Hiking, Canoeing, And History Await In Wharton State Forest

We are getting close to the month of May, and for many, that signals outdoor weather. A time when folks around the Garden State start to get outdoors once again. Personally, outside of a few days a year, it is always time you can be outdoors in New Jersey. There are several days a year that it's either too cold or too hot for outdoor activities, but usually our weather isn't too extreme in Jersey.

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What is New Jersey's Largest State Park?

New Jersey's largest state park is thousands of acres of natural beauty and a great place to explore and have several adventures, and still only scratches the surface of this beautiful park.

According to Only In Your State (Only In New Jersey), "One place that has our attention right now is Wharton State Forest. It's the largest tract of land within New Jersey's state park system, boasting 110,000 stunning acres to explore. Moreover, this forest encompasses one of the state's most prized natural treasures: the Pinelands."

We have hiked Wharton State Park, or as it's called, Wharton State Forest, but as mentioned, we only scratched the surface. Let's face it, 110,000 acres is a lot to hike.

One great day trip in Wharton State Park is a trip to Historic Batsto Village, which still has remnants of a Revolutionary War village. It's a complete park with its own mini-museum, historic buildings to explore, places to hike, and yes, restrooms and a gift shop. Batsto also hosts several wonderful festivals throughout the year.

Only In Your State said, "If you enjoy outdoor activities, you'll hardly find a better place for them than Wharton State Forest. The woods are perfect for hiking through, and there are rivers and lakes perfect for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. In the summer, Atsion Lake is the picture-perfect New Jersey swimming hole."

So if you want to see some of the best of New Jersey, put Wharton State Forest in your GPS and go enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and history, and you don't need a plane ticket. By the way, one of the largest hiking trails in New Jersey, the Batona Trail, crosses through Wharton State Forest. It's an amazing trail that has nearly 60 miles of hiking territory.

Check out my page, Hiking NJ, to see other great hiking spots here in the Garden State.

Check out my photo gallery from a trip we took to Bass River State Park. A beautiful park in South Jersey that you can check out. The park is home to Lake Absegami, which many campers love to visit.

If you are looking for a nice scenic trail to hike then I must recommend to you the Franklin Parker Preserve. The Preserve is located in Chatsworth which is part of Woodland Township in Burlington County, New Jersey.