Batona Trail Re-route

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
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millville nj
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the new batona route at the south end. some real nice dike walking and some nice stream crossings and a nice bog and meadow.the new section is 3.1 miles long and took me an hour and 8 minutes to walk.
 

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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
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millville nj
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Al, are boots necesary on that section? It looks wet.
No, Ed the whole trail was dry.There is one stream crossing and there is a bridge over it and then you cross the swamp on planking.Where the planking is if the water was up you migh have a little trouble at both ends or in really high water it may even come over the planks but right now you will have no problem.The stream crossing is beautiful.I have crossed this stream in several places on stone hunts an it is a deep 5 to 6 ft stream and about 5 top 6 ft wids and fast with a sand an gravel bottom and clear water.I have never seen such a narrow stream so deep before.Where you cross woul make an excellent soaking spot come summer.Just above the bridge there is about a half mile long dike walk and then you come to the resevoir (this whole swamp looks to have been a cranberry operation in the past) and the resevoir lake is very pretty,before you get there though you pass a nice old bog that is starting to go wild.the rest of the route is basically through upland pine woods of moderate thickness.most walking is either on driveable sand roads or old fire breaks six feet wide.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
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millville nj
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Karl I intend to walk the new section from 532 to route 70 on wednesday or thursday.Is it wet? want to know if I should wear jungle boots or kee high insulated boots.I'm going to have to walk it up and back so that'll be about 14 miles for me and about 40 miles for Sophie.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
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millville nj
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if it raining wednesday morning i will postpone till thursday.I want to do it wednesday so i will have a day to recuperate before going back to work.I can imagine what fourteen miles will do to me.I should break it up into two sections and do it in two days but I still believe I can do what i use to do I just know it is going to hurt worse for longer afterwards.
 

Old Crazy

Explorer
Oct 13, 2007
481
94
Stinking Creek, NJ
if it raining wednesday morning i will postpone till thursday.I want to do it wednesday so i will have a day to recuperate before going back to work.I can imagine what fourteen miles will do to me.I should break it up into two sections and do it in two days but I still believe I can do what i use to do I just know it is going to hurt worse for longer afterwards.

Al, get a couple of those Moon Pies that the Amish make and keep them in your car. That'll motivate you to keep walking back to your car. Works for me! :)
 

kayak karl

Explorer
Sep 18, 2008
495
79
68
Swedesboro, NJ
when i walked it was after a big rain. the lake was overflowing the banks. puddles on the road were too big to walk around. the marsh areas had puddles. it was great :)
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/index...0473022461&z=14&type=nj2007&gpx=NJPB642131877

Walked the new section from 532 to 72 and back yesterday.14.5 miles.I am a hurtin puppy today.one blister and gimpin from sore muscles like an old man.Sophie took it quite well though she was extraordinarily calm and slept a lot for the nex fourteen hours.She had to of done at least 30 miles.
I pronounce it one of the prettiest sections of trail and I've walked it all.Three nice ponds one of which you have to cross seven small beaver dams.This is definite knee high country.This walk truly has shown me that I can still do what I use to do but it will hurt much worse for much longer.Walked 22 miles once when i was 27 but it took all day.I did 14.5 in just 6.5 hours and one hour of that was rest.Knew I had to keep moving.Started at 1020 am and walked up to the car at 450pm as the sun was setting.
 

Old Crazy

Explorer
Oct 13, 2007
481
94
Stinking Creek, NJ
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/index...0473022461&z=14&type=nj2007&gpx=NJPB642131877

Walked the new section from 532 to 72 and back yesterday.14.5 miles.I am a hurtin puppy today.one blister and gimpin from sore muscles like an old man.Sophie took it quite well though she was extraordinarily calm and slept a lot for the nex fourteen hours.She had to of done at least 30 miles.
I pronounce it one of the prettiest sections of trail and I've walked it all.Three nice ponds one of which you have to cross seven small beaver dams.This is definite knee high country.This walk truly has shown me that I can still do what I use to do but it will hurt much worse for much longer.Walked 22 miles once when i was 27 but it took all day.I did 14.5 in just 6.5 hours and one hour of that was rest.Knew I had to keep moving.Started at 1020 am and walked up to the car at 450pm as the sun was setting.

Good job, Al. Thanks for the report.

It does get harder to hike as you get older, but you'd be surprised at what you can still do even at 80 years old if you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. I've been on the summits of mountains that I hiked/rock climbed in my 20's & 30's that nearly killed me of exhaustion getting there and bumped into guys up there that were 75-80 years old.

If you ever get in trouble hiking the Batona Trail, just give me a call and I can pick you up in my emergency vehicle:http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garde...pspla&ef_id=UPrvmAAAF05AuhBK:20130120124430:s

:D
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
Good job, Al. Thanks for the report.

It does get harder to hike as you get older, but you'd be surprised at what you can still do even at 80 years old if you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. I've been on the summits of mountains that I hiked/rock climbed in my 20's & 30's that nearly killed me of exhaustion getting there and bumped into guys up there that were 75-80 years old.

If you ever get in trouble hiking the Batona Trail, just give me a call and I can pick you up in my emergency vehicle:http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garde...pspla&ef_id=UPrvmAAAF05AuhBK:20130120124430:s

:D
If your going to wheel me out in that you must be as strong as Bigfoot.I am no lightweight Old Crazy :)
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,840
958
Al, could you give me the coordinates of where the trail crosses 563? I drove by twice today but didn't see it.We want to leave a car there and hike one way from the fire tower in Lebanon. Today we did the Batona from Ong's to the fire tower. Six miles a day is plenty for me and I'm good for the next day, and always time for a picnic. Does it meet up with the old Batona Trail at 532?

Thanks,
Ed
 

kayak karl

Explorer
Sep 18, 2008
495
79
68
Swedesboro, NJ
Al, could you give me the coordinates of where the trail crosses 563? I drove by twice today but didn't see it.We want to leave a car there and hike one way from the fire tower in Lebanon. Today we did the Batona from Ong's to the fire tower. Six miles a day is plenty for me and I'm good for the next day, and always time for a picnic. Does it meet up with the old Batona Trail at 532?

Thanks,
Ed
will this help Ed http://connect.garmin.com/dashboard?cid=754858

attached a pic of rt 563 north trail entrance.
 

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ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,840
958
Yes that and Al's track on the map should get me there. I was trying to drive and look at the same time and did niether well.
Thanks,
Ed
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,840
958
Al, how did you get your gpx file to display on the NJPB map? I tried uploading a gpx file but I don't see it on the map.
 
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