So, the Batona Trail is South Jersey’s PREMIER (also, only) long distance hiking trail.  It can be a fun adventure to spend 3 or 4 or 5 days backpacking the whole thing.

But some folks don’t have 3 or 4 or 5 days in a row.  Other folks (we call them intelligent people who aren’t trying to kill their bodies) don’t backpack.  But the Batona is still awesome and you still want to do it.

This post is for you… how to split the Batona Trail up!  I’ll be putting down the distances between potential parking, which you can use to figure out how to complete either by doing out-and-backs or doing a car shuttle.  I’ll be sticking to [...]

Maybe you have a stroller.  Maybe you are out with someone in a wheelchair or who has trouble getting around.  Maybe it’s been raining for days and everything is gross out.  Maybe you just don’t want to deal with “the wilderness” today.  Guess hiking is just out.

Of course not!  There are some lovely PAVED and CRUSHED gravel trails in South Jersey that are easy to navigate and are just waiting to be explored.  Here are some of our favorites!

Click on the name of the trail or park for our full review of that park, including driving address, GPS coordinates, parking, bathrooms, trail maps, etc

Haddon Lake Park and [...]

Atsion Family Campground Wharton State Forest Shamong, NJ

Address: Atsion Road, Shamong, NJ 08088 Coordinates: 39°44’45.37″N, 74°44’38.22″W

Directions: On Atsion Road, turn onto the dirt road with the sign for Atsion Family Campground.  Drive down and the campsites will be in two loops on either side.

Access: Dirt road, but accessible by pretty much any vehicle.

Website for official info: http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/wharton.html

Website for campsite booking and pricing: www.camping.nj.gov

Rules:

Campground Map:

Camped here earlier this month, which FINALLY completes [...]

This Saturday will be the 91st Annual Emilio Carranza Memorial Ceremony, hosted by American Legion Post 11 of Mt Holly.

So who was Emilio Carranza and why is he honored each year in a clearing in the middle of the pine barrens?  Carranza, whose family help several important positions in that country, was an early aviator of that country.  He is often referred to as “the Lindbergh of Mexico”, and was a friend of Charles Lindbergh.  In 1928, Carranza attempted to fly non-stop from Mexico City to Washington, D.C. on a goodwill flight.  He fell just short due to bad weather, but finished his flight the next day and was greeted as a hero in our [...]