Some N.J. state parks, forests can reopen for camping June 22, officials say

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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I try to keep a mile or so between me and drunk people with guns. It sounds like you guys made a good call there.

Not camping-related, but I got a summons in the mail today, from NJDFW, for "operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway" at Winslow WMA dated about three weeks ago. $274! I was never stopped or spotted in person, so they must have a trail cam back there. I never do anything destructive of course, but I did drive down the CNJ tracks for a short distance that day, and that must be what they saw me doing.

I guess there's no point in trying to argue it if they have my truck on camera. That fine amount just seems steep, for a harmless act.


They must have had a reason for that camera to be there.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
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Pines; Bamber area
I don;t remember coming up on anyone there while with you.

Yes, it was the last time we went to those clearings a bit north of there. If you recall, we parked the truck and walked to the clearings. We went back to the truck, and on the way out we turned south and came upon 3 people camping in an area that was like a cul-de-sac. I don't recall guns at that time.
 
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
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Pines; Bamber area
I try to keep a mile or so between me and drunk people with guns. It sounds like you guys made a good call there.
I guess there's no point in trying to argue it if they have my truck on camera. That fine amount just seems steep, for a harmless act.

You drove down the tracks, or do you mean you drove on a well-used road that parallels the tracks. I'd look into it closer if I were you. Were there signs saying keep out? And hell yes, that's a hell of a lot of money. Unlike the feds, they likely hold it in a municipal court. You could go see the prosecutor the night of court and ask him to lower the fine due to ambiguity.
 

Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
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Woodbury / Vineland NJ
No signs anywhere. There is no road that parallels the tracks, unfortunately. I drove directly on the crossties, straddling one rail, so I guess I'm guilty as charged. It's a lot of money but not enough to be worth missing work for court. It's too bad, I'd love to see the picture.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
No signs anywhere. There is no road that parallels the tracks, unfortunately. I drove directly on the crossties, straddling one rail, so I guess I'm guilty as charged. It's a lot of money but not enough to be worth missing work for court. It's too bad, I'd love to see the picture.

Still, I think $100 is an adequate fine.

You want to hear a real rip off? Ever hear of Amerigas Propane? My friend's sister had her hot water heater stop working, so she called them Monday. They showed up Tuesday and it was just the pilot light. Had to be lit again. $300.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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Yes, it was the last time we went to those clearings a bit north of there. If you recall, we parked the truck and walked to the clearings. We went back to the truck, and on the way out we turned south and came upon 3 people camping in an area that was like a cul-de-sac. I don't recall guns at that time.
I remember the drive down the tight road and walking back to the Crash and driving all through the fire that day and all the burnt dead deer but id don';t remember any campers.Must be Al's Heimers
 
Apr 6, 2004
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Galloway
No signs anywhere. There is no road that parallels the tracks, unfortunately. I drove directly on the crossties, straddling one rail, so I guess I'm guilty as charged. It's a lot of money but not enough to be worth missing work for court. It's too bad, I'd love to see the picture.

They didn't include a photo with the citation? I would expect that to be normal protocol. You have a right to see it.
 
That's a pretty cynical view and I'm not sure the reality is anything more than the state trying to save a few bucks by not having to patrol all these hard to access spots. With all the staff cuts and furloughs, I'm sure they don't want to deal with the emergency calls that camping there (by inexperienced people who get lost/hurt/stuck) generates. I'm fairly sure that no policymakers in the Murphy administration have any interest in the state forests at all, and maybe have never been south of Trenton. Hence the springtime policy of closing the state parks, but not the WMA land. I doubt anyone involved in the decision making even knew what a WMA was.

I voted for Murphy last time and I likely will again. I think overall he's done an admirable job with this and it seems like NJ is in a rare position of being a good example to the rest of the country in handling the virus. This is a decision that annoys me, since it's an infringement that has no purpose, but I find it hard to believe there's some sort of sinister plan behind it.

It would be interesting to talk to someone from the SF police and ask if they've been instructed to try and find people to bust in closed areas.

"and maybe have never been south of Trenton."

No one in the counties north of south jersey knows about us. In general good, 'cause they don't come here except for the areas near the ocean. Bad because we get fewer funding/resources.
When I went to Ritgers in New Brunswick for some specialty training and mentioned my reluctance to continue because of the 3-4 hour drive, the trainer said "I didn't know New Jersey went that far south."
 
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Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
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Woodbury / Vineland NJ
No photo at all. Just a ticket for "operating mv off established roadway at winslow wma" handwritten on it. My previous experience with municipal court tells me that the choices are to either: 1) Pay the fine, or 2) Take off work, pay the court costs to appear, have your argument be ignored, and then be convicted and pay the fine.

I may try calling the DFW office in winslow and asking them to clarify the circumstances around the ticket. Legally they should be compelled to answer on the basis of the right to discovery of evidence but realistically I'm not expecting much cooperation.

They didn't include a photo with the citation? I would expect that to be normal protocol. You have a right to see it.
 

Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
248
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Woodbury / Vineland NJ
I also attended Rutgers and when introducing myself as from Vineland (mention of which drew a blank stare) someone would eventually say something like "My cousin is from South Jersey. He lives in Freehold." It still cracks me up fifteen years later.

"and maybe have never been south of Trenton."

No one in the counties north of south jersey knows about us. In general good, 'cause they don't come here except for the areas near the ocean. Bad because we get fewer funding/resources.
When I went to Ritgers in New Brunswick for some specialty training and mentioned my reluctance to continue because of the 3-4 hour drive, the trainer said "I didn't know New Jersey went that far south."
 

Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
248
168
37
Woodbury / Vineland NJ
Ok, found it. It looks like some are accepting reservations and some aren't. Godfrey, Hawkins, Goshen, and Bodine are still showing up as closed on the reservation website. Mullica River and Lower Forge (maybe others also) are open as of June 1.
 

imkms

Explorer
Feb 18, 2008
587
224
SJ and SW FL
From the “Camping Reservation” site.

State Park Service Overnight Facilities Update​

Effective Monday, March 22, primitive campsites, group campsites and additional tent/trailer campsites will be made available for reservations for the period starting April 1 through December 15.

In addition, reservations continue to be accepted for family tent and trailer campsites, RV sites and wilderness campsites at all areas through December 15. Please note some camping areas will continue to have regularly scheduled seasonal closures in place.

Cabins, shelters, and lean-tos remain closed at this time.
 

Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
248
168
37
Woodbury / Vineland NJ
From the “Camping Reservation” site.

State Park Service Overnight Facilities Update​

Effective Monday, March 22, primitive campsites, group campsites and additional tent/trailer campsites will be made available for reservations for the period starting April 1 through December 15.

In addition, reservations continue to be accepted for family tent and trailer campsites, RV sites and wilderness campsites at all areas through December 15. Please note some camping areas will continue to have regularly scheduled seasonal closures in place.

Cabins, shelters, and lean-tos remain closed at this time.

I read that. However if you try to make a reservation for any date at all, no matter how late in the year, the campgrounds I mentioned are blocked out.
 

mowergod

Explorer
Apr 9, 2011
108
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Newtonville
Here's a screen shot of the Wharton Facebook page
 

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