- Wharton State Forest
Wharton State Forest is a
state park in theU.S. state ofNew Jersey . [ [http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/wharton.html Official site] ] The largest single tract of land in the state park system of New Jersey, it encompasses approximately 115,000 acres (465 km²) of the Pinelands northwest of Hammonton, in Burlington, Camden, and Atlantic counties. The entire park is located within theNew Jersey Pinelands National Reserve . The park is located in the forested watershed of theMullica River , which drains the central Pinelands region into Great Bay. The park is operated and maintained by theNew Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry .The park is also the location of the historic
Batsto Village , a formerbog iron andglass manufacturing site from 1766 to 1867. The park includes extensive hiking trails, including a section of theBatona Trail , which connects the park to nearbyBrendan T. Byrne State Forest andBass River State Forest . It also includes over 500 miles (800 km) of unpaved roads. The rivers, including the Mullica, are popular destinations for recreationalcanoe ing.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 the ground water under the Pine Barrens to provide a source of clean drinking water forPhiladelphia ; 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 park is a monument marking the location where Mexican aviation pioneer
Emilio Carranza crashed while returning from a historic goodwill flight toNew York City onJuly 12 ,1928 . [ [http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2165 Emilio Carranza Crash Monument] , RoadsideAmerica.com, undated. AccessedJuly 24 ,2008 .]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.
A significant fire of undetermined origin burned approximately 2,500 acres in a remote region of this forest over a period of three days, starting August 3, 2007. [ [http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112-08112007-1391301.html Fire Investigators closing in on cause of forest fire] ]
ee also
*
List of New Jersey state parks References
External links
* [http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/wharton.html Official site]
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