Batona Trail is a 51.3 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Chatsworth, New Jersey that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
This pink-blazed trail through the Jersey Pines can be accessed from several points, and many miles of sand roads can be used to create loop hikes. There are back country campsites (permit required) in Wharton State Forest at Buttonwood Hill, Lower Forge and Batona Camp, as well as campgrounds in Bass River State Forest at Lake Absegami just off Stage Road, and in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest at Brendan T. Byrne Camp just off Rt. 72. The trail is mostly level, passing through Pine/ Oak forest and Atlantic White Cedar swamps, crossing small streams, and meeting the Batsto River at a few spots, with a not-very high point at Apple Pie Hill, 205 feet above sea level.
Parking and camping at Lake Absegami Camp (southern end), and Brendan T. Byrne Camp (northern end), parking only at Evans Bridge on Rt. 563, at Batsto State Park off Rt. 542, at Quaker Bridge on Quaker Bridge Road off Rt. 206, at the Carranza Memorial on Carranza Rd, and at Four Mile off Rt. 70. Camping permits available at the Batsto State Park Office and the Atsion Ranger Station on Rt. 206 at Atsion Rd.
Bass River State Forest, 762 Stage Road, Tuckerton, NJ 08087; 609-296-1114 Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, P.O. Box 215, New Lisbon, NJ 08064; 609-726-1191 Wharton State Forest, 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037 Batsto Office: 609-561-0024 Atsion Office: 609-268-0444
To access the central or southern parts of the trail from Philadelphia, take the Atlantic City Expressway to Exit 28 at Hammonton, NJ, then take Rt. 54 N to U.S. 30 E, then Rt. 542 E. To access the northern terminus of the trail in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, take state Rt. 70 E to Co. Rt. 642 W for the trailhead, or Rt. 72 E for the campground. To access the central or southern parts of the trail from New York or points north, take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 50 at New Gretna, then Rt. 542 W to Lake Absegami camp by the southern end, or to Batsto State Park for the central part of the trail; for the northern end, take Exit 88, then Rt. 70 W to Rt. 72.
April 5, 2021Don’t follow the trail head markers on here in Google. It will lead you straight into puddles.
April 4, 2021batona day 2
April 2, 2021Freedom of the pines!!!
March 29, 2021Nice little stroll. No variation on scenery or elevation
March 27, 2021March 21, 2021peaceful
March 20, 2021March 14, 2021March 7, 2021Easy but enjoyable
March 6, 2021February 27, 2021February 21, 2021February 20, 2021Nice section by the pond.
February 8, 2021Nice to walk in the snow
February 7, 2021February 6, 2021Trying to complete the batona with the kids and this was a great 5mile starter hike. Hiked from Evans bridge to Bulltown road.
February 4, 2021I was on part of the trail yesterday in the snow. Conditions excellent. No other footprints so I was the only one there all day. Worth a visit, especially in the snow.
January 24, 2021January 23, 2021January 19, 2021January 17, 2021January 11, 2021January 11, 2021January 10, 2021January 9, 2021January 8, 2021Ba-to-na = back to nature
January 7, 2021January 2, 2021The trail is very wet today. Huge puddles in the middle of the path. I fell into one of them. I had a great time anyway.
January 1, 2021Real cool area! Only did a small section, would love to come back and explore some more.
