Camping in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest

Cabin 1

On May 12th, I was a vintage vendor for the first annual Vintage Day at Whitesbog Village at the Whitesbog Preservation Trust in Pemberton, NJ. Instead of leaving from Philadelphia at the crack of dawn to get to the destination in time to set up, I decided to head to the area a couple days early and do a little camping. My husband and I stayed in a cabin on Pakim Pond in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest. For $65 a night we had electricity,  two sets of bunk beds, a fireplace, a dining table with benches, two chairs, a full kitchen, a half bath , and a dock on the pond. We were a two minute drive from the bath house where the amenities were clean, the shower pressure was great, and the water temperature got nice and hot. These first few photos are pictures I took for myself. They're the ones I want to save to remember the trip.

 

There's something to be said for a good Adirondack chair.

There WILL be a fire in here tonight.

Bring your own candle. The cabin smells like A CABIN!

These next few photos are for you, anyone who found this blog because you are interested in camping in the cabins at Brendan T. Byrne State Forest. The photos are unedited and a reliable representation of what it looks like inside Cabin 1.

Our drinks were cold.

The burners got hot.

I've slept in less comfortable beds than these.

I just kept looking around and thinking how easy it would be to glamp this place up.

My workspace for the weekend.

You get the point.

In addition to the three cabins on Lake Pakim, there are eighty two tent and trailer sites in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, all located a convenient distance from restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities. Additionally, there are three yurts available, each featuring a lockable wooden door, and a pair of bunk beds to sleep four.

Once you're out the door of your cabin (or the flap of your tent), you won't be disappointed. You'll be staying in 34,000 of protected forest lands in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. The camp sites are situated in a diverse forest of pine, oak, maple, sweet gum, and Atlantic white cedar trees. It really is a beautiful rustic locale. 

Pakim Pond

Our site

I mentioned that we were at Brendan T. Byrne State Forest , because I had the Vintage Market at Whitesbog Preservation Trust, but you don't need to have an excuse to visit. The park's trails (25 miles of them) offer hiking, nature trails, horseback riding, biking, mountain biking and the well-known Batona Trail. You can also hunt and fish in designated parts of the forest. We also saw visitors riding dirt bikes which I understand must meet very specific state regulations. On our trip, there was a group of horse owners staying at one of the group camping sites for a competitive nature trail competition. We also saw signs for organized activities at a Nature Center. It's the perfect destination for anyone who loves the outdoors and appreciates natural beauty. You can make your own reservation HERE.