The Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly the Lebanon State Forest ) is a 37,242 acres (150.71 km) state forest in the New Jersey Pine Barrens . Its protected acreage is split between Burlington and Ocean Counties.
22-601: The Brendan T. Byrne State Forest is the state's second largest state forest (after Wharton State Forest ). There are 25 miles (40 km) of hiking trails and a camping area. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry . Originally named for the Lebanon Glassworks, which operated in the 1850s and 1860s, it was renamed for Brendan Byrne in 2004. Byrne served as governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982. He championed and signed
44-547: A camping area. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry . Originally named for the Lebanon Glassworks, which operated in the 1850s and 1860s, it was renamed for Brendan Byrne in 2004. Byrne served as governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982. He championed and signed the Pinelands Protection Act in February 1979 which preserved thousand of acres in southern New Jersey. The park
66-538: A section of the Batona Trail , which connects the forest to nearby Brendan T. Byrne State Forest and Bass River State Forest . It also includes over 500 miles (800 km) of unpaved roads. The rivers, including the Mullica, are popular destinations for recreational canoeing . The forest is named for Joseph Wharton , who purchased most of the land that now lies within the forest in the 19th century. Wharton wanted to tap
88-535: Is the largest state forest in the U.S. state of New Jersey . It is the largest single tract of land in the state park system of New Jersey, encompassing approximately 122,880 acres (497.3 km ) of the Pinelands northeast of Hammonton . Its protected acreage is divided between Burlington , Camden , and Atlantic counties. The entire forest is located within the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion as well as
110-687: The Mullica River Fire , broke out at the Wharton State Forest in June 2022. Within the state forest, once a residence and cranberry packing facility, Atsion Mansion has been vacant since 1882. The mansion was constructed in 1826 by Samuel Richards, Ironmaster of the Atsion Iron Furnace & Forge. It was built as a summer residency and used by Richards until his death in 1842. In 1960, the building lost even more of its glory when its west porch
132-648: The New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve . The forest is located in the forested watershed of the Mullica River , which drains the central Pinelands region into the Great Bay . The forest is under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry . The forest is also the location of the historic Batsto Village , a former bog iron and glass manufacturing site from 1766 to 1867. The forest includes extensive hiking trails, including
154-588: The Mexican consulates in New York City and Philadelphia. The forest has ten campgrounds, ranging from family camping at Atsion Recreation Area , with showers and a guarded beach, to wilderness camping that can be reached only by hiking or canoe/kayak. Apple Pie Hill is a popular hiking destination along the Batona Trail in the forest. The hill, topped with a 60 feet (18 m) New Jersey Forest Fire Service fire tower , provides impressive panoramic views across
176-640: The Mexico Excelsior, non-stop from New York to Mexico City, final leg of a historic goodwill flight to the United States. The monument, installed with funds donated by Mexican schoolchildren, depicts a falling eagle of Aztec design. Every July on the Saturday nearest the anniversary of his crash (second Saturday in July) at 1:00 p.m. he is honored at the monument site by local residents and representatives from
198-507: The Pine Barrens, eventually acquiring about 100,000 acres (40,000 ha). Wharton planned to build dams to redirect freshwater to Philadelphia, but the plan was blocked by the New Jersey legislature in 1884, with a law that blocked transporting waters outside of the state. After Joseph Wharton died in 1909, his family estate tried selling his property to New Jersey for $ 1 million, which
220-598: The Pinelands Protection Act in February 1979 which preserved thousand of acres in southern New Jersey. The park was renamed for him during the 25th anniversary of the Pinelands legislation by then Governor James McGreevey . The forest lies within the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion . It includes the 735-acre (2.97 km) Cedar Swamp Natural Area: with upland pine - oak forest, oak-pine forest, pitch pine lowland forest, and Atlantic white cedar swamp forest plant communities . The Natural Area protects habitat of
242-592: The Pinelands region. Brendan T. Byrne State Forest The Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly the Lebanon State Forest ) is a 37,242 acres (150.71 km ) state forest in the New Jersey Pine Barrens . Its protected acreage is split between Burlington and Ocean Counties. The Brendan T. Byrne State Forest is the state's second largest state forest (after Wharton State Forest ). There are 25 miles (40 km) of hiking trails and
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#1733093323518264-460: The forest office, and a 1 mile (1.6 km) loop at Pakim Pond. By combining different trails with the Batona Trail, loops of 6 miles (9.7 km) and 14 miles (23 km) provide day hikes. The forest also contains Whitesbog Village, a historic company town , founded in the 1870s by Joseph J. White which was once one of the largest cranberry and blueberry farms in the state, active through
286-404: The forest office, and a 1 mile (1.6 km) loop at Pakim Pond. By combining different trails with the Batona Trail, loops of 6 miles (9.7 km) and 14 miles (23 km) provide day hikes. The forest also contains Whitesbog Village, a historic company town , founded in the 1870s by Joseph J. White which was once one of the largest cranberry and blueberry farms in the state, active through
308-619: The groundwater under the Pine Barrens to provide a source of clean drinking water for Philadelphia ; however, the New Jersey Legislature quashed the plan by passing a law that banned the export of water from the state. The state bought the vast tract from Wharton's heirs in the 1950s. In the 1800s, various bog iron and paper industries developed in the New Jersey Pine Barrens . In 1873, Philadelphia industrialist Joseph Wharton began purchasing property and abandoned towns in
330-417: The mid-20th century. The cultivated blueberry, a hybrid of the native Vaccinium caesariense , was developed and commercialized here by Elizabeth Coleman White and Frank Coville . The now silent Whitesbog Village exemplifies the changes in agriculture in this state. The site has been leased to the nonprofit Whitesbog Preservation Trust for restoration. Wharton State Forest Wharton State Forest
352-504: The threatened Swamp pink and other endangered plant species . The Mount Misery Trail is a multi-use trail and allows mountain biking. The Cranberry Trail is wheelchair-accessible. The Batona Trail , designed for hiking , cross country skiing , and snowshoeing , is almost 50 miles (80 km) in length; it links the Brendan T. Byrne, Wharton, and Bass River State Forests . There is a loop trail of about 2 miles (3.2 km), starting at
374-453: The threatened Swamp pink and other endangered plant species . The Mount Misery Trail is a multi-use trail and allows mountain biking. The Cranberry Trail is wheelchair-accessible. The Batona Trail , designed for hiking , cross country skiing , and snowshoeing , is almost 50 miles (80 km) in length; it links the Brendan T. Byrne, Wharton, and Bass River State Forests . There is a loop trail of about 2 miles (3.2 km), starting at
396-571: Was added to a handicap ramp. The reconstruction of a western porch provided a historically accurate interpretation of the building to represent the way it was originally. The mansion is unique, in that the mansion is equipped with no electricity or indoor plumbing, allowing visitors to imagine how the Richards Family lived in the early 19th century. A monument marks the location where Mexican aviation pioneer Emilio Carranza crashed on July 12, 1928 while attempting to fly his Ryan Brougham airplane,
418-449: Was defeated by a referendum in 1915. For the next few decades, the Wharton estate was managed by a trust company . In the 1950s and 1960s, the federal government sought to build a 32,500 acres (13,200 ha) jetport in the Pine Barrens. To preserve the land of the Wharton estate, the New Jersey government purchased the lands containing large portions of the Mullica River in 1954, which
440-472: Was designated Wharton State Forest on December 30, 1954. New Jersey purchased additional land in 1956, totaling 96,000 acres (39,000 ha) in its entirety, for a sum of $ 3 million. To prevent additional development, local residents and farmers worked to preserve the Pine Barrens, eventually leading to the formation of the Pinelands National Reserve in 1978. A large fire, dubbed
462-434: Was renamed for him during the 25th anniversary of the Pinelands legislation by then Governor James McGreevey . The forest lies within the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion . It includes the 735-acre (2.97 km ) Cedar Swamp Natural Area: with upland pine - oak forest, oak-pine forest, pitch pine lowland forest, and Atlantic white cedar swamp forest plant communities . The Natural Area protects habitat of
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#1733093323518484-456: Was torn down. Under the guidelines of the State of New Jersey, area contractors Wu & Associates undertook the restoration of the site. The existing exterior stucco was removed and replaced with new material; the interior plaster, wood windows and shutter were restored; fireplace mantels, stone and wood floors in the basement, and the existing cedar roof were all repaired; and a new exterior sidewalk
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