Wilderness Camping

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,338
326
Near Mt. Misery
Why would it be illegal to sleep in the back of your truck. I didn't realize that was illegal. I think the state just makes up laws for the Hell of it sometimes. Law # 351; It is illegal to turn right more than three times in the State forest.
Hmmm...no wonder this state is so rich $!
 

Piney Boy

Explorer
Sep 19, 2005
365
1
Williamstown, NJ
woodjin said:
Why would it be illegal to sleep in the back of your truck. I didn't realize that was illegal. I think the state just makes up laws for the Hell of it sometimes. Law # 351; It is illegal to turn right more than three times in the State forest.
Hmmm...no wonder this state is so rich $!

Don't know the exact reasoning with the State of NJ, but with National Park Service holdings car sleeping is illegal because of the occasional suicide and drug related issues that sometimes pop up with this. Perhaps its the same with the state, but I'm not sure.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,338
326
Near Mt. Misery
Thanks for the clarification Piney Boy. It seems to me that if you are going to commit suicide, a fine for staying in your car overnight is probably not going to be much of a deterrent. They would have a Hell of a time collecting that fine for one thing. Piney Boy, I know you don't make up these laws and I appreciate you explaining the National position on this.

When I was a part-time ranger at a county park we had an attempted suicide by someone locking themself in their car and overdosing on sleeping pills. We had human remains in a garbage bag, and an escaped mental patient from a maximum security institution wondering around. I was also a witness in a missing person/ later to be murder case. It is amazing some of the stuff I saw there. Weird deviant sexual behavior, not so deviant sexual behavior :) Vandalism, drug abuse. People are strange.

Jeff
 

onehand

Explorer
Apr 11, 2005
374
1
potter co. pa.
virginiapiney said:
just west of the basto railroad bridge
??, i know of a RR bridge very close to an intersection known to some as "batsto station" not that it's close to Batsto just to a road that goes in that direction (Hey road), maybe there was a hotel/water hole there at one time. i hike through that area frequently , but is closer to hampton furnance

gps coords n39 45.404 w074 40.510
 

Piney Boy

Explorer
Sep 19, 2005
365
1
Williamstown, NJ
woodjin said:
Thanks for the clarification Piney Boy. It seems to me that if you are going to commit suicide, a fine for staying in your car overnight is probably not going to be much of a deterrent. They would have a Hell of a time collecting that fine for one thing. Piney Boy, I know you don't make up these laws and I appreciate you explaining the National position on this.

When I was a part-time ranger at a county park we had an attempted suicide by someone locking themself in their car and overdosing on sleeping pills. We had human remains in a garbage bag, and an escaped mental patient from a maximum security institution wondering around. I was also a witness in a missing person/ later to be murder case. It is amazing some of the stuff I saw there. Weird deviant sexual behavior, not so deviant sexual behavior :) Vandalism, drug abuse. People are strange.

Tell me about it! Its seems every crazy wants to commit anything and everything they can think of in both National and State parks. We get this park news (nationwide) and the numbers of terrible actions are just staggering. At least 2-3 suicides and attempts a week and countless drug interdictions, vandalism, and violence. I really think those poor border rangers have it the worst, I read of shootouts with mexican drug runners constantly. Oh, and The Grand Canyon, on average, has 14 suicides a year.
 

NewSchoolPiney

Explorer
Jun 16, 2003
138
0
Boston, MA
www.pinemind.com
woodjin said:
Echoing Steve's question...How much is that fine?

Hey all,

Sorry for not getting back to you. The fine for illegal camping/having an illegal campfire is $70 (they told us $50). The fine for having alcoholic beverages in a a state forest (we had two empty bottles of wine in trash bags) is $70 (again they told us it would only be $50).

So, $140 divided by about 30 times doing this over the past 4 to 5 years, I'd gladly fork over the $4 per night to be able to responsibly camp where I want.

I also apologize for the 'wilderness all being gone' quote, but I just see everything being diced up so much that the contiguous forest cover and natural ecosystem seems to be slowly creeping in on itself.

BTW Pray for 2 feet of snow today. My friends and I will be out sledding at Jemima Mount I think either later today or tomorrow.

Peace,

J
 

smadigan

New Member
Jul 29, 2005
14
0
50
Self-imposed exile in Philly
Many times I have stealth camped in the pines and never been bothered. If you go in the winter in a section that is at least a mile from a road in any direction there is not a ranger alive that is going to spend his energy getting to you.

Sean:)
 

Jason Bladzinski

Explorer
Feb 15, 2014
137
23
43
Avenel
I regularly hike and camp all through the Pines. While it is appealing to camp off designated campsites (stealth camping) it is illeagal. I'm no angel and have stealthed a few times in the past, but be really careful about using campfires. All designated areas have fire pits that make control issues easy. It is always tougher on the environ when camping off trail in undesignated areas. Do your best to leave no trace. That calls for removing fire coals and remnants when you are gone. If you want a nice little hike use the Mullica River Wilderness site. Its seven miles out of Batsto and makes for a nice look at the river. Lower forge is another nice isolated campsite aprox 7 miles out of Batsto. Mullica has water, The Forge does not. Brendan Bryne, Bellaire, Atsion, and Bass River all have campsites, but they are all car camping sites that leave little to wilderness. Maps can be obtained at any park office and prices for camping vary. The wilderness sites are 1 dollar. You will run into very few or no people once your past aprox 3 miles on the Batona, and both backcountry campsites are secluded. Have a nice hike.
The mullica camp is about 4 miles from Batsto, not 7
 
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