batona trail hike

[pineywoman]

May be hitting Batona this week. I've been able to pick up a hiking map. However, I know the trail is one of the largest in the state. I want to know a great area that I can hike a few miles and is rather easy-moderate because will have a stroller. (it's a heavy duty one great for trails). I know a portion of it starts out at Batsto but is the trail lame there? I want to see stuff ya know?? Not Just tourists. Thanks

 

[Teegate]

I saw a woman pushing a stroller and she was struggling. The men with her were not helping at all. Not an easy thing to do.

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

The seven mile stretch of trail from Batsto to Quaker Bridge shows off the batsto cedar swamp and a couple beaches along the batsto river..you might want to follow the lake trail north till it hooks into the batona so your along the water and swamp the whole way.I can't recall if the sand is that bad.never pushed a stroller through the barrens before.

 

[Boyd]

It's a different kind of experience, but the boardwalk at Estell Manor County Park is ideal for strollers. It's about 2 miles, so a nice 4 mile hike up and back with plenty of side trails. As Al was mentioning elsewhere, the park was closed for awhile due to the storm damage, so it would be a good idea to call first and check on the status.

But it's a nice place for a walk, going through dense thicket, cedar swamps, salt marshes and some nice views of the river. If you go during the middle of a weekday, you will have it mostly to yourself. You can park at the nature center just inside the main park entrance in the South, or in the parking area at the end of Artestian Well Rd in the North.

http://www.aclink.org/PARKS/mainpages/estell.asp
http://www.aclink.org/PARKS/mainpages/estell_trails.asp

Another possibility is the wheelchair accessible trail that starts around the office at Lebanon (Byrne) State Forest.

Of course, if you want to rough it on the Batona that's cool too, but these are a few stroller-friendly places where you can hike several miles and see some nice things.

 

[pineywoman]

Oooh never heard of the boardwalk. Interesting. I can trek through Manumuskin and those trails are horrendously maintained via Barth Rd. I have gone down steep stairs with a stroller. Lifted it over broken trees blocking the trail. I'm pretty gangsta. Lol. The stroller is pretty hardcore and heavy duty, not the typical. I bought if for stuff like this. I have a wussy one, but use this one on the adventures. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[kayak karl]

heading north out of Pakin Pond in OK for a stroller and around the pond.
im assuming there is a child in stroller. from the ground up to 3 feet is bad for thorns, branches and especially chiggers.

somebody adapted one of these with a child seat. http://dixonrollerpack.com/3399.html be good if someone is walking behind you.

 

[manumuskin]

heading north out of Pakin Pond in OK for a stroller and around the pond.
im assuming there is a child in stroller. from the ground up to 3 feet is bad for thorns, branches and especially chiggers.

somebody adapted one of these with a child seat. http://dixonrollerpack.com/3399.html be good if someone is walking behind you.

Nice! The stroller that is.

 

[Gibby]

I once saw a small child in a backpack. The pack was well thought out. The little one had a fold up canopy for shade , a drink in a bottle on a lanyard and all the supplies needed in the side pockets. I thought it was great.

 

[pineywoman]

Haha. It's like a luggage carrier!! I can't imagine how you would convert that. He's 14 months and tall/big for his age. Plus, weighs at least 30lbs. Pakin Pond is on my list. Yet, Estell Manor I never had!! It is freaking huge. I get so excited about our state anymore!! I adore it!! Now, does anyone offering horseback riding in the pines? That would be awesome.

 

[Old Crazy]

Pineywoman, offhand I can't think of any section of the Batona Trail that doesn't have some areas of soft sand. But more of a concern than soft sand is chiggers, which are at their worst in September on the Batona Trail. Brush up against the wrong weed, bush or grass, and you and your infant child are going to be covered in bites. A frost or a few nights in the 30's should kill them off in about a month. If you're going to risk it, I would pick a cool morning. Chiggers are inactive in temperatures below 60 degrees.

At the Brendan Byrne State Forest, there is a cranberry trail (red blazed) that stars about a hundred yards right of the entrance door into the park office. It is a bike path trail that goes to Pakim Pond (3 miles one way) It would be fine for strollers. You have the option of taking the Batona Trail back to the Brendan Byrne office parking lot, or a paved road. But again, I would caution you of the risk of chiggers if you brush up against some of the weeds that dot the bike path.

 

[Old Crazy]

Now, does anyone offering horseback riding in the pines? That would be awesome.

I know someone who steps in horse manure when he's hiking at night in the pines...AND IT'S ME!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

There are horse riding trails that start just slightly west of the Carranza Memorial, though I do wish they would stay off the Batona Trail, like they're supposed to. Nothing against horses, I just hate getting in my truck at night after a long day hiking and on the ride home thinking, "What the hell is that smell in here?:

 

[pineywoman]

I hate chiggers and have experienced these wonderful southern pests this year. Baby chigger free, thank goodness. I don't want that awful experience again so I appreciate all the info guys. Think I may head to the boardwalk at Estell since it is raised this week. This time of year is gorgeous and a sin chiggers have to ruin it for everyone.

 

[pineywoman]

Old crazy you go at night?? You're nuts. It's pitch black back there. No wonder you can't see the poo. Heard there's great trails around the Carranza site as well. I was out there a month ago, but didn't quite explore.

Estell is a DEFINITE this week. Keep em coming.

 

[Old Crazy]

You're nuts

Yes!

No wonder you can't see the poo.

You ever hear that old wives tale that it's good luck if an animal sh%#$ on you? Well if that was true I would have won the lottery like eight times by now. Oh well, I guess I should count my blessings. At least nobody rides an elephant on the Batona Trail.

Old crazy you go at night?? You're nuts. It's pitch black back there.

Night time is one of the most peaceful times to hike...plus, you don't have to duck behind a bush to pee.

 

[manumuskin]

I'm glad to know that me and Bigfoot are not the only ones that walk the pines in the dark without flashlights.

 

[Gibby]

I'm glad to know that me and Bigfoot are not the only ones that walk the pines in the dark without flashlights.

Last summer I was walking across the Plains one moon lit night with my headlamp in my pack. I stepped in a hole and hit my head so hard on a Pygmy pine I thought I heard the echo from the crack of my skull return from Stafford Forge. Afterwards, I couldn't wear the headlamp because my head hurt to much. My friends laughed at me too.

 

[kayak karl]

Haha. It's like a luggage carrier!! I can't imagine how you would convert that. He's 14 months and tall/big for his age. Plus, weighs at least 30lbs. Pakin Pond is on my list. Yet, Estell Manor I never had!! It is freaking huge. I get so excited about our state anymore!! I adore it!! Now, does anyone offering horseback riding in the pines? That would be awesome.

Found it

 

[manumuskin]

Last summer I was walking across the Plains one moon lit night with my headlamp in my pack. I stepped in a hole and hit my head so hard on a Pygmy pine I thought I heard the echo from the crack of my skull return from Stafford Forge. Afterwards, I couldn't wear the headlamp because my head hurt to much. My friends laughed at me too.

I have noticed that moonlight does not give one the depth perception that sunlight does.Also try driving across the desert at 40 mph in the moonlight with headlights out wearing Night Vision NODS that have only one eye piece,the total lack of depth perception due to no binocular vision will totally obliterate any perception of the ruts that cross the desert from bedouin pickup trucks.I hit a set of these ruts doing 40 and brained myself on the truck roof.Lucky there was not anything to run into as far as the eye could see.The desert i realized was not as flat and featureless as it at first seemed

 

[Old Crazy]

The two things you need to be mindful of when hiking at night is that you don't trip over an exposed tree root or walk your face into a tree branch.

 

[pineywoman]

I Guess you are Old Crazy for a reason! That picture is nuts. That's a lot of weight to be putting on your back holy hell. However, it does look like a viable device when he gets older. Hmmmm. I'll post pics of estell when i go this week! Woo hoo! Gonna get into some pines!