Pine Barrens camping, hiking, paddling guide

Philadelphia magazine published a guide to Pine Barrens camping, hiking, paddling and swimming on May 15, steering readers to trailheads, river launches and campgrounds across South Jersey. The article by Brian Howard focused on Wharton State Forest, the Batona Trail and several outfitter-linked paddle routes, while also pointing readers to family-friendly stops and overnight options. New Jersey park and forest pages back up many of the locations in the guide, including Atsion Lake, Double Trouble State Park and the Batsto and Mullica river trails. State officials also attach rules that narrow what visitors can do once they arrive, especially around swimming hours, boating access and backcountry camping. ### Where did the guide send first-time paddlers? Atsion Lake, at the northern end of Wharton State Forest, was presented by Howard as an entry point for people getting comfortable in a kayak or canoe. His guide said visitors can rent from Flatwater Paddle Co. on the shore before moving on to longer trips through the Pines. New Jersey’s parks department says Atsion Recreation Area includes a canoe and kayak launch, and that swimming there is allowed only when lifeguards are on duty. (phillymag.com) The Batsto and Mullica rivers were the guide’s next step for paddlers who want a longer run. Howard recommended a guided Batsto River tour with Pinelands Adventures and also highlighted a sunset Mullica River cruise run by Hammonton-based Jersey Devil Adventures. The state’s Batsto and Mullica river-trail map says those waterways are “canoe and kayak access only” and bars inflatable tubes, paddleboards, swimming and motorboats on the trail system because the rivers are shallow and contain underwater obstacles. (phillymag.com) ### Which campgrounds were singled out for overnight trips? Lower Forge and Mullica River campgrounds in Wharton State Forest were the guide’s headline backcountry picks. Howard wrote that both are accessible only by foot, canoe or kayak and said visitors should reserve in advance, adding that the sites have no facilities or running water beyond the stream. The state river-trail map places Lower Forge on the Batsto-Mullica system and frames the route as a paddle-access corridor rather than a roadside campground stop. (phillymag.com) Tuckerton and Tabernacle were the guide’s more accessible overnight alternatives. Howard pointed readers to Atlantic Shore Pines Campground in Tuckerton for tent sites, RV sites, glamping pods and lodges, and to Batona Camp in Tabernacle for a stay close to the Batona Trail and Carranza Memorial. Those recommendations broadened the guide beyond strict backcountry travel and into trips that can be built around a day hike or a shorter family outing. (phillymag.com) ### What hikes did the article treat as core Pine Barrens routes? The Batona Trail was the guide’s main hiking spine. Howard described it as a mostly flat 52.7-mile trek through several South Jersey state forests, beginning near Ongs Hat and ending at Lake Absegami, and suggested out-and-back sections from Batsto or Ongs Hat for people not attempting the full route. (phillymag.com) Apple Pie Hill and Double Trouble State Park were the shorter-format additions. Howard said the fire tower on Apple Pie Hill offers panoramic views when staffed and directed readers to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service phone line to check access. State fire-service pages list lookout tower information through the agency, and the central headquarters number shown on New Jersey’s access directory matches the number cited in the article. At Double Trouble, Howard highlighted a former sawmill and cranberry-processing site in Bayville; the state park says Cedar Creek remains popular with canoeists and kayakers and that the restored village preserves the Pine Barrens’ industrial history. (phillymag.com) ### What should readers know before treating it as a swim guide? New Jersey’s swimming schedule sets the clearest limit. The parks department says swimming is permitted only when lifeguards are on duty, with lake hours listed as 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wharton’s page says Atsion Lake swimming is seasonal and tied to that staffed schedule. That means a destination highlighted in a lifestyle guide may not be open for swimming at all times visitors expect. (phillymag.com) Wildfire and access rules are the other planning constraint. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says the state averages about 1,100 wildfires burning 5,000 acres of forest each year, and its alerts page offers email and text updates on active fires and prescribed burns. For paddlers and campers, the practical next stop is the state’s river-trail map and reservation portal; for swimmers, it is the current beach and lake schedule posted by New Jersey parks. (dep.nj.gov 1) (dep.nj.gov 2)