News and Events from Wharton State Forest

Take advantage of the last month of autumn and join Wharton State Forest staff for a Fall Friday Hike, a Beginner Bird Watching Walk or take a tour of the Atsion or Batsto Mansion! It’s also your last chance this year to attend a public star watch at Batsto!

You won’t want to miss it. 

Nov. 6 & 20: Fall Friday Hikes: Celebrate 250 Challenge

Explore the Pine Barrens this autumn season with fall Friday hikes! Every other Friday from September 11 to November 20 at 2:30 p.m., join Wharton State Forest staff on a moderately paced hike to explore the trails in Wharton State Forest. Each month, we will hike a different trail. If you are looking for a group to explore our trails with, hikes in this series are for you! 

For November, we will hike the Sand and Water Trail. This is a moderately paced, 1.8 mile hike. It will begin at 2:30 p.m. in front of the Batsto Visitor Center. This hike is not ADA accessible. This program is free and no registration is required. The hike will be canceled with extreme heat, heavy rain, thunderstorms or wind and the cancellation will be posted on the Wharton State Forest Facebook page. Please wear sneakers and insect repellent, bring lots of water, and dress for the outdoors! 

You can use this hike in your progress of any of the New Jersey State Parks Celebrate 250 Challenge. You can read more about the challenge and how to participate here!   

The Batsto Visitor Center is in Batsto Village Historic Site located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037 in Wharton State Forest. For more information or to confirm, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024. 

Nov. 7: Public Star Watch & Batsto Village Evening Walking Tour

You’re invited to a Free Public Star Watch at Batsto, organized by the West Jersey Astronomical Society (WAS). Members of the Society will have telescopes available for the public to view objects in the night sky. The event is weather permitting, and visitors are encouraged to check the WAS website (https://www.wasociety.us) after 1 p.m. the day of the event to confirm it is still happening should there be cloudy skies.

The Star Watch begins at 6:30 p.m. At 6:40 p.m. in the Batsto Visitor Center auditorium there will be a Comet Demonstration and at 7:45 p.m. there will be a Laser-Guided Constellation Tour in the telescope observation field

During this month’s star watch, three gas giants Saturn, Neptune and Uranus are all available in the night sky for viewing. The Zodiac constellations Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries and Taurus are found along the ecliptic (Sun’s path). The Pleiades (M45), a lovely open cluster, can be found in Taurus the Bull. M33, a member of our Local Group of galaxies, is found in the constellation Triangulum and is best seen in very dark skies with binoculars or modest telescopes. This galaxy is about three million light years from the Milky Way. The Double Star, Mesarthim (Gamma Arietis), is found in the constellation Aries the Ram. It is a binary pair of white stars orbiting each other over an estimated 5000 years!

Image Caption: M33 is a face-on spiral galaxy located approximately 2.7 to 3 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Triangulum. NGC 604 is a massive star-forming region found in M33. This nebula is nearly 100 times larger than the Orion Nebula in our own galaxy. Credit: Daniel McCauley, WAS Member. 

Batsto Village Evening Walking Tour 

Historic Interpreters will also be on hand to lead an early evening walking tour through the village. The walking tour is 45-55 minutes and begins at 5:30 p.m. The tour is free and open to all ages. Visitors interested in walking the village should meet behind the Visitor Center (near the Ore Boat).

For more information, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024. Batsto Village Historic Site is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037.

Nov. 13: Monthly Beginner Bird Watching Walk 

Do you want to start birding? Join Wharton State Forest’s nature interpretive staff for a slow-paced, laid-back walk around Batsto’s lower village to observe the birds in Wharton State Forest. This walk begins in front of the Batsto Visitor Center at 9:30 a.m. and lasts about 45 minutes. It is free and no registration is required. We will simply walk and observe the birds we see.  

Walks in this series are geared toward beginners. Attendees can borrow binoculars, as supplies last, but are encouraged to bring their own if they have them. This month’s walk will cover Batsto’s lower village. This program will be cancelled with heavy rain, high winds, extreme heat or thunderstorms. Please wear sneakers and insect repellent, bring lots of water, and dress for the outdoors! 

The Batsto Visitor Center is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037 in Historic Batsto Village. For more information or to confirm, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024. 

Happening Throughout November

Guided Tours of Atsion Mansion 

You’re invited to explore one of the most notable examples of Greek Revival architecture in South Jersey! Guided tours of Atsion Mansion are available each Saturday and Sunday afternoon throughout November. Inside, visitors can see the house largely as it was in 1826. Built by Atsion’s Ironmaster, Samuel Richards, nearly 200 years ago, the building has never been “modernized” with plumbing or electricity!   Tours of Atsion Mansion are usually offered at the following times throughout November:

Saturday and Sunday: 1 and 2 p.m.  

Tours are approximately 45-55 minutes long and begin outside, between the mansion and office.  Scheduled events and public programming may impact Atsion Mansion’s tour schedule, so visitors are encouraged to call ahead on the day of their visit to confirm tour times and availability.  Tour tickets can be purchased at the Atsion Office and are $3 for visitors over the age of 12, $1 for visitors ages 5-11 and free for visitors under 5-years old.

Atsion Mansion is located at 744 US 206, Shamong, NJ 08088. For more information or to confirm Atsion Mansion Tour availability, please call the Atsion Office at 609-268-0444.

Guided Tours of Batsto Mansion

Fall is the perfect time for a stroll through Batsto Village and a tour of its impressive mansion! Originally built in the eighteenth century as a small ironmaster’s house, the mansion now stands as it appeared after Joseph Wharton renovated the home in 1878. Serving as a vacation home for his family, the Batsto Mansion is an excellent example of the Italianate and Eastlake styles, both popular with the Victorian upper-class.

Tours of Batsto Mansion are usually offered at the following times throughout November:  

• Wednesday through Friday: 2 p.m.  

• Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m.  

Tours are approximately 45-55 minutes long and begin on the mansion porch.

Scheduled events and public programming may impact Batsto Mansion’s tour schedule, so visitors are encouraged to call ahead on the day of their visit to confirm tour times and availability.

Tickets can be purchased at the Batsto Visitor Center and are $3 for visitors over the age of 12, $1 for visitors ages 5-11 and free for visitors under 5-years-old.

Batsto Mansion is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037 in Historic Batsto Village. For more information or to confirm Batsto Mansion Tour availability, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024.

Shopping at Wharton State Forest

Don’t let the shorter days and colder weather stop you from visiting the Batsto Museum Shop. We’re open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week (except holidays)!

Prepare for the winter with a sweatshirt or a warm hat. We have new colors and designs available now! 

Batsto Museum Shop is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037 in Historic Batsto Village.  

The Atsion General Store is located at 744 US 206, Shamong, NJ 08088. For more information or to confirm inventory availability, please call the Atsion General Store at

609-268-0444 or the Batsto Museum Shop at 609-561-0024. 

Camping & Cabins

Camping in Wharton State Forest is available year-round! Fall is the best time for camping in the New Jersey Pine Barrens!  

Camping is permitted in developed campgrounds with a permit at Atsion Family, Batona, Bodine Field, Buttonwood Hill, Godfreys Bridge, Goshen Pond, Hawkins Bridge, Lower Forge and Mullica River. 

Atsion Cabins are open. It’s now time to plan a trip and reserve your cabin! Availability is limited. 

Make your camping or cabin reservations here.

About Wharton State Forest

Located in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, Wharton State Forest is New Jersey's largest state forest. It encompasses approximately 125,000 acres covering parts of Atlantic, Burlington and Camden counties providing a variety of recreational activities including hiking, biking, swimming and horseback riding. It is home to historic Batsto Village, Batsto and Atsion Mansions, and the Atsion Recreation Area. You can find more information about Wharton State Forest and other New Jersey state parks on our website at https://dep.nj.gov/wharton.

Wharton State Forest Office Locations

Atsion Office
744 US 206, Shamong, NJ 08088, (609) 268-0444

Batsto Office, Museum and Store
31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ  08037, (609) 561-0024

Both offices are open 7 days a week (except major holidays) 9 a.m. - 4 p.m