so first i want to say this is my first post here. so hello everyone. Next, after reading many posts it seems a 3 day thru hike of the batona is not really possible because of the lack of tenting facilities. does anyone have any ideas for a good place to start and say do a maybe 10 mile hike into a campsite, than the next day hike back out to where i parked? any ideas would be greatly appreciated, even some suggestions on a way to possibly do a couple day full hike of the trail. thanks for your help.
batona trail?
- Thread starter mossberg
- Start date
Buttonwood Hill Camp
if you started at Ongs Hat hike south to Batona camp 18.7 from here to Buttonwood Hill Camp 15.5 at Bass River 16.0.
Buttonwood Camp blue blaze trail is new. not on any maps except for the one on the desk at Batsto. about 2 mi. south of Batsto on the Batona is a new sign that says CAMP.
blue blazes and a half mile+ to Buttonwood.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...9.626846,-74.630127&spn=0.981568,1.766052&z=9
if you started at Ongs Hat hike south to Batona camp 18.7 from here to Buttonwood Hill Camp 15.5 at Bass River 16.0.
Buttonwood Camp blue blaze trail is new. not on any maps except for the one on the desk at Batsto. about 2 mi. south of Batsto on the Batona is a new sign that says CAMP.
blue blazes and a half mile+ to Buttonwood.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...9.626846,-74.630127&spn=0.981568,1.766052&z=9
well thanks for the info karl, but i'm not sure if my stepson will be able to hike those kinds of miles. i was actually hoping for a starting point, than maybe like a 10 mile hike to a campsite and than maybe another ten mile hike where my wife could meet us to pick us up and take us back to the car. it seems this exact info on most other trails is easy to find, but for some reason not the batona. thanks again for your info.
There are a lot of possibilities. The first time I hiked and camped, I just went from Stage road in Bass River, to Bodine Field.About 8 miles. If you feel like it you can leave from there because it's close to the road(679).Or you could just walk back to Bass River.Nice walk and you can see the ruins of Martha furnace, Harrisville , and Bodine's tavern.
hike from batsto to lower forge 7 miles. when you return cross quaker bridge and hike the west side of the batsto river. nice easy hike for your son. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...9.707847,-74.654675&spn=0.06022,0.109005&z=13
thanks for the helpful info. karl i'll prob try that one that you suggested. When i go to batsto village will i be able to get right onto the batona and take it right to the campground. i'm really new to this so sorry for all the questions. And also, i guess i just contact the state for a permit to camp there?
get your permit there and its about 100 yrds from the parking lot north. if you want company my step son would love to go again. hes 17. either way have fun. take water treatment with you. aqua tabs are good. http://www.amazon.com/Potable-Aqua-Water-Treatment-Tablets/dp/B000S87RGE walmart sells them. no pump there.
Hi mossberg,
Here's another option for you if you have somebody providing transportation. On day one you can start at Pakim Pond (this is found in Brendan Byrne State Park) and head south for 10.7 miles to Batona Camp. On day two you can continue for 12.9 miles to the Batsto park office. There is a well at Batona Camp, so you'll have access to clean drinking water.
If you don't have somebody dropping you off and picking you up, then I think your best bet would be to park at Batsto and head north on the Batona Trail to Lower Forge campground. Then the next day you can return back to Batsto on the yellow blazed trail that follows the Mullica River (about 7 miles each way)
It would probably be a good idea to treat your clothes and shoes with permethrin, which seems to be the most effective defense against ticks. You can buy this at Dick's Sporting Goods or Wal-Mart.
Have a great time!
Here's another option for you if you have somebody providing transportation. On day one you can start at Pakim Pond (this is found in Brendan Byrne State Park) and head south for 10.7 miles to Batona Camp. On day two you can continue for 12.9 miles to the Batsto park office. There is a well at Batona Camp, so you'll have access to clean drinking water.
If you don't have somebody dropping you off and picking you up, then I think your best bet would be to park at Batsto and head north on the Batona Trail to Lower Forge campground. Then the next day you can return back to Batsto on the yellow blazed trail that follows the Mullica River (about 7 miles each way)
It would probably be a good idea to treat your clothes and shoes with permethrin, which seems to be the most effective defense against ticks. You can buy this at Dick's Sporting Goods or Wal-Mart.
Have a great time!
It works great - use it and you can pretty much forget about ticks. But the last few times I've been to Walmart they didn't have it. Am down to my last can - has anybody seen it in stock recently? Guess I need to stop by Dicks and see what they have.
@Mossberg: have you seen these before? Maybe they will help with your planning?
http://www.stephencreek.com/njpb/batona1.JPG
http://www.stephencreek.com/njpb/batona2.JPG
http://www.stephencreek.com/njpb/batona2.JPG
I've been buying the same brand of Permethrin at Dick's Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, and Wal-Mart for years. It's called 'Repel Permanone' and it's sold in an orange can for about $5. But I can't find that for sale anywhere this spring. Dick's sells another brand of Permethrin, but it's $8 a can and they don't usually keep it with the insect repellent. You have too look around for it. It's usually found near the tent display or the bow/gun/hunting supplies.
Dick's has Sawyer Permethrin, REI has Repel http://www.rei.com/product/784097. Walmart does not carry any more.
Thanks for the info, Karl. One good thing I did find at Walmart are mosquito head nets for $1.88. I don't use them to repel mosquitoes, I use them to repel the deer flies that are out in the summer. I've been in swampy areas and have had 50 of those biting flies buzzing around my head. Dick's must be using a different supplier for their mosquito head nets because the last few I bought there the mesh was so thin it was like putting on a blindfold.
My fav and another suggestion is to be dropped off at Apple Pie Hill and hike to the camp ground across from Carranza Memorial.. You can climb the tower for pictures and there is the cedar swamp area for something alittle diffrent also along the way... Although it is a little shorter then 10 miles..
thanks karl....my wife actually decided to come on this first trip, but i would def not. object to planning another one in the upcoming weeks...let me know...and sorry for the late response i didn't get an email notification that you had replied
hey old crazy, would i be able to drive my car up to the pakim pond where the batona starts and park my truck there? also, would the batona take us straight to the campground? and lastly the 12.9 miles back to batsto, would that also be following the batona right back to a place where my wife could pick us up? i really appreciate all the info you guys are giving me
So many trails, so little time 
you can also park at Atsion Office 4 miles to lower forge or 6 to batona
http://www.njpinelandsanddownjersey...ser_op=view_page&PAGE_id=11&MMN_position=36:3
KK
trail starts at ong's hat, pakim lake is the campground, but yes you can park near office. other then Brendon Burne (Lebanon), Batsto and Bass river there are few places to safely park. the local canoe places will shuttle PEOPLE also. just a thought.
you can also park at Atsion Office 4 miles to lower forge or 6 to batona
http://www.njpinelandsanddownjersey...ser_op=view_page&PAGE_id=11&MMN_position=36:3
KK
There is a parking lot at Pakim Pond. I'm not aware of any prohibitions against overnight parking there. I would just stop in the park office as you enter Brendan Byrne State Park and inform them of your plans. You can pick up a Batona Trail map right there in the outside information display at Pakim Pond and stretch it across your dashboard. That will signal any park police that see your truck parked there that you are overnighting on the Batona Trail so they don't mistake you for a lost hiker. Just keep in mind that they usually do close and lock the gates to the entrance and exit of the Pakim Pond parking lot at night, so if for some reason you had to get your vehicle out of there after dark, you would be locked in the parking lot until morning.
The Batona Trail goes right through Batona Camp, and it's marked with a big sign, so it's very easy to find. You'll see an outhouse and a water pump to your right as you're walking along a dirt road.
When you leave Batona Camp and continue south on the Batona Trail, you'll travel for about 6 miles before you reach Quaker Bridge. Once you're at Quaker Bridge you'll have two options to get to the parking lot at Basto:
#1) Continue west (straight) on the Batona Trail (follow the pink blazes)
#2) Cross Quaker Bridge and follow the green blazed trail until it ends and intersects with the yellow blazed trail (approx 1 mile) Go left (west) when you reach the yellow trail and follow it all the way back to Batsto. You will periodically see signs on trees telling you how far you are from Batsto. If you see a sign telling you how far you are from Atsion, turn around, you're going the wrong way. Turn left just before you reach the paved road (Rt 542) and cross over Batsto lake to get to the Batsto parking lot. You can get a map of this route at the Batsto park office.
Both the Batona Trail from Quaker Bridge and the green/yellow blazed trails are about 7 miles. You'll see more water on the green/yellow blazed trails than you will see on the Batona Trail, but both directions are nice hikes.
Thanks Guy. Seven years ago I had to abandon a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail when I became very ill with Lyme disease. I discovered the Batona Trail towards the end of my recovery from Lyme and decided to replace my failed attempt at thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail with a personal goal of thru-hiking the Batona Trail 100 times. So far I've done it 61 times. I think I could probably hike it blindfolded. LOL
WOW 61 times i thought 2 was alot. LOL great job!
i'm leaving to hike it tomorrow north bound, but i ain't going to try it blindfolded LOL