Wharton State Forest Campground

About

Wharton State Forest encompasses over 124,000 acres of New Jersey's Pine Barrens, making it the largest single tract within the state park system. The forest protects a landscape of pitch pine and oak forests, cedar swamps, and the slow-moving tea-colored rivers characteristic of the Pinelands. Historic sites like Batsto Village, a former bog iron and glassmaking community, offer a window into the region's industrial past. Camping options span the spectrum from developed to primitive. Atsion Family Campground provides 50 tent and trailer sites with flush toilets, hot showers, potable water, fire rings, picnic tables, and a dump station. Trailers are limited to 22 feet. Godfrey Bridge offers 34 more rustic sites with pit toilets and potable water but no showers. For wilderness seekers, primitive campgrounds at Batona, Bodine Field, Goshen Pond, Hawkins Bridge, Buttonwood Hill, Lower Forge, and Mullica River provide fire rings and varying levels of amenities. Lower Forge and Mullica River are walk-in or paddle-in only with no motor vehicle access. The forest offers outstanding paddling on the Mullica, Batsto, and Wading rivers, plus over 500 miles of unpaved roads popular with mountain bikers, equestrians, and off-highway vehicles. The Batona Trail passes through, connecting to trails spanning the Pinelands from Lebanon State Forest to Bass River State Forest.

Directions

From the New Jersey Turnpike, take Exit 4 to Route 73 South. Follow Route 73 to Route 206 South. Continue on Route 206 through Hammonton to Atsion. The Atsion Recreation Area entrance is on the left. For Godfrey Bridge, continue south on Route 206 and turn right onto Quaker Bridge Road.