At 52.7 miles, the Batona Trail is South Jersey’s premier (also, only) long distance backpacking trail. This trail can be backpacked in 2, 3, 4, or 5 days, which means at some point, you’re going to have to camp. Dispersed, or “cowboy camping”, where you can set your tent up any old place along the side of the trail is expressly forbidden in all three state parks and the privately owned Parker Preserve. So where can you camp along the Batona?
You have four options – Buttonwood Hill Camp, Lower Forge Campground, or Batona Campground, each in Wharton State Forest, or Brendan Bryne Campground in Brendan Bryne State Forest. They can all be booked [...]
Maurice River Bicycle and Walking Trail – Millville, Cumberland County, NJ Distance – miles total Type – 1.5 miles or so (one way of an out-and-back) Difficulty: 1 of 10
Website – Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries Open – Dawn to dusk
Terrain – Riverside woods, meadows, and wetlands Surface – paved and crushed gravel
Trailheads – 39°23’43.73″N, 75° 2’23.50″W (Buck Park trailhead) 39°23’59.43″N, 75° 3’14.33″W (Sharp Street Park trailhead)
Manasquan Reservoir County Park – Howell Township, Monmouth County, NJ Distance – 7.5 miles of trails total Type – Loops Difficulty: 1 of 10
Website – Monmouth County Parks Open – Park opens daily at 7 a.m. November 1-March 31 and 6 a.m. April 1-October 31. Closing time is 9 p.m. through August 19; 8:30 p.m. August 20-September 3; and 8 p.m. September 4-23.
Terrain – Lakeside woods and wetlands Surface – Crushed stone
Trailheads – 40°10’14.75″N, 74°12’18.52″W (this is the one that we used) 40°10’38.76″N, 74°13’14.19″W 40°10’50.47″N, [...]
Nature Trail – Wheaton Arts – Millville, Cumberland County, NJ Distance – 1/2 mile one way on an out-and-back trail (1 mile total) Type – out-and-back Difficulty: 1 of 10
Website – Wheaton Arts Open – April through December Open Six Days: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission – $10.00 Adults, $9.00 Senior Adults (62+), $7.00 Students, Children 5 and under are free (2018 rates… check http://www.wheatonarts.org/ for current rates)
Terrain – Woods and pond. Surface – Gravel
Trailheads – 39°24’34.06″N, 75° 1’16.66″W
