Goshen Pond to Atsion Lake

[ecampbell]

Saturday we decided to paddle around Atsion Lake, and the day being what it was we ended up paddling upstream to the plastic bridge. There were no obstructions to speak of and the idea was born to paddle from Goshen Pond to Atsion the next day. I hadn't done that section in a few years and I wanted to see some new water.

There is a long beaver dam at the output of Goshen Pond which was fun.
The river is quite open just downstream from the pond.

A beaver lodge, but no sign of recient activity.

The river is not as mamicured as the other rivers served by the rentals.

A low bridge.

A tight squeeze, yes someone's in that kayak.

I enjoyed seeing the trees left hanging over the river.

It did tighten up in a couple of spots.

The plastic bridge from the upstream side. We had to portage but it was not difficult.

The downstream side of the bridge, it's starting to sag.

Now we began a slow drift towards Atsion Lake. The water was high and there was little to do but steer.

Atsion Lake.

An afternoon of monotonous beauty. Now is an excellent time to go, the water is good and they are not charging to get into Atsion Lake yet.

Ed

 

[james ungehajer]

Nice trip report with accompaying pics Ed, i felt like i was on the trip from beginning to the end. Thank you.

Jim

 

[long-a-coming]

Did a very similiar trip last year when the water was a little warmer. Great area with some nice swimming holes. If anyone comes across an expensive pair of sunglasses between the pond and the bridge they're mine

Ed did you notice the timbers from the old bridge submerged as you are approaching the Plastic Bridge along with broken pieces on the banks?

 

[ecampbell]

Did a very similiar trip last year when the water was a little warmer. Great area with some nice swimming holes. If anyone comes across an expensive pair of sunglasses between the pond and the bridge they're mine

Ed did you notice the timbers from the old bridge submerged as you are approaching the Plastic Bridge along with broken pieces on the banks?

No I didn't. Maybe the water was too high. That run is going to burst into life in the next 2 weeks.

 

[Chrisr]

Great trip report and pics, Ed! I enjoyed them very much. I went to Batsto with my Corvette club Sunday morning. On the way back I noticed a couple of kayaks on the lake. I wonder if it was you?? It was around 2:30pm.

 

[ecampbell]

Great trip report and pics, Ed! I enjoyed them very much. I went to Batsto with my Corvette club Sunday morning. On the way back I noticed a couple of kayaks on the lake. I wonder if it was you?? It was around 2:30pm.

No, I think we were still up river. There were lots of paddlers out both days.

 

[DeepXplor]

On the water

Ed, Great photos. Seems like a good trip. I didn't see any white caps or heard of any small craft warnings. I guess it was a flat water day. How did you keep the camera dry?

 

[tom m]

I was at goshen today and I am thinking of that trip with my canoe after My brother Piker and I take the oswego upstream. Also Coming from atsion rd into goshen , when you cross the plastic bridge where will that eventually take you ???? I didn't want to hit any real soft areas and get stuck back there with no cell service

 

[ecampbell]

I was at goshen today and I am thinking of that trip with my canoe after My brother Piker and I take the oswego upstream. Also Coming from atsion rd into goshen , when you cross the plastic bridge where will that eventually take you ???? I didn't want to hit any real soft areas and get stuck back there with no cell service

All the way to Chew road. Probably no soft sand now but the Sleeper runs through the road, or does the road run through the Sleeper. It can be very trappy.

 

[ecampbell]

Ed, Great photos. Seems like a good trip. I didn't see any white caps or heard of any small craft warnings. I guess it was a flat water day. How did you keep the camera dry?

Kept it under my hat!
I sent the camera back yesterday to fix the lense barrier. You can see the shadow of it on some of the pictures. I carry that camera everywhere and am going to miss it. Back to my 2mp Canon A40.

 

[Teegate]

Now is an excellent time to go, the water is good and they are not charging to get into Atsion Lake yet.

Ed

Nice report Ed. Are you serious they charge you to use the lake with a kayak?

Guy

 

[ecampbell]

Nice report Ed. Are you serious they charge you to use the lake with a kayak?

Guy

I never pushed the subject with them but they charge $5 on weekdays and $10 on weekends per car. We like to shuttle on short runs like this, meaning leaving one car, the wrangler, at Atsion and using the Tahoe to transport the kayaks to Goshen. Then return to Atsion to leave the Tahoe at Atsion and take the jeep non kayak transport back to Goshen and start our trip. I think this would really challenge the toll takers.

 

[RednekF350]

I was at goshen today and I am thinking of that trip with my canoe after My brother Piker and I take the oswego upstream. Also Coming from atsion rd into goshen , when you cross the plastic bridge where will that eventually take you ???? I didn't want to hit any real soft areas and get stuck back there with no cell service

Cell service is no problem in there, unless you have NoTel (Nextel). I think I would yell out the window before having their service in the woods.

The road isn't too bad right now but you always have to run and gun the intersection of Raritan Ave and Sandy Causeway just before the plastic bridge. The sugar sand in that intersection is usulally deep and loose.
The water holes are generally hard bottomed and there are two deep ones just south of the Sleeper

 

[tom m]

Actually I made to and past the plastic bridge with no problem, no soft sand in sight, I turned around about 1/4 mile past it tho cuz I was not sure . Thanks for the info i'll cruise it when i don't have the canoe on the back

 

[mudboy dave]

that is Sandy Causeway Road. I do it quite often with my saturn. the first area you cometo of soft sand is the interestion of raritan, as long as you keep a momentum up you are fine, then its har packed all the way to the next large interection, which the first obstacle is a water hole, stick to the hard right and you won't even get your rims wet, then its smooth sailing all the way up to were Fleming Pike and Sandy Causeway intersect. either way you take at thast fork will shortly bring you to Chew Road. If you vear off to the right at the fork you will be able to cross Chew and continue down the side of the RR and eventually come back out to pavement in Elm right by the Tuckerton sod farm. Follow that straight and you will pop out onto rt 30. You can still continue straight into Winslow if you'd like.
If you need road conditions or wonder were a trail goes, just let me know. I'm in them woods pretty much every day, looking for stuck people and taking down coiordinates of heavily trashed areas.

 

[Mts83]

Great pictures Ed, I haven't been on the Upper Mullica in years... the plastic bridge wasn't even there yet. I remember the beaver dam is always a highlight on that trip, it's been there as far as I can remember.

Thanks for the pictures