Off Roading!!!!

bkelly89

New Member
Nov 1, 2009
3
0
Hey Guys, so I just was wondering if someone could give me a little information about off roading/mudding in the pine barrens. My boyfriend and I have a truck lifted 12 inches on 40's, my truck is stock 4x4 offroad, and we're going to be getting a jeep soon that we're going to lift 8 inches and put on 38's which we are going to build specifically for mudding and off roading. We have heard a lot about the pine barrens, we're from more northern jersey, and I've been dying to go, but don't even know where to start on how to make that happen. I've heard a lot about permits & certain places are better to go than others, and where to start whether atsion or batsto? But we don't know the area down there that well and have only heard of off roading here by word of mouth in passing. So I was just wondering if someone could give me the low down about it all :) We're looking for a lot of fun trails, and mainly mud because that's where I find the fun at! If you could be of any help, that would be great! Thanks :)
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
Welcome!

Don't take this the wrong way since I have nothing against off-roading, but if you are coming to specifically dig up the roads for enjoyment as some people do, not only does it destroy the roads and rare plant habitat, it is illegal. So when you come keep it in mind that there are people on this site who are against's what you are doing and you may hear from them. It may be better to not go into as much detail on what you are doing and you would get a better response I believe. Or ask that question on one of the 4x4 sites online.

Enjoy yourself but please be careful on who is around you when you do what you want to do.


Guy
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
please stay out of the bogs is what we ask.there are plenty of bottomless hole on the regular sand roads that will be glad to drown and destroy your truck without tearing up endangered plants(this really will freak Bob out) or running over snake dens (which will really freak me out)or knocking over Guys stones (well you guessed it)so google earth the Barrens and wherever you see a pristine sand road disappear into what appears to be a black hole and then pop out on the other side go for it,hope you have your truck scubaed down and no the number to that dude in dutchtown that pulls folks like you out (he doesn't do it for free) :)I personally know where a hole is that will swallow any vehicle you take into it without so much as a muddy burp.
Al
 

kingofthepines

Explorer
Sep 10, 2003
268
7
the final outpost
Hey Guys, so I just was wondering if someone could give me a little information about off roading/mudding in the pine barrens. My boyfriend and I have a truck lifted 12 inches on 40's, my truck is stock 4x4 offroad, and we're going to be getting a jeep soon that we're going to lift 8 inches and put on 38's which we are going to build specifically for mudding and off roading. We have heard a lot about the pine barrens, we're from more northern jersey, and I've been dying to go, but don't even know where to start on how to make that happen. I've heard a lot about permits & certain places are better to go than others, and where to start whether atsion or batsto? But we don't know the area down there that well and have only heard of off roading here by word of mouth in passing. So I was just wondering if someone could give me the low down about it all :) We're looking for a lot of fun trails, and mainly mud because that's where I find the fun at! If you could be of any help, that would be great! Thanks :)
Is there a question in there?
 

GermanG

Piney
Apr 2, 2005
1,111
434
Little Egg Harbor
I view a truck like the first one you described heading into the woods about the same way I view a pickup loaded with construction debris. I've owned several 4x4s, but they were for getting from point A to B, not for destroying point A to B.
 

Trailhead00

Explorer
Mar 9, 2005
375
1
47
Haddonfield, NJ
Read up on NJ lift laws. Maximum tire diameter allowed will be 38" or 6" over stock, whichever is less. Not trying to be a wise guy but you should have the proper stability papers for a vehicle that big. Stay on the trails that are marked on a map and don't rip up mother nature. Just use common sense and you will be fine. If you are wheeling in an area that you might think is illegal chances are it is.
 

MuckSavage

Explorer
Apr 1, 2005
597
218
56
Turnersville
What you're building is too big for pines travel. Also, please stop calling it "Off Roading" You will be traveling on roads. Dirt Roads
 

bkelly89

New Member
Nov 1, 2009
3
0
thank you to some of you who were kind. no thanks to other of you who went about it in a rude way. I've been doing off roading my entire life. heard from some friends about the pine barrens who used to live down in forked river and lacey. they go all the time and go for the trails and mud pits. just was looking for some more specifics. but someone kindly is helping me out through private message. and in regards to the NJ Lift Laws. Trust me, again, I'm a country girl, been around trucks and mud and wheeling and all that sort of thing my entire life. His truck is legal, so don't you worry about any of that, we have all the necessary paper work. thanks.
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,616
1,863
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
To be honest, I think that smaller is better in the pines. Now, granted, I'm not driving around in pits looking for giant mud holes, but most of the trails that I like are narrow. I've often kicked the idea of picking up a Suzuki Samari for driving around the woods.

bkelly89, this site is primarily focused on the history and ecology of the Pine Barrens. So, most people here aren't going to have anything helpful to say about "muddin." I used to love taking my truck out and getting it dirty, but that was before I realized what sort of damage it does. (To the environment AND the truck!)

Even on roads with puddles, a truck with 40's will dig up ruts that will make it harder and harder for other vehicles to get past. So please remember that your vehicle has the power to do a lot of damage, so all that anybody here asks is that you use it wisely.
 

grendel

Explorer
Feb 24, 2006
561
2
Fredericksburg VA
thank you to some of you who were kind. no thanks to other of you who went about it in a rude way. I've been doing off roading my entire life. heard from some friends about the pine barrens who used to live down in forked river and lacey. they go all the time and go for the trails and mud pits. just was looking for some more specifics. but someone kindly is helping me out through private message. and in regards to the NJ Lift Laws. Trust me, again, I'm a country girl, been around trucks and mud and wheeling and all that sort of thing my entire life. His truck is legal, so don't you worry about any of that, we have all the necessary paper work. thanks.

If you have all that wheelin and muddin up there in north Jersey your entire life , why don't you just stay up there and enjoy it. If you want to come to the pines and enjoy a nice hike or float on a river many here would be glad to help. We have enough folks down here tearing the place up as it is. a truck with 40" tires? You can't start that thing up without tearing something up. let alone when you get in an accident. And by the way nobody has been rude to you. Except me, a little.
 

bkelly89

New Member
Nov 1, 2009
3
0
I've had two kind people get into contact with me privately and are helping us out with what we would like to know. thank you all for your time and comments.
 

Y-BUC-BILL

Explorer
Mar 9, 2007
129
26
Off Roading is not what the pinelands is all about.I used to hunt an area...lots of spungs.You could walk these spungs with knee boots.The following year I hunted thiis area.Saw that the road was cut up with hugh tires.Went back to my truck for hip boots.I could not walk through any of the spungs.The monster trucks and their monster tires had knocked the bottom out of the spung[never to return.] Left behind....one broken tow strap and a six dack of empty beer cans.This made me sick.
 

grendel

Explorer
Feb 24, 2006
561
2
Fredericksburg VA
I'm all about exploring the Pines, whether it's walking, biking or traveling the dirt roads in my little pickup. Nothing wrong with getting a little mud on the tires, just please don't tear the road up.

agreed, tread lightly. I just bought a 2005 pathfinder, got my first piney pinstripes on it about a month ago. Nothing like a ride in the pines.
 

imkms

Explorer
Feb 18, 2008
587
224
SJ and SW FL
I'm all about exploring the Pines, whether it's walking, biking or traveling the dirt roads in my little pickup. Nothing wrong with getting a little mud on the tires, just please don't tear the road up.

Well said, and advice that all should follow. I am afraid, that in the future, many roads in the pines will be closed. This will be due, in part, to the destructive actions of certain folks causing numerous and large dips in the roads making it impossibile for many vehicles to travel. The forest and fire services can't repair them all and will be forced to close them. I hope I never see that day, but I would not bet against it.
In some respects we have become spoiled with all of the access to the pinelands and we should not take that for granted.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
To be honest, I think that smaller is better in the pines. Now, granted, I'm not driving around in pits looking for giant mud holes, but most of the trails that I like are narrow. I've often kicked the idea of picking up a Suzuki Samari for driving around the woods.

bkelly89, this site is primarily focused on the history and ecology of the Pine Barrens. So, most people here aren't going to have anything helpful to say about "muddin." I used to love taking my truck out and getting it dirty, but that was before I realized what sort of damage it does. (To the environment AND the truck!)

Even on roads with puddles, a truck with 40's will dig up ruts that will make it harder and harder for other vehicles to get past. So please remember that your vehicle has the power to do a lot of damage, so all that anybody here asks is that you use it wisely.

Ben,
don't know about the samurais but I can vouch for Suzuki vitaras and xl-7's they can take a beating in the woods.suzuki trucks rule in the woods though i hear their cars aren't as good.
Al
 

PINEY MIKE

Explorer
Jan 30, 2009
707
25
Bamber Lake
There's a huge difference between a drive through the pines and looking for mud to rutt-up. I hope you know the difference and will remember that not all of us have 40" tires to get through the rutts you may leave behind IF driving carelessly.. treat the pines with respect and no one will have a problem with your being here. Enjoy.
 
Well said, and advice that all should follow. I am afraid, that in the future, many roads in the pines will be closed. This will be due, in part, to the destructive actions of certain folks causing numerous and large dips in the roads making it impossibile for many vehicles to travel. The forest and fire services can't repair them all and will be forced to close them. I hope I never see that day, but I would not bet against it.
In some respects we have become spoiled with all of the access to the pinelands and we should not take that for granted.


It's a shame some roads are already getting difficult to get to. Although due to corporation expansion, the dirt road was closed up the other year back off Recovery Rd. in Manahawkin. You can still travel the dirt road, but only by entering off Greys Rd. in Warren Grove (and perhaps some other network of dirt roads). Anyway, not really on topic, just a shame you can't travel from Manahawkin to the Grove on that one dirt road anymore.
 
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