flushable toilets and sinks.
The barracks can accommodate groups of up to 30 campers.
During the Cold War, when Sandy Hook was still a U.S. military site, it had radar units to track enemy warplanes.
Soldiers lived in barracks. Their job was to fire Nike air defense missiles from the launch site, located one mile to the south.
Both the Nike radar and missile launch areas were constructed during 1954-1956.
Each site included four, one-story metal barracks to house soldiers to be ready to man the radars and missiles at any time. The soldiers were known as “Ready Crews.”
When a siren sounded, the off-duty soldiers would run from the barracks to the radar sections and join the on-duty soldiers.
These barracks were restored by the Sandy Hook Foundation, which made a $100,000 donation for the work to the National Park Service.
The Sandy Hook Foundation is a local nonprofit that is involved in preserving and protecting Sandy Hook, part of Gateway National Recreation Area.
To make a camping reservation visit the website.
Stories by Stephanie Loder
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Stephanie Loder may be reached at SLoder@njadvancemedia.com.