Wharton State Forest, NJ - Batona Trail from Carranza Memorial to Apple Pie Hill

ABOUT THE PARK:
Wharton State Forest - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Batona Trail - Wikipedia

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates for Carranza Memorial 39.777377, -74.632504

View Larger Map

It isn't very clear exactly where to park - no signs at all - but there is ample space and I would guess as long as nothing is blocked, you can park.

TRAIL MAP:
Batona Trail Guide - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Wharton State Forest, NJ - Batona Trail Caranza Memorial to Apple Pie Hill at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:  8.55 miles

THE HIKE:

I had parked close to Carranza Road next to the memorial.

From there it is very unclear exactly where to pick up the pink-blazed Batona Trail.  Going out the back side of the memorial there is a red-blazed horse trail so I took that to the left ...

... and ran into a junction with the pink-blazed Batona Trail and turned left.  This added some mileage since there is a shorter way but that was not clear until the end of the hike.

The Batona Trail crosses over Carranza Road.

The trail merges with the sand road to Batona Camp.

It was in the 20's and somebody was camping.  Brrrrr.

A beaver lodge in Skit Branch.

Skit Branch

The trail crosses a bridge over Skit Branch on a sand road before leaving the road to the right.

Skit Branch from the road bridge.

From this point the trail goes into the woods and is no longer running near the sand road.

This hike was done on a day when North Jersey was encased in frozen snow and ice from multiple snow storms.  How nice to find a snow-and-ice-free hiking trail!

The trail is fairly well blazed but there are sections where blazes seem to be missing - they are mostly there, just very old and fading away.

Three sturdy bridges cross over wet areas.

Very little of the blaze left.

The fire tower at Apple Pie Hill.

This "open concept" fire tower just wasn't going to work for me - I had no doubt I was not going to make it very far up.

Made it to the second level and that was that.  You can supposedly see the Atlantic City and Philadephia skylines but since I did not get high enough, you'll have to go see for yourself.

What I could see from the second level - lots green in the dead of winter.

We found ourselves a broken glass-free spot on Apple Pie Hill and took a break before heading back.

Someone snacked on a pine cone.

Pretty ice patterns in Skit Branch.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  From the Carranza Memorial, go through the break in the fence at the back side and veer left towards the red-blazed trail
[  0.35]  At intersection with pink, turn left on pink
[  0.45]  Cross Carranza Road
[  0.60]  Pink continues right on sand road
[  0.80]  Batona Camp; continue following pink to the right
[  1.60]  Cross bridge on sand road then turn right leaving road just after bridge
[  2.35]  Keep right at fork (not blazed)
[  3.10]  Up and over distinct hill
[  3.25]  Cross sand road
[  3.75]  Cross sand road then several fire breaks
[  4.25]  Cross sand road then ascend Apple Pie Hill
[  4.50]  Apple Pie Hill fire tower; retrace
[  5.85]  Up and over distinct hill
[  6.60]  Beginning of the 3 boardwalks
[  7.35]  Trail comes out on sand road and crosses bridge to left
[  8.10]  Batona Camp
[  8.35]  Keep straight on sand road when pink goes left
[  8.45]  Cross Carranza Road; look for footpath to the right to the memorial then proceed to parking
[  8.55]  Back at parking

Ringwood State Park, NJ - Shepherd Pond and Mount Defiance

ABOUT THE PARK:
Ringwood State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.131238, -74.242777

View Larger Map

TRAIL MAP:
North Jersey Trails Map 115 - NY/NJ Trail Conference
Ringwood State Park, NJ - Shepherd Pond and Mount Defiance at EveryTrail


PEAK BAGGING:
Mount Defiance - Peakery.com

HIKE DISTANCE:  5 miles

THE HIKE:

Facing Morris Road, turn right crossing bridge over Cupsaw Brook then right on the white-blazed trail.

A new Ruffwear Web Master Harness with a handle that works great in assisting her over spots that have become too difficult for her. 

The start of the blue Cupsaw Brook Trail at the boy scout sign.

Frozen Cupsaw Brook

Different shades of brown where there is otherwise no color.

Coming up on ...

Shepherd Pond.  Amazing how many have walked out on the ice.  Not us!

The trail follows the pond on a woods road for a bit.

The precise time at which the shooting range opened.  It is the main reason I rarely hike here.  Click below to hear what it sounds like.  Incessantly.

Heading on towards Mount Defiance.

A break along the way.

Things get very confusing in the pipeline cut where there seems to be some construction.  The cairn would lead you to believe you are on the trail but I don't think it means anything.  I could not find the continuation of the red trail in the gas pipeline cut but did find blue then bushwhacked over to red.

Red should have continued on the left opposite the "no refueling" sign.

On blue, which others seem to have found.

Once on red, backtracked to the pipeline to see where it should have started and you can see the beams straight ahead where that "no refueling" sign is.  The trail markers must be missing - I did not see any from the pipeline.

Heading up Mount Defiance.

On the green-blazed Halifax Trail.

At the cairn, a short side trail to views.

Sheets of ice going down.

The end of the green trail at the white trail.

Apparently there aren't any dogs allowed in this area but you don't see that sign unless you are driving in from the opposite direction.  Don't quite know what you are supposed to do about that if you are hiking through from the other side with a dog.  I was yelled at by some historical society person (I suppose that is who she was.) for having Shawnee there.  When I told her I was just passing through on the white-blazed trail, she did not have a clue what I was talking about. 

The white trail gets confusing near the parking lot.  Continue to the "wrong way" sign.

Then head towards the eagles on wither side of the entrance (no blazes here at all).  Across this intersection to the left is the continuation of the white trail.  It is here if you turn around and look back that you see the one and only "no pets allowed" sign.

Again in the pipeline, the trail abruptly ends.  Here you have to climb the temporary wall because as you can see looking back, hay bales block the trail.

The trail veers left just before Morris Road....

... and comes out right at the parking pad.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Facing Morris Road turn right, cross bridge, then right on white Crossover Trail
[  0.45]  Turn right on yellow
[  0.50]  Turn right on blue when yellow goes left at boys scout sign
[  0.85]  Red joins in from the left just before creek crossing; continue on red/blue
[  1.10]  Right on red when blue leaves to the left, cross bridge
[  1.40]  Red turns left on woods road
[  1.65]  Shepherd Pond; continue to the right around the pond to kiosk then on woods road which is combined red/orange trail
[  2.00]  Red/orange leave woods road on footpath to the right
[  2.15]  Cross woods road which is orange, red continues straight
[  2.65]  Cross bike trail
[  2.75]  At pipeline, veer right to continue on red trail or veer left to get to blue trail to bushwhack over to red - no blazes for either trail from pipeline cut
[  3.15]  Right on green
[  3.25]  Turn right at cairn on unmarked to view; retrace
[  3.30]  Continue right on green
[  3.70]  Right on white then keep right at fork, continue past parking lot the right towards booth and exit between eagles (no blazes in this area)
[  4.25]  Cross intersection then veer right towards sign for white Crossover Trail
[  4.85]  Right in gas pipeline then left just before Morris Road
[  5.00]  Back at parking