DEP Launches Trail Tracker Smart Device Tool

lj762

Explorer
Feb 18, 2017
358
227
Bass River State Forest
The park service recommends downloading trail maps to your device before entering areas with limited cell service.
Does anyone know how/if this works? It seems to me Trail Tracker needs live internet access to work, but that's the PC version and I'm not sure how the cell phone app works.

On the web site, the intro/"About" popup says to follow a link for PDF maps "before visiting areas of limited cell service." The link just goes to the listing of parks. There are PDF maps there, but they are older, and don't necessarily match Trail Tracker. Plus they won't help people who are lost.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
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lj762

Explorer
Feb 18, 2017
358
227
Bass River State Forest
..."The park service advises all hikers to follow marked trails"....

Yeah, okay. :D
Especially true during hunting season. And don't dress in camo or dark colors. And keep dogs on leash and kids nearby.

There are many responsible, safe, careful, sober hunters out there, but it's the other ones I worry about.
 

lj762

Explorer
Feb 18, 2017
358
227
Bass River State Forest
Speaking of navigating and/or getting lost in the Pinelands - I've always wondered why there are no road name signs at the unpaved road intersections. Someone told me there once were, but they always got stolen. True?
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
Speaking of navigating and/or getting lost in the Pinelands - I've always wondered why there are no road name signs at the unpaved road intersections. Someone told me there once were, but they always got stolen. True?

I don't ever remember that. There were very few in my memory, which goes back to the late 1960's. Yes, there were some near the Forked River Mountains, but they were put up by locals.
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,840
958
Lack of road names let alone signs has always been a problem. I have had difficult times trying to explain to the Park Police where there was a problem. One officer couldn't even fill out his report. Over the years I have heard the FFS use names for roads such as Sawdust Pile Road, and other descriptive names. Wouldn't it be helpful if they would share.
 

enormiss

Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
574
366
Atco NJ
Just did the "sleeper creek trail" because I had to see what scenic overlook was LoL
No overlook but it was a view of the creek at a spot that may have been a crossing at some point.
My dog found a soft spot near creek and needed to be pulled out.
Cant get the location part working on their map...
I put some way points in my GPS before leaving but it was marked well.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,180
I reported a dump pile and received a call from the officer asking where the road was that I named.
..."The park service advises all hikers to follow marked trails"....

Yeah, okay. :D

They most likely want that because they are constantly searching for lost individuals I hear.
 
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lj762

Explorer
Feb 18, 2017
358
227
Bass River State Forest
When someone informs me I should stay on marked trails I immediately start thinking, "What are the trying to hide from me that off the trails"?
Snakes. Spiders. Ticks. Chiggers. Hunter's snares. Unmarked private property lines. Etc.
I"ve been temporarily misplaced a few times but never lost.Never had to have anyone find me in any case
We are not lost -
We are locationally deficient, and directionally challenged.
(From a Clive Cussler book, I think)
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,180
I"m busted trespassing I"ll never be able to truthfully claim ignorance.


I came close to that happening to me recently even though I was not trespassing. In the end except for one minor slip up that I believe only I noticed, I think I was persuasive enough.
 
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lj762

Explorer
Feb 18, 2017
358
227
Bass River State Forest
A few more off-trail finds, reasons to stay on trail: Rusty old strands of barbed wire (that stuff scared me more than the other things), broken glass from dumped windows, used baby diapers, used pregnancy test kits (not kidding, really), full doggie bags (not the food kind - from the other end).

Sorry if I made anyone lose their appetite.

But aside from protecting hikers, the advice to stay on trail is to protect the forest. I was surprised to find that it only takes a few people to make a new path which will last for a long time.
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
I have wandered over lines repeatedly while trying to navigate around bad terrain,not knowing I erred so badly till I get hole and put the track on the computer only to realize i was 200 yards inside someones property. I have also been approached by people who swore I was on private land and I swore i was not and so far they have always left me alone.I think they were hunters trying to scare me off their perch.Down here the game of the day is falsely posting public land to try and preserve your own honey hole deer kingdom.I was fooled a few times by false signs back before i had the resources to check such things.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
A few more off-trail finds, reasons to stay on trail: Rusty old strands of barbed wire (that stuff scared me more than the other things), broken glass from dumped windows, used baby diapers, used pregnancy test kits (not kidding, really), full doggie bags (not the food kind - from the other end).

Sorry if I made anyone lose their appetite.

But aside from protecting hikers, the advice to stay on trail is to protect the forest. I was surprised to find that it only takes a few people to make a new path which will last for a long time.
Guy and I almost lost some fingers digging down the side of a stone to find an inscription.The stone was close to a road and apparently at some time in the past someone had dumped window glass around the stone because we soon started coming up with some nasty shards all around the stone.It was 20 ft off a sand road and could easily be backed up to though no sign of trash was visible on the surface.Wood was all gone.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,180
Guy and I almost lost some fingers digging down the side of a stone to find an inscription.The stone was close to a road and apparently at some time in the past someone had dumped window glass around the stone because we soon started coming up with some nasty shards all around the stone.It was 20 ft off a sand road and could easily be backed up to though no sign of trash was visible on the surface.Wood was all gone.


Digging around the stone we almost lost our fingers.

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