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Camping and Hiking in New Jersey
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Bass River State Forest
Bass River State Forest was acquired by the state of New Jersey
in 1905 for public recreation, water conservation, and wildlife
and timber management. Lake Absegami, a 67-acre lake created in
the 1920's, is the center of the forest's recreational
activities and provides an area for swimming and a serene
setting for boating and canoeing. A trail through the Absegami
Natural Area wanders through a pine/oak woods and a small
Atlantic white cedar bog. Batona Trail, this easy walking trail,
well marked with pink blazes, runs for fifty miles through Bass
River State Forest, Wharton State Forest and Lebanon State
Forest, crossing streams and passing through forested areas that
were once bustling towns with names such as Four Mile, Butler,
Martha and Washington. Campsites: 178 tent and trailer sites
with fire rings and picnic tables. Flush toilets, showers and
laundry facilities are within walking distance. Trailer sanitary
station is open March 1 through November 30. Campsites open all
year. Group Campsites: Three group campsites with water and pit
toilets are within walking distance. Each site accommodates up
to 50 campers. Open all year. Lean-tos: Nine lean-tos with
woodburning stoves. Each accommodates six people. Outdoor picnic
table, fire ring and grill. Flush toilets, showers, laundry
facilities are within walking distance. Open all year. Shelters:
Six shelters with furnished living room with woodburning stove
and screened double door, two bunk rooms, one double-deck bunk
in each room. Each accommodates four people. Outdoor grill for
cooking, table and benches. Flush toilets and shower facilities
are nearby. Shelters are located along the north shore of Lake
Absegami. Open April 1 through October 31. Cabins: Six cabins
with living room with double-deck bunk and fireplace; two
bunkrooms with double-deck bunks; kitchen with running water,
electric stove, refrigerator; bathroom with shower, toilet, and
sink. Screened-in porch faces lake. Electricity. Each
accommodates six people. Cabins are located along the shore of
Lake Absegami. Open April 1 through October 31 For information
call: (609)296-1114
Belleplain State Forest
The forested acres of Belleplain include stands of young pine,
oak and Atlantic white cedar, reflecting better soil conditions
and less damage by fire than found in the Pine Barrens just
north of the forest. Belleplain State Forest was established in
1928 by the State of New Jersey for recreation, wildlife
management, timber production, and water conservation. In 1933,
three camps were set up by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Reforestation Relief Act, supplying labor to the forest for over
an eight-year period. The CCC converted Meisle Cranberry Bog
into Lake Nummy, a popular swimming, boating, and fishing area.
They also constructed the original forest headquarters,
maintenance building, a road system, bridges, and dams.
Campsites: 169 tent and trailer sites with fire rings and picnic
tables. Flush toilets, showers, and laundry facilities are
within walking distance. Trailer Dumping Station is open March 1
through November 30. Campsites open all year. Group campsites:
Two group campsites with fire rings, picnic tables, water, and
chemical toilets. Each site accommodates up to 75 people. Open
all year. Lean-tos: Fourteen lean-tos with propane heaters. Each
accommodates up to six people. Outdoor picnic table, fire ring
and grill. Flush toilets, showers and laundry facilities are
within walking distance. ADA Accessible. Open all year. Group
Cabin: East Creek Cabin - furnished living room with fireplace,
full kitchen, two bunkrooms with double bunks, bathrooms,
showers. Accommodates up to 30 people. Located on a lake and
accessible to East Creek Trail. Picnic grove, boat dock,
ballfield. ADA Accessible. Open year round. Trails: Hiking,
nature trails (trail guide available at office), horseback
riding, mountain biking, biking, physical fitness trail. For
information call: (609)861-2404
Lebanon State Forest
The fresh scent of pines greets the visitor to Lebanon State
Forest. Today's forested acres are a strong contrast to the
barren, cleared land that existed in the 1800s. The Lebanon
Glass Works was established in 1851 and was successful until
1867, when it shut down after depleting the supply of wood
necessary for the furnace to operate. Today, hikers can follow
the sandy trails and roads that crisscross the forest, sometimes
passing near the remains of stone or brick structures or where
large depressions indicate the location of what was once a
bustling town. Pure, iron-rich streams flow through acres of
swampy land covered with dense stands of Atlantic white cedar.
Campsites: 82 tent and trailer sites each with fire rings and
picnic tables. Flush toilets, showers and laundry facilities are
within walking distance. Trailer sanitary station open March 1
through November 30. Campsites open all year. Group campsites:
Three group sites; total capacity: 100. Fire rings, picnic
tables, water, and flush toilets. Open year round. Cabins: Three
cabins with furnished living room with fireplace; two
double-deck bunks; kitchen with running water, electric stove,
refrigerator; half-baths with toilet and basin. Electricity.
Each accommodates four people. With prior permission from the
superintendent, two additional people may be accommodated.
Cabins are on the shore of Pakim Pond. Showers are available at
camping area. Open April 1 through October 31. Cedar Swamp
Natural Area (735 acres). Many of the forest communities
represented in the New Jersey Pine Barrens may be observed along
the trails through the natural area. These include upland
pine-oak and oak-pine forest, pitch pine lowland forest and
Atlantic white cedar swamp. The natural area supports the
federally threatened swamp pink and other endangered plant
species. For information call: (609)726-1191
Wawayanda State Park
The quiet charm of Wawayanda appeals to hikers, campers,
swimmers and boaters. Forested hills surround Lake Wawayanda
creating a restful backdrop for canoeists, boaters and
fisherman, while steep mountains challenge casual as well as
serious hikers. A twenty-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail
runs through the park, while the top of Wawayanda Mountain
offers sensational views. More than forty miles of trails are
marked in the park. Group campsites: Three sites with pit
toilets; total capacity: 150. Water is not available at
campsites; it must be carried from the maintenance building.
Open April 1 through October 31 Trails: Hiking, mountain biking,
biking, horseback riding. For information call: (973)853-4462
Swartswood State Park
Summer months find Swartswood Lake and Little Swartswood Lake
bright with sailboats and fishing boats while a sheltered cove
in Swartswood Lake is filled with swimmers. Swartswood Lake, a
glacial lakeprovides excellent opportunities for water
recreation as a result of an intense lake restoration and
watershed management program. There is an abundance of large
hold over brown trout, walleye and the lake was recently chosen
as one of the state's best trout fisheries. The swimming area at
Swartswood boasts safe, clean and clear water as a result of the
Watershed Management Program. The program includes a lake
aeration system to maintain a high water quality. In the heat of
the summer, visitors can sit at a picnic table on a shady
hillside overlooking the lake, while winter finds cross-country
skiers, ice boaters and ice skaters enjoying the vigorous air.
Campsites: 70 tent and trailer sites with fire rings and picnic
tables. Flush toilets, showers and laundry facilities are within
walking distance. Trailer sanitary station. Open April 1 through
October 31. Group campsites: Three group sites; capacity: twenty
campers each. Pit toilets, water, fire rings, picnic tables.
April 1 through October 31. Trails: Hiking, nature trails
handicapped accessible, trail horseback riding, mountain biking
and biking. For information call: (973)383-5230
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