Bass River State Forest, NJ - Joe's Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Bass River State Forest - NJ DEP

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.621041, -74.423020

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Parking lot at the park office.

TRAIL MAP:
This trail is not on the park map but is worth mentioning because it's the most scenic trail in the park.
Bass River State Forest - Joe's Trail at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:
Joe's Trail - 1.5 miles total out-and-back
Joe's Trail to the dam - 1.8 miles total out-and-back

THE HIKE:

Facing the park office, turn left and take the short path at the corner of the lot near the bird feeders, cross over the park road, then veer right on red.  Go a short distance to the barrier at the end of red and Joe's trail is to the left beyond the barrier.

After a short distance, Lake Absegami comes into view.  A little bit of ice left from the polar vortex that had been coming our way over the winter.

Joe's Trail runs next to the lake for .75 miles.

The end of Joe's Trail, but keep going ...

and veer right at the picnic pavilion.

A trail continues along the lake all the way to the dam.

It's a shame there is no bridge across the dam because there is a trail on the other side and it would make a great loop hike.

Heading back.

Reentering Joe's Trail at the picnic pavilion.

It was a gorgeous 65 degree snow-free day in South Jersey when North Jersey was still thawing out from snow storm after snow storm after snow storm.

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

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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