Has anyone done this recently. We purchased a new pop-up and this will probably be the 1st place we use it. Can anyone comment about this area for camping? I wheel in that area from time to time, however we've never camped there.
Camping at Brendan T. Byrne State Forest
- Thread starter this_is_nascar
- Start date
Last year I stayed in a cabin at Pakim pond and it was a realitively quiet relaxed time.As far as the tent sites I dont have any experience at Byrne.
Here is a post by our very own Bobpbx where he discusses Pakim Pond.
The post:
I am really disappointed. Today I drove to Pakim Pond to check out the picnic area. The tables were extremely weathered and the beach was closed for good. There has been nobody swimming there for awhile. It has really deteriorated. There are no ropes anymore, they have let weeds grow all over the beach, and the water has that black nasty look it sometimes gets from inactivity and no clean sand. Take a look:
"Link does not work"
Wait, there's more. A guy and his son were camping there, and the boy was looking wistfully out at the water, like, gee what happened here? And a couple had their two dogs on a leash and had let them walk into the water a few feet to cool off. No big deal, right? All of a sudden a forest cop in a sedan used his bullhorn and yelled at them from the air conditioned comfort of his seat at the parking lot; "Get the dogs out of the water and off the beach"! I was shocked and dejected. Whatever happened to a nice family picnic and swim at the pond? Especially for those who don't have a pool.
I went to the office and asked the woman behind the counter just what the hell happened? She said, "I don't really know, but I heard they won't pay for the lifeguards." I said, what do you mean you don't really know. She said, "I don't know, I am just visitor services". Don't get me wrong, she was a nice enough lady, but damn, what the hell is this state coming too...!
Here's another one. I then drove down to Hawkins Bridge, campsite 36 is right on the river where the rope swing is across from Wading Pines campground. I arrived at the campsite the same time as a forest cop in a jeep. We both walked down to the creek, he never said a word to me. At the creek 2 adults and 4 kids were swimming. One kid about 11 years old had his hand on the rope swing and was about to take off. The cop says to the kid;
"Uh, no. Nope. You just drop that rope right now".
The kid did. And then, unbelievably, the cop turned on his heel and walked back to his car without a word. I watched him go with my mouth hung open in bewilderment. What the hell does he care if the kid wants to swing on the rope? That rope has been there for years.
We should take back our parks and demand they be more user friendly and maintained. I am really disappointed by the whole thing. I went on down to Lake Absegami and it was so full they closed it to more cars.
End Post
The link to the thread...post 45
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/showthread.php?t=1852&page=2&highlight=Pakim+pond
Guy
The post:
I am really disappointed. Today I drove to Pakim Pond to check out the picnic area. The tables were extremely weathered and the beach was closed for good. There has been nobody swimming there for awhile. It has really deteriorated. There are no ropes anymore, they have let weeds grow all over the beach, and the water has that black nasty look it sometimes gets from inactivity and no clean sand. Take a look:
"Link does not work"
Wait, there's more. A guy and his son were camping there, and the boy was looking wistfully out at the water, like, gee what happened here? And a couple had their two dogs on a leash and had let them walk into the water a few feet to cool off. No big deal, right? All of a sudden a forest cop in a sedan used his bullhorn and yelled at them from the air conditioned comfort of his seat at the parking lot; "Get the dogs out of the water and off the beach"! I was shocked and dejected. Whatever happened to a nice family picnic and swim at the pond? Especially for those who don't have a pool.
I went to the office and asked the woman behind the counter just what the hell happened? She said, "I don't really know, but I heard they won't pay for the lifeguards." I said, what do you mean you don't really know. She said, "I don't know, I am just visitor services". Don't get me wrong, she was a nice enough lady, but damn, what the hell is this state coming too...!
Here's another one. I then drove down to Hawkins Bridge, campsite 36 is right on the river where the rope swing is across from Wading Pines campground. I arrived at the campsite the same time as a forest cop in a jeep. We both walked down to the creek, he never said a word to me. At the creek 2 adults and 4 kids were swimming. One kid about 11 years old had his hand on the rope swing and was about to take off. The cop says to the kid;
"Uh, no. Nope. You just drop that rope right now".
The kid did. And then, unbelievably, the cop turned on his heel and walked back to his car without a word. I watched him go with my mouth hung open in bewilderment. What the hell does he care if the kid wants to swing on the rope? That rope has been there for years.
We should take back our parks and demand they be more user friendly and maintained. I am really disappointed by the whole thing. I went on down to Lake Absegami and it was so full they closed it to more cars.
End Post
The link to the thread...post 45
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/showthread.php?t=1852&page=2&highlight=Pakim+pond
Guy
You gotta love those friendly forest cops, eh?
If you're going to camp, either go out of state or do it illegally. The latter option is always more fun anyways.
If you're going to camp, either go out of state or do it illegally. The latter option is always more fun anyways.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I think we'll still go and take our chances. We won't be doing much more than basic camping and some wheelin'.
Well, they are car camping sites; a little cover from the site next to you, bathroom facilities and such, water pumps, picnic tables and fire rings, freddie patrols throughout the nights. Under cared for really, a little more seclusion would go a long way. No states really follow that line of thinking though, most drop as many spots as they can into a campsite.