NJ > Mullica River > 8th Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trek > Nov 29 - Dec 1

[silentorpheus]

Trip report?
Anyone?

Ha! SS wasn't able to make it this year, and he's usually the one that starts the trip report thread.

I'll work up a recap, but the short answer is that it was very low key, and a nice relaxing weekend in the woods. 6 people Friday night, 9 Saturday night. Someone got a little lost, ended up on the other side of the river from camp, and went swimming. You know, an average weekend in the pines

[silentorpheus]

Trip report?
Anyone?

Ha! SS wasn't able to make it this year, and he's usually the one that starts the trip report thread.

I'll work up a recap, but the short answer is that it was very low key, and a nice relaxing weekend in the woods. 6 people Friday night, 9 Saturday night. Someone got a little lost, ended up on the other side of the river from camp, and went swimming. You know, an average weekend in the pines

Here you go:

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...50#post2000150

[TrailBlaser]

I am hoping to do my first Pine Barrens backpacking trip next spring. It could be an out/back or loop and ideally 7-9 miles each way. The plan would be to go in on a Saturday, camp and then walk out on Sunday, hopefully with a bit of solitude. I would appreciate any suggestions you guys have. Thanks!

[JmBoh]

I am hoping to do my first Pine Barrens backpacking trip next spring. It could be an out/back or loop and ideally 7-9 miles each way. The plan would be to go in on a Saturday, camp and then walk out on Sunday, hopefully with a bit of solitude. I would appreciate any suggestions you guys have. Thanks!

Parking at Atsion station on 206 and hiking into either Lower forge or Mullica River camp grounds is a really nice hike. Both are about 6 or so miles one way. Lower Forge is a dry camp and Mullica has a well pump for water. Both great places to camp.

[TrailBlaser]

Parking at Atsion station on 206 and hiking into either Lower forge or Mullica River camp grounds is a really nice hike. Both are about 6 or so miles one way. Lower Forge is a dry camp and Mullica has a well pump for water. Both great places to camp.

Thanks very much JmBoh, sounds perfect. I appreciate it, thanks again.

[silentorpheus]

Thanks very much JmBoh, sounds perfect. I appreciate it, thanks again.

If you park at Batsto, and hike the Batona trail to Lower Forge, that's around 7-8 miles as well.

Personally, I prefer Mullica River Camp to Lower Forge, partially because of the water pump, but also Lower Forge only really has one solid site that's good for hammocks, and one other that's so-so. If given a choice, I'd choose Mullica, and you can find ways to make the hike a little longer if 4-5 miles isn't enough.

Then again, during the busier season, Mullica can get a little crowded, and Lower Forge tends to be a little more secluded (due to the lack of water I'd guess), so there's that to consider. The river is right there so you can filter.

If you're going to Mullica, you want site 8, 7, or 2. Site 9 can fit one hammock (maybe two) and is right by the water. The rest of the sites are a bit spotty - definitely stay away from 1 and 10.

Lower Forge you want site 4. The rest are a toss up from what I remember (haven't been there in a few years).

In the end, like JmBoh said, they're both decent camps, and are pretty easy to get in and out of with the kind of mileage you're looking to do.

[TrailBlaser]

If you park at Batsto, and hike the Batona trail to Lower Forge, that's around 7-8 miles as well.

Personally, I prefer Mullica River Camp to Lower Forge, partially because of the water pump, but also Lower Forge only really has one solid site that's good for hammocks, and one other that's so-so. If given a choice, I'd choose Mullica, and you can find ways to make the hike a little longer if 4-5 miles isn't enough.

Then again, during the busier season, Mullica can get a little crowded, and Lower Forge tends to be a little more secluded (due to the lack of water I'd guess), so there's that to consider. The river is right there so you can filter.

If you're going to Mullica, you want site 8, 7, or 2. Site 9 can fit one hammock (maybe two) and is right by the water. The rest of the sites are a bit spotty - definitely stay away from 1 and 10.

Lower Forge you want site 4. The rest are a toss up from what I remember (haven't been there in a few years).

In the end, like JmBoh said, they're both decent camps, and are pretty easy to get in and out of with the kind of mileage you're looking to do.

Thanks very much - I appreciate the info. It's nice to know in advance which sites are good for hanging. Is it possible start at Atsion and do a loop that would hit both campgrounds for a two nighter?

[silentorpheus]

Thanks very much - I appreciate the info. It's nice to know in advance which sites are good for hanging. Is it possible start at Atsion and do a loop that would hit both campgrounds for a two nighter?

Sure can, though that loop is probably easier if you start from Batsto as then it doesn't require doubling back as much.

https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksand...al_reduced.pdf

Or zoomed in:



If you start from Atsion you hike the Mullica Trail (yellow) to Beaver Pond, take the purple Quaker Bridge trail over to Quaker Bridge, then it's a quick walk up the Batona Trail (pink blazes) to Lower Forge. It's about 6 miles: 2.7 from Atsion to Beaver Pond, 1.7 on the purple trail to Quaker Bridge, and 1.3 from Quaker Bridge to Lower Forge on the Batona Trail.

The next day you head back down to Quaker Bridge, and then take the green wilderness connector trail back to the Mullica Trail and it's another mile South to Mullica Camp. That hike will be short though - just over 3 miles. You could always go back out the purple trail all the way back to Beaver Pond and then down the Mullica from there to add a little more mileage (5.8 total).

Next morning it's 5 miles back to Atsion.



If you come from the South (Batsto):

Hike the Mullica (yellow) 4.5 miles to Mullica River Camp. Next day hike up the Mullica Trail to Beaver Pond, and follow the directions above (Purple trail to Quaker Bridge, Pink Trail to Lower Forge) 5.8 miles total on day two. Final day, take the Batona Trail (pink) all the way South back to Batsto - it's around 7 miles.

That direction there's no backtracking.

Hope that helps.

[SilvrSurfr]

Thanks very much - I appreciate the info. It's nice to know in advance which sites are good for hanging. Is it possible start at Atsion and do a loop that would hit both campgrounds for a two nighter?

You can do that, but you're gonna have a short hike to/from Lower Forge to Mullica River.

I usually use this map:

https://www.njhiking.com/nj-hiking-m...-trail-map.pdf

You can pick up a copy of this map from Atsion (if it's open) or Batsto Village.

It will be about 5.7 miles from Atsion to Lower Forge. Take the Mullica River trail (2.7 miles) to the Beaver Pond Trail (1.7 miles), which will take you to Quaker Bridge. Then head north for 1.3 miles to get to Lower Forge.

Next day head south to Quaker Bridge (1.3 miles), then take the Wilderness Camps Connector Trail (1 mile), then 1 mile south on the Mullica River trail so that's about 3.3 miles from Lower Forge to Mullica River. Next day, you can take the Mullica River trail right back to Atsion (5.5 miles). There are infinite ways to make the trip longer, but I would take the most direct route until you learn your way around Wharton State Forest. It's easy to get lost (trust me, I know all too well from getting lost there many times the last 10 years). At Thanksgiving this year, they had a hiker get lost and he had to swim across the Mullica River to get to camp (been there, done that). The problem is that the vegetation all looks the same and there is very little change in elevation (I think the tallest feature is Apple Pie Hill which tops out at 200 feet). You miss a few trail blazes and next thing you know you're two miles off course.

One problem you'll have is picking up your camping reservation. Atsion Ranger office doesn't open until April 1, so you'll have to pick up your permit at Batsto until then (offices close at 4 pm). You can either hike from Batsto (7.3 miles to Lower Forge) , or drive 30 minutes to Atsion and start from there.If you leave from Batsto, you'll have the same 3.3 miles from Lower Forge to Mullica, then you'll have a 4-mile hike the next day back to Batsto.

Some people don't even reserve a campsite, but I don't advise that because you're likely to meet somebody who has already occupied your campsite and has no permit. That happens often, and sometimes you just have to show them your permit and get them to vacate, or you'll call the state police. I've never actually had to call the state police, but I have found people in my campsite.

Here's another map I've never used, which may be of help.

https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksand...al_reduced.pdf

[silentorpheus]

You can do that, but you're gonna have a short hike to/from Lower Forge to Mullica River.

I usually use this map:

https://www.njhiking.com/nj-hiking-m...-trail-map.pdf

You can pick up a copy of this map from Atsion (if it's open) or Batsto Village.

It will be about 5.7 miles from Atsion to Lower Forge. Take the Mullica River trail (2.7 miles) to the Beaver Pond Trail (1.7 miles), which will take you to Quaker Bridge. Then head north for 1.3 miles to get to Lower Forge.

Next day head south to Quaker Bridge (1.3 miles), then take the Wilderness Camps Connector Trail (1 mile), then 1 mile south on the Mullica River trail so that's about 3.3 miles from Lower Forge to Mullica River. Next day, you can take the Mullica River trail right back to Atsion (5.5 miles). There are infinite ways to make the trip longer, but I would take the most direct route until you learn your way around Wharton State Forest. It's easy to get lost (trust me, I know all too well from getting lost there many times the last 10 years). At Thanksgiving this year, they had a hiker get lost and he had to swim across the Mullica River to get to camp (been there, done that). The problem is that the vegetation all looks the same and there is very little change in elevation (I think the tallest feature is Apple Pie Hill which tops out at 200 feet). You miss a few trail blazes and next thing you know you're two miles off course.

One problem you'll have is picking up your camping reservation. Atsion Ranger office doesn't open until April 1, so you'll have to pick up your permit at Batsto until then (offices close at 4 pm). You can either hike from Batsto (7.3 miles to Lower Forge) , or drive 30 minutes to Atsion and start from there.If you leave from Batsto, you'll have the same 3.3 miles from Lower Forge to Mullica, then you'll have a 4-mile hike the next day back to Batsto.

Some people don't even reserve a campsite, but I don't advise that because you're likely to meet somebody who has already occupied your campsite and has no permit. That happens often, and sometimes you just have to show them your permit and get them to vacate, or you'll call the state police. I've never actually had to call the state police, but I have found people in my campsite.

Here's another map I've never used, which may be of help.

https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksand...al_reduced.pdf

Hah! Looks like we were posting roughly the same thing at the same time.