Penn State Forest

Penn State Forest At A Glance...

• The Pine Plains here are a dwarf forest where mature pitch pine and blackjack oak top out at about four feet, part of a plant community found almost nowhere else in the world.
• You can walk through the remains of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp that was home to African American crews, one of only a few such camps in New Jersey.
• Miles of sand and gravel roads are open to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing.
• Lake Oswego is a tea-colored, 90 acre cranberry reservoir you can put a canoe or kayak into.
• Todays Sunrise: 6:34 am,   Sunset: 4:48 pm  
• New Jersey Delaware River Region Burlington County

• Activities:

  • Equestrian / Horseback
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Hunting
  • Mountain Bike
  • Paddling - Kayak, Canoe, row boat
  • Skiing / Snowboarding
  • Picnicking

  Amenities:

  • Boat launch
  • Parking Lot(s)
  • Picnic / Sitting Area
  • Picnic tables

  Trails:

  • Sandy

  Park Type:

  • State / National Forest

Contact / Location

A Brief History

The state bought the land from Edwin Pue and his wife in 1910, the fifth property in what became the state park system. It was first called Penn Reserve. Settlers had earlier founded the village of Penn Place on the Oswego River.

Civilian Conservation Corps crews arrived in 1933 and built the gravel roads still used today. The crews were African American, as construction crews were segregated then. The camp area lies northeast of Lake Oswego.

The Army used the forest during maneuvers in 1941. In the late 1950s a proposed airport here was defeated on environmental grounds, a fight tied to the start of the Pine Barrens protection movement that led to the Pinelands National Reserve in 1978.

Trail & Path Info

There is no maintained trail system. Visitors follow unpaved sand, gravel and dirt roads, which are open to hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Sand slows walking and riding, so give yourself extra time. Roads can be soft after rain. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are also allowed on some roads according to a third-party listing, so expect to share them.

Things to See & Do

Start at the Lake Oswego picnic area, launch a canoe or kayak, or fish from the shore. The Oswego River can be paddled upstream, and the dam has to be portaged to reach Harrisville Lake.

From there, walk the sand roads to the Civilian Conservation Corps camp remains northeast of the lake, or head northeast to the Pine Plains. In season, hunting is also permitted in the forest.

Tips and Tricks

Hunting is allowed in the forest in season, so wear bright colors and check the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife seasons before you go in fall and winter. Expect little signage and spotty cell service, so carry a map and water. Sand roads can be hard going on a regular bike.

Picnics / Lunches / Eating

The picnic area on the south end of Lake Oswego is small, with a couple of tables. No food service is mentioned in any source, so bring what you plan to eat and carry out your trash.

Parking

A small parking lot sits beside the picnic area at the south end of Lake Oswego. It is the only mapped lot in the forest.

Directions

Take Route 563 to Lake Oswego Road in Jenkins Neck, then follow Lake Oswego Road about three miles to the lake and the small parking lot.

The forest sits between Bass River State Forest to the north and south and the eastern edge of Wharton State Forest to the south. Brendan T. Byrne State Forest is about a 12 mile drive.

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