Bass River State Forest - New Gretna, NJ
N 39° 37.259 W 074° 25.363
18S E 549548 N 4385850
Bass River State Forest was the first forest acquired by the state of NJ in 1905 for public recreation, water conservation, and wildlife and timber management. The CCC boys in the 30s were responsible for the building and construction of the park.
Waymark Code: WM61HW
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 03/17/2009
Views: 2
"Right on this road into Bass River State Forest, 2.3 m., a 10,000-acre tract with excellent deer and duck hunting in season. In Bass River Forest is the remnant of a beaver colony that sought shelter in an abandoned cranberry bog where they found a broken dam once used to flood the bog. They replaced its ruined gate and made a lake of 7 acres." --- New Jersey, a Guide to Its Present and Past, 1939; page 560
Lake Absegami, a 67-acre lake created in the 1930's, is the center of the forest's recreational activities and provides an area for swimming and a serene setting for boating and canoeing. A trail through the Absegami Natural Area wanders through a pine/oak woods and a small Atlantic white cedar bog
Personal Anecdote
I have visited this park many many times to geocache and participate in other activities and events. There are many wonderful geocaches to be found here. There is an excellent welcome/nature center where you can find out all manner if information and add a stamp to your NJ Parks Booklet if you are a collector (which I am!). There is a firemen memorial across from the welcome center. The Batona trail runs about 50 miles or so through this forest. (Ba - Back to Na - Nature). There is also a pretty decent self guided nature trail which loops through this wetland forest. Canoeing, kayaking, camping, hiking, running, picnicking, hunting and swimming are all available here.
Location:
Burlington and Ocean Counties
762 Stage Road
Mailing Address:
762 Stage Rd
Tuckerton, NJ 08087
(609) 296-1114
Size: 27,635 acres
Fees: Entrance fees are only charged from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.
$ 5.00 weekdays
$10.00 weekends
$ 2.00 walk-in/bicycle
For more information, click HERE.