IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL 911 OR DEP COMMUNICATIONS AT 1-877-927-6337.

When you Arrive - Please check in at either the Batsto Office or the Atsion Office. Check in is mandatory and must be done by the site's named permit holder (Primary Occupant) with ID.  With a reservation in place, if arriving after park office (9:00 AM - 4:00 PM) hours, please check in the following morning between the hours of 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM.  The make, model and license plates of all vehicles on site must be provided at registration. 
CHECK IN TIME — 12:00 noon for tent sites, 3:00 PM for Atsion Cabins (Atsion Cabins must check-in at the Atsion Office.) 
CHECK OUT TIME - 12:00 noon for all sites and cabins.

Camp Office Hours and Location - Batsto Village is located on Route 542, eight miles east of Hammonton.  The Batsto Office is open every day, year-round, from 9:00am to 4:00pm.  Between November 1 and March 31 the Batsto Office is closed on recognized state holidays. 
Atsion Office - 744 Rt.206 Shamong NJ 08088   

CAMPING
Age Regulations - Campsites must be registered and occupied by a responsible person 18 years of age or older.
  
Occupancy - Limited to 6 individuals per campsite unless a group site.  Only 2 tents and 2 vehicles permitted on any campsite unless otherwise specified.  Primary occupant/permit holder must be present at site during the stay.

Visitors - Visitors are permitted from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Quiet Hours - Please observe quiet hours from 10:00 PM until 6:00 AM.

Pets Camping - Pets are prohibited in Cabins 1-9, Atsion Family Campsites #001-025 and 035-050, Mullica River Campground and Bodine Field Campground.  All other campgrounds are pet friendly once pets have been registered and paid for at one of our park offices.  Rabies vaccination paperwork must be on hand and on file at the office.

Restrictions - Alcohol is prohibited.  No additional tents or equipment can be set up on a cabin site.  All terrain vehicles (ATV), motorized trail bikes and off-road vehicles are prohibited.  

Generators - May be used except during quiet hours.  If the use of a generator is deemed unreasonably loud by the facility staff then individual use of a generator may be prohibited/limited.

GROUP/PRIMITIVE CAMPSITES - NO SHOWER FACILITIES AVAILABLE.  The group sites do not have flush toilets or showers and the use of the family campground facilities is limited to family camp permit holders only.

Fires - All campfires must comply with NJ Forest Fire regulations and are to be built only in the fire rings provided at each site.  No chainsaws are allowed in campgrounds, and cutting down trees, alive or dead is prohibited.  Firewood can be purchased at either park office.  Firewood may not be brought in from outside sources. 

Trash - Wharton State Forest is a carry in, carry out facility.  All trash must be removed from camp sites by the campers at the time of check out.

Swimming - Swimming is permitted at the Atsion Rec Area beach from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day while lifeguards are on duty between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.  Visitors will find a beach complex containing changing area, restrooms, a first-aid station and a concession stand offering refreshments and beach equipment rentals.  Inner tubes, rafts and other flotation devices are not permitted in the swimming area.  Only Coast Guard approved life jackets are permitted.  Each year the Rec Area makes every effort to provide safe swimming opportunities by testing the water and by keeping the swimming areas staffed with lifeguards.  Please be aware that if the safety of our swimmers is compromised due to lack of lifeguard coverage or water quality issues, swimming will be prohibited and therefore cannot be a guaranteed activity.  On many occasions, the Rec Area may reach its maximum capacity.  During these times, the entry gates will be closed to additional admissions until such a time as more patrons can be accepted.  We apologize for these inconveniences as they may occur with little advance notice.

Contact the Park: For camping information and reservations, and general Park information, call the Batsto Office at (609) 561-0024 or Atsion office at (609) 268-0444.

The Batsto Office
Our main office is located in the visitor center at Historic Batsto Village, a former bog iron and glassmaking industrial center from 1766 to 1867 that currently reflects the agricultural and commercial enterprises that existed here during the late 19th century.  Visitors to Batsto Village can imagine what life was like over 150 years ago through exploring the original buildings from the 1800's.  Batsto Mansion tours, blacksmithing demonstrations, and other interpretive historic programs are offered seasonally; please call the office at (609) 561-0024 for the schedule or more information.  A local history museum, which shows the immediate area's progression from Colonial times through to the state's aquisition of the property, is inside the visitor center.  Along with the historic programs, the Annie M. Carter Nature Center offers guided nature hikes and various nature-themed interpretive programs year-round.  To contact the Nature Center, please call (609) 567-4559.

The Atsion Office
The Atsion Office is open all year round.  The present camp office is housed in the original 1827-built Atsion Village general store.  Inside, visitors can obtain hiking trail maps, camping permits, and information about the Forest.  Visitors may also inquire about tours of the newly-renovated Atsion Mansion, located conveniently next door.  Atsion's parking field has become a popular jump-off point for outdoor recreation of every kind, including trail driving/cycling, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, photography, snowshoeing, and running.  For Atsion Mansion tour schedules and information about the Recreation Area, Atsion Cabins, or campgrounds, please call the Atsion Office at (609) 268-0444.

Our Campgrounds
For campers, we offer 9 different campgrounds located throughout Wharton State Forest, and 9 rustic cabins situated on Atsion Lake.  All campgrounds are open year-round. 
- Atsion Family Campground (AFC) has 50 tent and trailer sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and access to flush toilets and shower facilities in a heated bath house.  An RV/travel trailer dump station is also on-site.  Located on Atsion Lake, across from the Atsion Recreation Area.  2 minute drive from Atsion Office / 25 minute drive from Batsto Office. 
- Godfrey Bridge Campground is a primitive campground that offers 34 tent and trailer sites, with fire rings, access to potable drinking water and pit toilet facilities.  Located along the Wading River.  45 minute drive from Atsion Office / 25 minute drive from Batsto Office.  
- Hawkins Bridge Campground is a primitive campground that offers 3 tent sites, 6 tent and trailer sites, and 4 group sites, with fire rings, access to potable drinking water and pit toilet facilities.  Located along the Wading River.  50 minute drive from Atsion Office / 30 minute drive from Batsto Office.  
- Goshen Pond Campground is a primitive campground that offers 14 tent sites, 2 tent and trailer sites, and 3 group sites, with fire rings, access to potable drinking water and pit toilet facilities.  Located along the Mullica River at Goshen Pond.  These sites have no flush toilets or showers, and use of the Atsion Family Campground facilities is prohibited.  7 minute drive from Atsion Office / 28 minute drive from Batsto Office.  
- Buttonwood Hill Campground has 5 primitive tent and trailer sites, with fire rings and access to pit toilet facilities.  No potable water is available on-site.  Located on Rt. 542, across the street from Crowleys Landing Boat Launch.  30 minute drive from Atsion Office / 5 minute drive from Batsto Office.  
- Batona Campground is a primitive campground that offers 12 tent and trailer sites and 1 group site, with fire rings, access to potable drinking water and pit toilet facilities.  Located in the northern part of the Forest near the Carranza Memorial and along the Batona Trail.  30 minute drive from Atsion Office / 55 minute drive from Batsto Office.  
- Lower Forge Campground has 9 primitive tent sites, and is only accessible by hiking or paddling.  Sites have fire rings and access to pit toilets.  No potable water is available on-site.  Located along the Batona Trail and Batsto River.  6.5 mile hike from Atsion Office / 6.5 mile hike from Batsto Office.  
- Mullica River Campground has 10 primitive tent sites, and is only accessible by hiking or paddling.  Sites have fire rings and access to pit toilets. No potable drinking water available on the campground.  Located along the Mullica River and Mullica River trail.  5.5 mile hike from Atsion Office / 4.5 mile hike from Batsto Office.
- Bodine Field Campground is a primitive campground that offers 22 tent and trailer sites and 8 group sites, with fire rings, access to potable drinking water and pit toilet facilities.  Located just off of Route 679 south of Harrisville Pond.  50 minute drive from Atsion Office / 25 minute drive from Batsto Office. 

Atsion Cabins
THE ATSION CABINS #2 & #7 ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE FOR RENTALS/RESERVATIONS.
The 9 Atsion Cabins are a blend of 1930's rustic build with a few modern amenities added.  Each cabin has a full indoor bathroom with hot & cold running water, a kitchen with a refrigerator and electric stove, an indoor fireplace, a screened-in porch, an outdoor fire ring, a picnic table and charcoal grill.  All cabins are along Atsion Lake, have lake access for canoeing and fishing, and sleep 4, 6, or 8 people depending on the specific cabin.  Cabins are open with full facilities May 3rd - October 31st.  Cabins require a 2 night minimum stay in April and May until Memorial Day weekend, and after Labor Day weekend until the end of October.  From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, the cabins are rented on a 7 or 14 day basis. 

Nearby Attractions - Franklin Parker Preserve, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, Tuckerton Seaport, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, Historic Smithville Village, Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Noyes Museum of Art - Oceanville, Wheaton Arts

From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, the Atsion Recreation Area within Wharton State Forest offers a swimming beach staffed with lifeguards.  Restrooms and shower facilities are available to the public during this time.  The Atsion Recreation Area also offers picnic tables and charcoal grills available on a first-come, first-serve basis, a short nature trail, a canoe/kayak launch area, two playgrounds and an open playfield.  Wharton State Forest is home to many interesting plants and animals, some which are unique to the Pinelands ecosystem.  Visitors will enjoy traversing our hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails.  More than half of the 50+ mile long Batona Trail runs through Wharton State Forest.  Other ways to enjoy the Forest include boating, paddling and fishing on our numerous rivers and lakes.  Boaters can launch into the Mullica River at the Crowleys Landing boat launch.  Launch fees are charged from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and are collected at the Batsto Visitor Center.  Frequent boaters may purchase an annual launch permit from the Batsto Office, a convenient alternative to the daily fees.

With over 125,000 acres, Wharton State Forest is the largest State Forest in the New Jersey State Park System. We are conveniently located near a number of major metropolitan areas: approximately 30 minutes from Atlantic City, an hour from Philadelphia, an hour and a half from Trenton and two hours from New York City.

Historic Batsto Village is located on Route 542, eight miles east of Hammonton.  For GPS, please use the following address:  4110 Nesco Rd.  Hammonton, NJ 08037
The Atsion Recreation Area is on Route 206, eight miles north of Hammonton.  For GPS, please use the following address:  744 Route 206  Shamong, NJ 08088