News and Events from Wharton State Forest

May means lots of events going on in Wharton State Forest! Spend Mother’s Day inside the Batsto Mansion, see what flowering plants are in bloom on a guided hike, or attend one of the many programs going on in Batsto Village during Memorial Day weekend!

ATTENTION: Entrance fees to Batsto Village will be charged weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 

 

May 1: May Day Tours of Batsto Village & Batsto Mansion “Open House” 

Spend your day at Batsto on Friday, May 1 and learn about the history of labor inside the village and daily life in a nineteenth century company town! Tours will

be offered at 10 a.m., 12 & 2 p.m.. Interested visitors should meet behind the Visitor Center (near the Ore Boat). Walking tours are approximately 45-55 minutes,

with planned stops at the site of the Iron Furnace, Sawmill, Gristmill, General Store, and more! Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are

recommended. Walking tours are free and open to all visitors. 

While you are in the village, be sure to stop in Batsto Mansion, which will be open for a special May Day “open house” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Inside, historians

will be on hand to answer questions, tell stories about Batsto’s former residents, and help you explore the first two floors of the home. Entry is free, and tickets

are not required. 

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

 

May 10: Mother’s Day “Open House” 

Celebrate Mother’s Day with a relaxing stroll through the historic village and a chance to see its impressive Victorian vacation home from the inside!  

Batsto Mansion will be open for a special Mother’s Day “open house,” Sunday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Historians will be inside to answer questions, tell

stories about the village’s history, and to show off the first two floors of the home. Entry is free and tickets are not required.   

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

 

May 16: Pine Barren Blooms Guided Hike 

Join Wharton State Forest and South Jersey Land and Water Trust staff to look for pine barren plants in bloom and learn how some plants thrive and why others struggle to

survive in this unique habitat. This approximately two mile guided hike begins in front of the Batsto Visitor Center at 10 a.m. before going on the Sand and Water Trail. We will

travel over shallow roots and some narrow bridges. This hike is not ADA accessible. This program is free and open to all ages but recommended for adults and children age 12

and older. Registration required.

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. 

 

May 16: Public Star Watch & Batsto Village Evening Walking Tours 

Star Watch 

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 8 p.m. At 8:15 p.m. in the Batsto Visitor Center auditorium there will be a Comet Demonstration and at 9 p.m. there will be a Laser-Guided Constellation Tour in the telescope observation field.

For this month’s star watch, Venus in the west northwest in the constellation Taurus and Jupiter in the constellation Gemini will be the planets to see. The Big Dipper asterism of Ursa Major (the Big Bear) can be found bowl facing down above Polaris the North Star. A fine galaxy pair is found approximately 10° northwest of the corner star (Dubhe) of the Big Dipper’s bowl. M81 and M82 when viewed through a telescope eyepiece reveal two very conspicuous galaxies which are about 1/2° apart. A site not to miss! 

Batsto Village Evening Walking Tours 

Historic Interpreters will also be on hand to lead evening walking tours through the village. Tours are open to all ages and are free of charge. Visitors interested in walking the village should meet behind the Visitor Center (near the Ore Boat). Tours are 45-55 minutes and are offered at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

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

May 17: Spring Antique, Glass & Bottle Show 

Visit Batsto Village Historic Site on May 17 and join us for our annual Spring Antique, Glass and Bottle Show presented by the Batsto Citizens Committee, Inc.

View Pine Barrens treasures, search for that rare find to add to your own collection or simply take a stroll through historic Batsto Village!  

The Spring Antique, Glass and Bottle Show takes place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., rain or shine.   

While in the village, be sure to stop by Batsto Mansion for “open house” entry to the home. The first and second floors will be open to the public from

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wharton State Forest staff will be on hand to answer questions and guide visitors through the history of the house. The Annie Carter Nature

Center will be open from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Batsto Post Office will also be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to send postcards and letters, still hand canceled in

the historic building!   

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

 

May 23-25: Memorial Day Weekend Walking Tours of Batsto Village 

Historic Interpreters will be on hand to lead walking tours through the Batsto Village this Memorial Day Weekend (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday). Tours are open to all ages and are free of charge. Visitors interested in walking the village should meet behind the Visitor Center (near the Ore Boat). Tours are 45-55 minutes long and are offered at the following times:

• Saturday, May 23: 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.

• Sunday, May 24: 12 p.m.

• Monday, May 25: 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.

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

May 23: "What's Living in Batsto Lake?" Macroinvertebrate Sampling Station 

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., stop by Batsto Lake, across from the Sawmill, in Batsto Village, to learn what’s living in Batsto Lake!  A local AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador

will have a water sample station set up for visitors to look through Batsto Lake water samples to identify what is living in Batsto Lake and what it means for water quality.

This is a free tabling event that is open to all ages.  

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

 

May 24: "Batsto at War: The Fight for Independence” Public Lecture 

Join historian Sean Kane-Holland on Sunday, May 24 for a special public lecture on Batsto’s revolutionary history! Offered at both 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the

program takes place in Batsto’s Visitor Center auditorium and runs for approximately one hour. 

Uncover the links between the Pine Barrens’ unique ecosystems, early South Jersey industry, and the fight for American independence. Familiar local resources

like wood, water, and iron-rich stone allowed Batsto Ironworks to be both a prolific producer of household iron goods during peacetime and a critical supplier of

iron munitions during the Revolutionary War.  

This Memorial Day Weekend, immerse yourself in this talk about the importance of iron production during the American Revolution and the roles that sites like

Batsto played in the events that still shape our nation today. 

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

 

May 24: Red, White & Blue Hike 

Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary (the nature way) with a hike on portions of Batsto’s Red, White and Blue Trails! Join Wharton State Forest staff on a

moderately paced, approximately four mile hike.

This hike will be offered once a month this summer. Join us each time to see what new red, white or blue parts of the Pine Barrens will be pointed out!  

This hike is free, no registration is required, and it begins in front of the Batsto Visitor Center at 10 a.m. before traveling on mostly the Batsto White Trail. We

will travel over shallow roots and

some bridges. The route is mostly sandy forest. This hike is not ADA accessible. This program is free and open to all ages but recommended for adults and

children age 12 and older. This event will be

cancelled with heavy rain, high winds 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. 

 

May 25: Memorial Day “Open House” 

Celebrate Memorial Day with a relaxing stroll through the historic village and a chance to see its impressive Victorian vacation home from the inside!  

Batsto Mansion will be open for a special Memorial Day “open house,” Monday, May 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Historians will be inside to answer questions,

tell stories about the village’s history, and to show

off the first two floors of the home. Entry is free and tickets are not required.   

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

 

May 25: Beginner Bird Watching Walk 

Do you want to start birding? Join Wharton’s nature interpretive staff for a slow-paced, laid-back walk along the Batsto Red Trail (about one mile) 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 NEW 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 the Batsto Red Trail. This program will be cancelled with heavy rain, high winds 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 May

Visit the Annie M. Carter Nature Center

The Annie M. Carter Nature Center will be open to the public from 12 to 3 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in May!    

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.   

Staffing availability, inclement weather, and other unforeseen circumstances could affect open hours. We encourage you to call, day-of, to confirm hours.    

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.  

Guided Tours of Atsion Mansion 

Have you ever wanted to see inside the Atsion Mansion? Guided tours are available each weekend in May! Come see one of the most significant examples of

Greek Revival architecture in South Jersey. Never “modernized” with plumbing or electricity, the house stands largely as it did when it was constructed in 1826.  

Tours of Atsion Mansion are offered on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at 1 and 2 p.m.. Each tour is approximately 45-55 minutes long and begin outside, between the mansion and office.     

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

Stop by Batsto Mansion this May and experience the luxuries of a nineteenth-century vacation home, modernized for one of the nation’s wealthiest families! 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 offered at the following times throughout May:

• Wednesday through Friday: 2 and 3 p.m.

• Saturday and Sunday: 10 and 11 a.m.; 1, 2 and 3 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

We’re kicking off the start of the summer season in the Batsto Visitor Center and Museum Shop this month!  

Author meet-and-greets and book signings on Sunday, May 17th. Stop by the Batsto Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.to pick up a new book or print and talk to our local artists and authors about their inspiration for their work.  

Allen Crawford is one of the areas foremost designers of nature prints. His work captures the spirit of nature and displays its beauty as only a true artist can. He will be signing his books and prints and discussing his many adventures in our local, New Jersey forests. Allen’s work features native pine barrens and New Jersey species including Pine Barrens tree frog, pink lady slipper, carnivorous plants, turtles and more! See Allen’s work, his other impressive projects, and items in stock online by checking out his website.  

Rich Romano will be featuring his newest release “Ocean Access The Beachfront Towns of Atlantic and Cape May County”. Rich has authored multiple books, but his new release features the area towns and scenic views of Atlantic and Cape May counties. His ability as a photographer artfully captures local cities and historic sights. 

After meeting our authors, stop by the Batsto General Store in historic Batsto Village. The historic Batsto General Store will be open and visitors can purchase snacks, water, soft drinks, ice cream and souvenirs of the village! 

 

What's new in the Batsto Museum Shop and Atsion General Store? 

 

Have you ever heard of Jersey Devil Tomatos? The Batsto Museum Shop has seeds and seedlings for sale! This tomato was developed in New Jersey and has a banana-like shape. When ripe, they look like red peppers! Their flesh is thicker and they have less seeds than other tomatos, which makes them great do sauces and salsa. We have a limited supply of these special tomato plants, so stop in before they’re gone! The forest is alive in May with the sounds of spring birds nesting and establishing territories. Stop in the Batsto Museum Shop and purchase a bird from our bird basket which is always filled with birds you can hear right now in Wharton State Forest. Blue birds and American goldfinches are just two of the many birds in our basket this month! Near our bird basket you can also pick up our free bird brochure to keep track of the birds you’re seeing or purchase a waterproof guide to take while you explore the forest. New magnets and shirts are still available in the Atsion General Store to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Atsion Mansion. Stop by the Atsion General Store for these items, stickers, hats, sweatshirts, books, mugs, and so much more. Stop by after your mansion tour! 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! Spring camping in the New Jersey Pine Barrens offers cool nights with interesting evening sounds as the forest begins to wake up!  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 and will reopen in spring 2026. It’s now time to plan a 2026 trip and reserve your cabin! Availability is limited.   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