Wharton Monthly – December
News and Events from Wharton State Forest
Enjoy a quiet walk this winter through historic Batsto Village or along one of our many trails in Wharton State Forest. Consider stopping by our family friendly “Winter in the Pines” event or taking a holiday evening tour of Batsto Mansion.
December 7: Winter in the Pines
You’re invited to Batsto Village on December 7 for an all-ages afternoon of winter fun! Activities include a meeting with Santa, wagon rides through the historic village,
and live music. Warm refreshments will be available on the first floor of the Batsto General Store.
While you’re in the village, stop by Batsto Mansion from 12 - 3 PM for free self-guided entry to the first and second floors of the impressive Victorian home. The Batsto
Post Office will also be open from 12 - 3 PM, and staff will be on hand to help you send your holiday mail! Bring in your stamped postcards and letters to be hand-
cancelled with the unique Batsto cancellation (no ZIP code!) in the 1852 post office.
Visitors are also welcome to take their holiday photos in the village! Commercial photographers should obtain the necessary permit before taking pictures.
Horse-drawn wagon rides through the village are approximately 20 minutes; $10 per adult, children are free!
Batsto Village Historic Site is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037.
For more information, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024.
December 17-21: Holiday Evening Tours of Batsto Mansion
The Batsto Mansion will again be open for evening tours this December! See the historic house decorated for nineteenth-century Christmas and learn about
various holiday traditions of the past. The tour
includes a guided walk through the home, a few peeks into rarely seen areas, and stories from the Richards and Wharton eras.
Tours are approximately 90 minutes and promptly begin on the Batsto Mansion porch at 6 and 8 PM, Wednesday, December 17 through Sunday, December 21.
Tickets can be purchased at the Batsto Visitor Center or over the phone and are $10 per visitor. Space is limited, and visitors are encouraged to call ahead to reserve their spot.
Batsto Village is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037.
For more information or to confirm Holiday Evening Tour availability, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024.
Happening Throughout December
Annie M. Carter Nature Center
The Annie M. Carter Nature Center will be open to the public from 12 to 3 PM on the following dates in December:
- Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7
- Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14
The Annie M. Carter Nature Center, located on the banks of Batsto Lake in Batsto Village, offers interpretive exhibits about Pine Barrens ecology including preserved wildlife specimen and interactive displays. Stop by and grab a coloring page, borrow a children’s book, or take a closer look at some nature artifacts at our study station.
The Annie M. Carter Nature Center is located at 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037, in historic Batsto Village, along Batsto Lake, across from the sawmill
For more information or to confirm open hours, please call the Batsto Visitor Center at (609) 561-0024.
Send Your Holiday Mail From the Batsto Post Office!
Looking for something special to add to your holiday mail this year? Bring your postcards and letters to the village to receive a unique Batsto postal cancellation and add a piece of local history to your holiday greetings!
The Batsto Post Office will be open from 12 to 3 PM on the following dates in December:
- Wednesday, December 3
- Friday, December 5
- Saturday, December 6
- Sunday, December 7
- Wednesday, December 10
- Friday, December 12
- Saturday, December 13
- Wednesday, December 17
- Friday, December 19
- Saturday, December 20
- Sunday, December 21
First opened by Jesse Richards in 1852, the Batsto Post Office is one of the four oldest post offices currently operating in the United States!
Guided Tours of Batsto Mansion
Experience winter in the village from inside historic Batsto 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 December:
- Wednesday through Friday: 1 PM
- Saturday and Sunday: 11 AM, 1 and 2 PM
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
Get your holiday shopping done at the Batsto Museum Shop! We carry many products from local businesses and artists including a new line of mugs and
prints featuring native Pine Barrens wildlife from local artist Allen Crawford. If you are entertaining for the holidays, we have a complete line of Lisa Dealy
baskets as well as cutting boards by local wood crafter David Williams. Complement any meal with jams, jellies and pickles by Jims Jams and Lena Mills and
lighten your table with bayberry candles from Pine Barrens Post. Local artist Deb Geiger’s glass hanging art featuring native New Jersey bird species would
make a great gift for the window or a tree.
Support your favorite South Jersey legend with Jersey Devil scarves and zip up sweatshirts or check out our new Pine Barrens shirt that features a whimsical
take on a forest creature. There are many other items to choose from in the shop. Stop in and take a look!
A Note from the Batsto Visitor Center Staff...
As winter sets in, if cold weather and early sunsets start to make you feel the winter blues, remember that there is plenty to do and explore here in Batsto
Village. The Visitor Center and Batsto Village are open from 9 AM – 4 PM every day except holidays. You can explore the village on your own, join a mansion
tour, watch a 10-minute movie about the history of Batsto Village, learn the natural and cultural history of Batsto Village while exploring the museum, and enjoy
the globally rare Pine Barrens habitat on any one of our trails.
And thank you! To all the people who stopped by the Batsto Visitor Center and the Museum Shop this year. We are happy to have supported the community
through the store and our visitors as they explored Batsto Village and Wharton State Forest. We hope you have a safe and happy new year!
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!
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 now closed for the season. It’s time to plan a 2026 trip and reserve your cabin today!
Make your camping or cabin reservations here.
About Wharton State Forest
One vibrant Maple tree!
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.
