Wharton State Forest
Managed by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
46,416 acres184.7 mi of trail
Batona TrailHawkins Low Road / Hawkins Turnpike1808 TrailHayes Crossway+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Frederikto · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Washington Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Washington Township
The biggest trail networks: Wharton State Forest (184.7 mi), Batsto Natural Area (46.8 mi), Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (22.3 mi). 35% of Washington Township’s land is conserved, about 22,903 acres. 3,902 acres are parks and preserves, 7,979 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
35%
22,903 acres · of 101.7 sq mi of land
Trails
288 mi
2.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,902 ac
7,979 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
43%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
37 mi
13 mi lanes · 25 mi paths
Highest peak
157 ft
Bear Swamp Hill
Lakes & rivers
9
2 beaches · 5 boat launches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Wharton State Forest, with 184.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Batsto Natural Area
Managed by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
4,853 acres46.8 mi of trail
Batona TrailMullica River Road / Mullica River (Yellow) TrailMullica River Trail (yellow)Beaver Pond-Quaker Bridge Trail (purple)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve
Managed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
9,593 acres22.3 mi of trail
Batona Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Penn State Forest
Nature preserve
3,322 acres9.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
West Branch Wading River Natural Area
Managed by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
1,374 acres9.3 mi of trail
Hawkins Low Road / Hawkins Turnpike
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Oswego River Natural Area
Managed by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
1,475 acres4.6 mi of trail
Batona TrailTrailing Arbutus TrailMartha Furnace Road / Batona Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Harrisville Lake Canoe Landing
All 8 parks & preserves
Wharton State Forest46,416 acres · 184.7 mi of trail · New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
DirectionsBatsto Natural Area4,853 acres · 46.8 mi of trail · New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
DirectionsJacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve9,593 acres · 22.3 mi of trail · National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
DirectionsPenn State Forest3,322 acres · 9.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Branch Wading River Natural Area1,374 acres · 9.3 mi of trail · New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
DirectionsOswego River Natural Area1,475 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
DirectionsFranklin Parker Preserve7 acres · New Jersey Conseration
Bass River State Forest1 acres · New Jersey Divison of Parks and Forestry
Who protects it
22,903 conserved acres
35% of Washington Township’s land. Who manages Washington Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources15,176 ac
State fish & wildlife3,621 ac
County2,485 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits247 ac
Joint47 ac
Not recorded2,667 ac
State Resource Management Area · 17,757 acState Conservation Area · 3,706 acAgricultural Easement · 2,485 acPrivate Conservation · 247 acUnknown Easement · 47 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,278 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 77 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wharton State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 14,442 | Open |
| Swan Bay Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 3,706 | Open |
| Penn State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 3,315 | Open |
| Turtle Creek Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 247 | Open |
Things to do
26 places to go in Washington Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Washington Township
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Washington Township
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Dog parks in Washington Township
1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Washington Township
Crowley LandingIn Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Washington Township
1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Washington Township
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Washington Township
Bear Swamp Hill157 ft elevation · In Penn State Forest
DirectionsJemima Mount102 ft elevation · In Wharton State Forest
DirectionsStormy Hill72 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Washington Township
4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Washington Township
Buttonwood Hill CampIn Wharton State Forest
DirectionsGodfrey Bridge CampgroundIn Wharton State Forest · Wharton State Forest
DirectionsHawkins Bridge CampgroundFee · In Wharton State Forest
DirectionsLower Forge CampgroundFee · In Batsto Natural Area
DirectionsMullica River CampgroundFee · In Batsto Natural Area · NJ State Park Service, Wharton State Forest
DirectionsWading Pines Camping ResortFee
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
20 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 10.6 miHorses · 11.7 miUnpaved · 34.0 mi
Batona Trail14.8 mi
Mullica River Road / Mullica River (Yellow) Trail2.7 mi
Mullica River Trail (yellow)2.3 mi
Hawkins Low Road / Hawkins Turnpike2.1 mi
Beaver Pond-Quaker Bridge Trail (purple)1.6 mi
1808 Trail1.6 mi
Hayes Crossway1.4 mi
Batsto Blue Trail1.3 mi
Piney Pond Feedstrip1.3 mi
Tylertown Feedstrip1.0 mi
10 more trails
Sand and Water Trail
0.9 miBatsto White Trail
0.9 miWilderness Camps Connector Trail
0.8 miTrailing Arbutus Trail
0.7 miWashington Turnpike
0.7 miMullica River (Yellow) Trail
0.6 miSandy Ridge - Tulpehocken Trail
0.4 miMartha Furnace Road / Batona Trail
0.4 miBatsto Red Trail
0.3 miTom's Pond and Mullica River Trails
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
37 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
13 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
25 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
1Beach volleyball
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Batsto VillageDistrict · listed 1971
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Washington Township: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 43 | 46 | 53 | 64 | 74 | 82 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 67 | 57 | 47 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.9 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Washington Township →
Next door
Washington Township and its neighbors
Washington Township has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Woodland Township337 miWashington Township288 miBass River Township144 miGalloway Township66 miMullica Township59 miEgg Harbor City17 miPort Republic4.8 miSweetwater0.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bass River Township | 46% | 1.9 | 719 | 41% | A |
| Mullica Township | 30% | 1.1 | 1,212 | 86% | A+ |
| Sweetwater | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Egg Harbor City | 5% | 1.5 | 63 | 98% | A |
| Galloway Township | 36% | 0.7 | 118 | 64% | A |
| Woodland Township | 34% | 3.6 | 9,768 | 86% | A+ |
| Port Republic | 40% | 0.6 | 1,228 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Washington Township
Where can I hike in Washington Township?
The longest trail networks: Wharton State Forest, 184.7 miles; Batsto Natural Area, 46.8 miles; Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, 22.3 miles; Penn State Forest, 9.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Washington Township’s trails?
Wharton State Forest and Batsto Natural Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Washington Township?
37 miles of bike routes are on the map: 13 of painted or protected lanes and 25 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Washington Township?
266,247 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Washington Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 53,023 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Washington Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →