wharton state forest

We are avid kayakers & love to kayak the Batsto River. We have done Hampton Furnace to Quakerbridge & Quakerbridge down to the lake. Occasionally we have put in at the lake & kayaked up until we were tired & came back down stream. Vast area w/ lots of scenery & wildlife. During the summer time on a weekend the waterways do get busy so if you can go during the week that is best.

In addition to the historic buildings located throughout the park, there are walking, cycling and horse trails in this park. The walking trails around the lake are very manageable. Additionally the park is 'pet friendly' so dogs are welcome. Great throughout the seasons. Can be confusing to get to so check directions thoroughly.

I love the Pine Barrens. We come atleast four times a year to camp, usually at Godfrey, but we've been to Batona campground too, and both are great. Batona is a great spot to camp in the fall and spring when Wharton is a bit warmer than the camping options in Northern Jersey or Upstate NY, the Batona trail is lovely and a very easy hike- the barrens are rather flat, but the pine forest is absolutely lovely and smells wonderful, and then there are the occasional stands of cedar that smell even better. There are some ruins of towns and homes in the barrens that are hikeable as well.The accommodations at all Batona are sparse, there are pit toilets, pump water and fire pits but no picnic tables. Godfrey Bridge is my very favorite summer weekend destination. It's less hot than Manhattan, not too crowded, and best of all the Wading River is nearby. Chilly, slow moving, and dark iced tea-red in hue, the wading river is awesome. A few campsites have river access, but there is also a day use area just before the camp loop with a larger beach. Water activities are endless. There are canoe/kayak rental places nearby, including the private campground just up the road, or you can go for a swim at the beach off the day use area, or you can float the river in a tube, as we do, and enjoy a long leisurely day. There are plenty of little beaches to stop at to have lunch or a swim along the way as well. Godfrey Bridge campground is rarely overcrowded, but back up the road about a 1/4 mile is Wading Pines. Wading Pines is a large, sprawling RV resort and in the summer it is very popular, and rowdy. On weekend evenings the resort throws parties with loud music which you can hear from Godfrey, but this doesn't particularly bother us, and the loud music always ends at about 11PM. The sites at Godfrey are nice and wooded, with plenty of hammock trees and shade. There are picnic tables, fire pits with grills, and pit toilets. The water is at the day use area which is a bit of a chore, but the breezy days, lovely river, and warm clear evenings more than make up for any negative aspects like a long walk for rusty tasting water.

Wharton State Forest may not be recommended for camping but it is a great place to hike. There are several hiking trails out of Batsto. You can pick the famous Batona trail here. One of the best hikes is Corranza Monument to Apple Pie Hill. Round trip 8,2 miles highly recommended. All trails are relatively easy and picturesque. There is only a limited number of hiking locations in South Jersey and this is one of nicer ones. We did not camp here but walking through the camp ground the conditions seemed spartan. In spite of that there were many happy looking young campers here.In Wharton you can also canoe the Mullica river and Batsto as well as visit the historical industrial village of Batsto and the Mansion.

I have to say this was the worst camping experience I have ever had. I selected a site on the water...well you had a small little clearing where you could see the water. The Campground is right next to a road and all you hear while trying to escape is trucks and cars going by. When I camp I like to have a nice view and not to hear the outside world.

I've camped twice at Bodine Field (primitive camping with a stream for swimming) and once at Godfrey Bridge (designated sites with fire ring and picnic tables). Both places were peaceful, scenic, and fun. Fellow campers were friendly and quiet. One time my RV got stuck in the sand and their were literally a half dozen different people in 4x4 trucks offering to help pull me out. If you go be sure to check out Batsto Village.

Over the years we have enjoyed various hikes at Wharton State Forest. Trails look very different in different seasons. A very interesting place to go! Winter scenes can be especially beautiful.

I've been here twice and loved it. We parked a car at the Batsto village and followed the trails. It's very quiet and peaceful and scenery is beautiful. We could spend only half day but next time I plan to spend the whole day. It's only an hour away from Philadelphia. If you want to get away from a city for the weekend, this is a place to go.

A very nice park to hike around in with an interesting old time village to explore. It is a bit far from where I live but i did not regret our trip down to visit this park. It is pet friendly with plenty to explore.

I love it here! It's not too far from home, but it's very private and natural! You wake up early to deer eating with their babies! So cute! And it's very clean! The last time we went, we were the only people around! Lots of trails to hike, and they have bathrooms scattered around. Which is very convenient. The do have family sites with cabins and stuff. I personally like the primitive sites. Fire ring is already there, just bring yourself and your tent! Now that's camping! I would absolutely, 100%, recommend that everyone reading this! go there! You'll love it!

Goshen Pond is one of my favorite camping sites in the East Coast. Beautiful cold mist in the morning, kayaking cedar water in the afternoon, quiet-cozy-relaxed evening by the campfire. What more can you ask for for a small weekend getaway?

Here is the bad part first:I came here with a group of friends and we reserved a group campsite at Hawkins Bridge Campground group campsite A. First, when we called the office for directions and some information, they gave us GPS coordinates, thats it. nothing else. One car did go to the visitors center and asked for directions. what was not mentioned was that if the wrong road was taken (they were ALL dirt roads and most were poorly maintained) you were likely to get stuck in a ditch or sand dune and would have to get your car towed out. this is something that happened with some regularity. 3 out of the 5 cars on this trip experienced some difficulty and two had to be towed out (one minivan, one sedan). Second, upon arriving at the campsite, there was garbage strewn about. Three, while the site itself was quite large, the group campsites were literally right next to and on top of each other (A&B) and it was in a large clearing. Luckily for us, there was no one at campsite B next to us. Three - camp permits reserved online add on fees. Four, I didnt see ANY hiking trails with blazes on them. so incredibly easy to get lost in these woods. no wonder the sopranos buried dead bodies in this forest. no one ever came to check my campsite permit. it was also easy to get lost. while being next to the wading river was great, the fact that information was not given forthright, and it was poorly maintained makes me not want to return again. It seems that if you are in the know, you should be fine. otherwise, they dont tell you anything and all the local repair shops and tow trucks make some extra money off the poor campers that werent told that this drive up campsite came with the cavaet of unmarked (no street signs ANYWHERE) poorly maintained dirt roads.

Through exhibits in their museam and interpreters throughout the village, Batso Village offers a way to learn about the history of the Pinelands in a friendly, relaxed, and interesting way. Well worth the visit!!

Big, peaceful forest. The trees aren't very tall - I think some of the old growth may have been destroyed by fire. But, if you visit some of the ghost towns (we went to Harrisville), you can see how thoroughly the forest has reclaimed areas that humans had cleared for construction. It was drizzling on us for a while, which somehow made the peaceful trails and meandering waterways seem even more enchanting. Great place for nature lovers and history lovers alike.

I have spent many times out in the wilderness and was not disappointed with the unique ecosystem that the Pine Barrens offers. Wharton State Park is a great starting point for exploration as it offers a great base for hiking, swimming, and canoeing. We stayed at Atsion State Park, which offers HUGE sites with a fire ring, picnic table, and showers (rustic this is camping mind you) and clean water. If you reserve early enough, the spots right off Atsion river offer a fantastic little spot within a few steps from your site (the lake is hidden behind some trees ). We rented a canoe from Adams Canoe, which is right down the street from the campground. The owner dropped the canoe off and picked it up at our convenience. Our plan was to canoe down the Batso river,but the conditions were not suitable and settled for canoeing around the lake. The birds early morning on the lake were fantastic even for rookie birders like us. The Atsion and Batso office staff were friendly and helpful. Upon recommendation, we hiked the 4 mile Batso River Loop starting at Batso village and did not encounter a soul on our trip. The path led us next to the Batso river and curved down around not the forest full of wild blueberries. This trip was done during the week,so it may be more crowded on the weekends for the weekend warrior crowd. Another cool little activity is swimming in the Atsion lake off the man-made beach. Not quite a rustic swimming hole, but on an extremely hot day, we were happy to be able to drive 5 minutes (or canoe) to the sandy beach for a dip in the lake. Wharton State Forest and Atsion campground has got us thinking about another trip to further explore the Pines. We didn't encounter the Jersey Devil, but we did realize why he likes hanging around the Pine Barrens so much!