NJ > Pine Barrens > April 27th

**Deadphans** · 04-22-2013, 17:08

I am with you on that silent! Working 7 days a week and long hours is beating me up...I can't wait to have this weekend to myself and hang with the hangers of hf! Its gonna be great.

**kayak karl** · 04-22-2013, 18:20

Originally Posted by Silent Bob

You can still walk up and pay $3 a night if sites are available. I guess late fall to early spring that will be ok. SS it's funny you mentioned the weekend warrior. When I went back to batsto the following day to pay the lady asked me what site I stayed at. I told her the number and she said that site was booked. I told her I was the only one at the camp ground. She then told me 3 other sites had been booked online. The parks worker I was talking to said there was a change in management and they went to online system like the rest of NJ state parks.

you still pay the $9 even if you walk-in. i got a waver for the winter hang this year, but not next year.

**kayak karl** · 04-22-2013, 18:23

Originally Posted by Deadphans

so basically if they as little as doubled the amount of people who can reserve (assuming the new system is stating the new capacity, and yet it can hold a 100 plus) they could charge 4.50. This doesn't make sense lol.

This sort of leads me to believe that if I showed up with money and asked for a site even though there were 19 people there I would not be turned away.

there are site numbers now. they never were before. if all SITES are booked you are out of luck. hike the Batona trail and camp in 3 different parks you pay the $9 three times.

**Silent Bob** · 04-22-2013, 20:13

I walked the Batona trail last month and didn't have to pay the surcharge. I guess I got lucky. The park worker I spoke to did mention they was going to hit you with the surcharge for each night if you did it online. He also said that was still undetermined. If that's the case why don't they just say a nights stay is 12 dollars instead of telling you 9 dollars is surcharge? Karl thanks for the info.

**kayak karl** · 04-22-2013, 20:20

Originally Posted by Silent Bob

I walked the Batona trail last month and didn't have to pay the surcharge. I guess I got lucky. The park worker I spoke to did mention they was going to hit you with the surcharge for each night if you did it online. He also said that was still undetermined. If that's the case why don't they just say a nights stay is 12 dollars instead of telling you 9 dollars is surcharge? Karl thanks for the info.

because its $9 plus $3 PER person. so it can be 12 to 27 with 6 people.

**silentorpheus** · 04-22-2013, 21:49

Originally Posted by Silent Bob

I walked the Batona trail last month and didn't have to pay the surcharge. I guess I got lucky. The park worker I spoke to did mention they was going to hit you with the surcharge for each night if you did it online. He also said that was still undetermined. If that's the case why don't they just say a nights stay is 12 dollars instead of telling you 9 dollars is surcharge? Karl thanks for the info.

Well, technically the $9 charge is per reservation. So if you stay at three camps on your trek, you have to make 3 reservations, hence $9 each time. If you stay at the same camp for 3 days, you make 1 reservation. In that case it's just $9 + $3 per person per night.

**Silent Bob** · 04-23-2013, 08:02

I usually just pay for myself so I wasn't thinking group. Enjoy your hike guys. I'll be up in Connecticut doing a section hike starting that weekend.

**silentorpheus** · 04-23-2013, 08:40

Originally Posted by Silent Bob

I usually just pay for myself so I wasn't thinking group. Enjoy your hike guys. I'll be up in Connecticut doing a section hike starting that weekend.

Nice. Enjoy the AT.

Hopefully the folks at Wharton get things worked out and this reservation thing doesn't cause too many issues. I'd hate to have to rule out a quick jaunt to the pine barrens in the future because all the sites are booked and no one's actually there using them.

**kayak karl** · 04-23-2013, 09:29

Originally Posted by silentorpheus

Well, technically the $9 charge is per reservation. So if you stay at three camps on your trek, you have to make 3 reservations, hence $9 each time. If you stay at the same camp for 3 days, you make 1 reservation. In that case it's just $9 + $3 per person per night.

but that is 3 different state parks. Brenden Byrne, Wharton, Bass river. they didn't work that bug out yet.

**silentorpheus** · 04-23-2013, 10:21

Originally Posted by kayak karl

but that is 3 different state parks. Brenden Byrne, Wharton, Bass river. they didn't work that bug out yet.

I think we're both pointing out the same idiosyncrasy, from different sides

If I want to go from Batsto to Lower forge, then the next day to Batona, then the next day to Mullica, then back to Batsto, I don't think I can make one 'reservation' to cover all that. Each campsite I reserve needs to be a separate transaction, doesn't it? Even though they are all in Wharton?