ShareTrails | Road Closures Affecting Outdoor Recreation in Wharton State Park, New Jersey

Public land and waters on the East Coast is a rarity therefore any proposal on the East coast that closes the already limited access of public lands needs to be strongly opposed. The Wharton State Forest in New Jersey encompasses 122,880 acres. It is the largest state park in the state of New Jersey. The forest holds ponds, rivers, lakes, hiking trails, campsites & miles of unpaved roads that give access to canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming as well as full sized 4×4 vehicles, OHV’s and motorcycle use. The state forest offers a retreat from cities such as Atlantic City and Philadelphia. One of the most popular uses for the forest is stargazing because the public land offers seclusion from city lights.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has released a vehicle use map that will close motorized access because it is only going to designate and recognize 200 miles of routes and ignore hundreds of miles of other routes that have provided historical access to the area for various users groups. Comments are accepted until March 9, 2024. Take a few moments to submit a comment below for continued access in New Jersey.