I am an Assistant Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout unit based in Williamstown. Part of earning their Hiking Merit Badge involves a series of 10 mile hikes followed up by a 20 mile hike. I hope someone can give me some ideas for the 10 mile hikes. I would like to start at one of the state run campsites. Just a tent site with well water. Nothing fancy. Preferably somewhere the boys can swim. From there we will set up camp and start our 10 mile hike. Hopefully there is a path that will span the required distance and bring us back to where we started from. Even two, smaller 5 miles loops would work. My plan is to get there mid morning, set up camp and swim for a while, have lunch, go on the hike and be back in time for a late dinner. Any suggestions and maps you can supply would be greatly appreciated. I hope to come up with some good ideas I can share with my friends in Scouting.
Need help planning 10 mile hike and campout for Boy Scouts
- Thread starter tml52974
- Start date
I'm late for a meeting, but I can pop in later and recommend some hikes for you...but surely you're jesting about the swimming part? The water temperature is in the 50's.
Yup. Between life and Scouting things can get pretty hectic. I like to plan months in advance; submit paperwork, pay camping fees, whatever I have to do. This trip won't go down until the kids are done school. Maybe June at the earliest. I love the Barrens, and would like to start becoming more familiar with them from a Scout leader's point of view. Someday I would like to join the 50 miler club. Sounds like Batona Trail material. Thanks for your help, guys.
I thought the Boy Scouts did an annual event at Bodine Field. Maybe you could tap into that event if you're not already part of that.
Troop 48 out of berlin is doing
- April 4, 2013
- Batona Trail 53 Miler
Starts: 12:00 am
Ends: April 8, 2013 - 12:00 am
Location: Wharton State Forest Map
Description: 53 Miler, Batona Trail, Wharton State Forest, NJ – Cost TBA - You can call them on the link below
http://www.troop48berlin.org/about-us
- Batona Trail 53 Miler
i could be wrong, but i think the only campground you can legally swim at is Bass River. there is water other places, but i know the boy scout rules are stricter today.
i would suggest Batona camp, because of vehicle access and drinking water.
for hikes you got:
Batona north (Aplle Pie Hill +)
Batona south (Lower Forge)
Hampton Furnace Loop (not blazed)
Speedwell Loop (not blazed)
Atsion Loop (not blazed)
the railroad tracks give you ways of walking back and creating a loop
Map i made for camps.
you could always drive to Atsion Lake for some fun and swimming.
KK&K
i would suggest Batona camp, because of vehicle access and drinking water.
for hikes you got:
Batona north (Aplle Pie Hill +)
Batona south (Lower Forge)
Hampton Furnace Loop (not blazed)
Speedwell Loop (not blazed)
Atsion Loop (not blazed)
the railroad tracks give you ways of walking back and creating a loop
Map i made for camps.
you could always drive to Atsion Lake for some fun and swimming.
KK&K
The Scouts may enjoy hiking along an old railroad between Atsion and the Carranza Monument and back.
http://www.nynjtc.org/hike/atsion-carranza-monument
http://www.nynjtc.org/hike/atsion-carranza-monument
Karl has the Batona trail been rerouted at the souther end to get it off Stage Road?I was stone hunting a few weeks ago and ran into a pink blazed trail approximately here and it headed out to allen road hooked a left crossed the swamp and hooked a right as it it was headed toward the rest of the trail
there is a point where it dips in and out and follows the wires. i don't think they added or moved it, but it looks like they have a pink blaze loop near bass river camp. magnify this map to 300% and look at stage road. http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/docs/batona14web.pdf
latest GPS of southern section
i want to do the NEW north section next week.
KK
your right I did
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.63786862243305&lng=-74.44273710250854&z=16&type=h&gpx=
the trail comes in from the east and hits allen road here,heads south using road to cross swamp and then heads east again toward batona trail along south side of swamp.blazed pink with rectangular blazes just like batona Trail
Ahhh...you're going in June. Okay, that makes sense now. I was worried that you were some kind of sadistic scout master who makes the kids swim in November.
As Karl already mentioned, Batona Camp has everything you're looking for, except for the swimming. The Batona Trail goes right through Batona Camp, so you can hike it north or south and tailor your hike to the distance you desire. You need a permit to camp there. The Park Police do patrol that area and check campers for permits. You can get camping permits at the Atsion Park office or Batsto Park office. I think they're $2 per campsite.
Bass River State Park, which is about two miles from the southern terminus of the Batona Trail has camping, swimming, kayaking and fishing. You can rent a tent campsite for $20 a night. They allow six people per campsite. Each campsite has a fire ring and a picnic table. There are also indoor bathrooms and showers available. Lake Absegambi is in the park and has a beach for swimming. You can also kayak/canoe on the lake. If the kids want to fish, there are boatloads of pickerel swimming in that lake. You can hike to the Batona Trail from Bass River State Park if transportation is a problem (about 2 miles) There are two places for food close by in New Gretna on Rt.9. New Gretna Munchies (Carlos makes one hell of a good cheese steak!) Allen's Clam Bar. And if the kids really get on your nerves, there's a liquor store across the street from Allen's.
One thing you need to become familiar with about the pine barrens before you step out to go hiking is ticks. There are lots of them! Chiggers too, starting in mid-summer. You will definitely want everybody who is hiking to treat their clothes and foot wear with permethrin. Don't waste your time with deet or natural insect repellents. They will not repel ticks.
Good luck!