ABOUT THE PARK:
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.892681, -74.581814
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| Parking at a small picnic area just off of Route 72. |
TRAIL MAP:
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest Trail Map - NJ Division of Parks and Forests
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HIKE DISTANCE: 3 miles
THE HIKE:
Three years ago when Shawnee and I hiked the Batona Trail from the northern terminus to Route 70 I missed a 1-mile section from Route 70 to the park office because I did not want to cross VERY busy Route 70 with Shawnee in her wheelchair. I figured I'd capture that mile another time. On my way to finish up my last section to complete the Batona Trail in Wharton State Forest, I stopped to get this missing mile in and made a 3-mile loop out of it.
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| A right on Headquarters Road from the picnic parking to where the Batona Trail crosses over in just a few steps. We turned left on the Batona Trail and would be returning from the right. |
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| Way off to the left I saw it, balloon #13 of the year. It had been there a very long time since the print was all faded out. It is there no more. |
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| Crossing over the Southside Fire Lane where we would be returning in a minute. |
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| At Route 70 connecting up to where Shawnee and I were almost 3 years ago on the other side. |
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| Now back to the Southside Fire Lane where we turned left. |
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| There has been a lot of controlled burning going on in South Jersey so I figured that is what this was. |
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| Still some smoldering smoke in the distance. |
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| We turned right on Four Mile Road ... |
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| ... then at the next sand road crossing, right on Deerhill Road. |
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| There I found an explanation of what was taking place with the burning. |
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| I don't know if this same forest truck passed us three times or if there were three different trucks. They all look the same. |
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| Left on Shinns Road which goes past where all of those forest trucks go on the left. |
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| Thinking this might be a very big coyote print. Figured it wasn't a dog since no human prints were around. |
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| Continuing on to the park office. |
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| With the park office on the left .... |
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| ... directly across on the right, access to the Batona Trail. |
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| At this sign we turned right connecting to the Pakim Pond section to the left that Shawnee and I completed almost 5 years ago. |
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| Where the Batona Trail turns right on the sand road, we went straight briefly to ... |
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| ... the Lebanon Fire Tower. It's open and can be climbed but just looking at those spindly steps made me weak in the knees so no thanks. There is actually a trail right to where we parked from the fire tower but we retraced to capture the last little bit of the Batona Trail. |
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| From the fire tower, left on the sand road part of the Batona Trail ... |
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| ... then left on the next sand road back to where we parked. |
My teenage son and I climbed the Lebanon Fire Tower in 2018 during our Batona Trail hike. The Fire Warden was on duty in the tower and he invited us in and showed us around and how to look for fires. It was great fun. I admire the professionalism of the NJFFS.
ReplyDeleteOh, if only... I have tried so many times to climb fire towers but after making it to about the 3rd level my knees start knocking and I have to scoot back down on my rear. Just can't do it. Would love to because it does look like fun.
DeleteLooks like we were on the same trail this weekend. I was there Sunday morning, a little cool, but great in the sun. And no real traffic to speak of on the paved roads.
ReplyDeleteAs for the firetower, nope. I wasn't trying it either. It *did* look cool though.
Yes, I was there Sunday morning, started about 7:30 and it was crazy cold in that wind until the sun warmed things up. I didn't see anyone else so we probably just missed each other. Glad I am not the only one with firetowerphobia :).
DeleteChecked out this trail after reading about it here. Climbed the tower. I'm not afraid of heights in general, but this one made me and even my fairly brave husband a little nervous. Got to the top and saw a HUGE fire burning in the distance. Very cool! Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI get queasy at just the thought of it. That must have been pretty cool to see that at the top, though. Maybe in another lifetime.
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