The Jersey Devil Hunt

Plan a Trip

Have you read the Basic Info page already? Then you’re ready to start planning your Jersey Devil Hunt!

Refer to the route map as you go. The map is full of waypoints showing options for:

  • Food resupply
  • Water refill
  • Restaurants
  • Camping
  • Toilets/outhouses
  • Warnings for caution on certain roads
  • Points of interest, natural and historical

Looking to do a time trial or set a fastest known time? Use the time trial version of the route.

Planning Info

Suggested Itinerary

See below for details on the suggested 3-day itinerary: 74 miles day 1, 54 miles day 2, 43 miles day 3.

One way to avoid the long first day is to do the trip in 4 days, camping first at Brendan Byrne 35 miles in, then at Godfrey Bridge and Belleplain on the next two nights. This will mean an extremely leisurely pace with lots of time to enjoy and explore your natural surroundings.

What Bike to Bring?

See the Basic Info page on this topic! The wider your tires, the better. If riding a gravel bike, be prepared for some walking, mainly from mile 45 to mile 47.

What to Pack?

If you’re new to bikepacking, check out this helpful guide to packing for a trip.

Some specifics about the Jersey Devil Hunt may affect how you pack:

Necessities:

  • Consider treating clothing and other equipment with permethrin prior to your trip. This is one of the most effective ways of preventing tick bites, which can result in Lyme disease. Ticks are by far the most serious safety hazard in the Pine Barrens. Take tick-bite prevention very seriously including thorough tick checks every night and after you get home.
  • A head net will keep biting insects away from your face, and may be necessary if riding in the summer (bug season is from early June through mid-late September). This pairs well with a wide-brimmed hat, to keep the net away from your skin.
  • Insect repellent is crucial during bug season.
  • Bring plenty of water capacity for the 40-mile stretch from Pakim Pond to Godfrey Bridge.
    • Two water bottles are likely not enough in warm/hot weather.
    • Some water stops (Whitesbog, Cedar Bridge Tavern) may be closed without warning during hours when they’re supposed to be open. Lucille’s closes at 2pm, too early for most riders to make it.
  • The sun can be much more intense than in other eastern forests. The pine canopy is very sparse, and allows lots of sunlight through to the forest floor—and to you.
    • Pack plenty of sunscreen, and consider long sleeves and pants to mitigate sun exposure.
  • Consider a wide-brimmed sun hat. During the many long off-pavement stretches, you can stow your helmet in a pannier or elsewhere on your bike, and wear a hat to provide more shade to your face and neck.
  • Toilet paper and a trowel for digging emergency catholes.
    • Outhouses at Godfrey Bridge and Hawkin Bridge may be out of toilet paper. It’s good to bring your own TP in case of this.

Luxuries:

  • Consider bringing swimwear. You can swim in several lakes and rivers along the route.
    • Always wash the sunscreen/bug spray off your skin before swimming in natural water bodies, as these chemicals pollute the water and harm aquatic life.
  • Lightweight sandals are a great option for evening/camp footwear. These also allow you to access Webb’s Mill Bog without getting your riding shoes wet, if water levels are high.
  • Bring a towel/things to shower with. Brendan Byrne and Belleplain campgrounds both have showers.
  • Firewood is not available for sale at state forest campgrounds. Campers must bring their own wood in by car.
    • The RV park close to Godfrey Bridge campground (open spring through fall) sells firewood.
  • A lightweight camp chair (Helinox and REI offer options weighing one pound) is a very nice luxury. Since the route has so little climbing, this bit of extra weight can be well worth it at camp.
    • The campgrounds where most people will camp at the end of Day 1 (Godfrey Bridge, Hawkin Bridge) do not have picnic tables or any seating, only fire pits.
    • At other campgrounds, most sites’ fire pits are too far from the picnic tables to stay warm from the fire while seated at the table, making a chair very helpful when it’s cold (if you can find firewood).
  • Water from some campground pumps has a strong iodine taste. If this bothers you, consider bringing flavored electrolyte powders to mask the taste (and fuel you on your ride).
  • Many areas on the route, particularly wetlands, are fantastic for bird and wildlife spotting. A pair of binoculars is helpful for getting a closer look.
  • A field guide is great for learning more about the flora and fauna along the way.
  • John McPhee’s book The Pine Barrens is a classic of the region.

Camping

State Forest Campgrounds

Wild camping is not legal anywhere in the Pine Barrens. State Forest campgrounds provide good camping options on the route. They can be reserved in advance. Private campgrounds (mainly RV-oriented) and other lodging are also available in some places.

State forest campgrounds directly on or close to the route are located at:

  • 35 miles (<1 mile off route): Brendan T. Byrne State Forest Campground
    • Smaller campground with bathrooms/showers
    • Byrne has a small number of cabins (BYO bedding). They are heated by wood stoves, but firewood is not available to buy at the campground.
  • 74 miles: Godfrey Bridge (on route) and Hawkin Bridge (2 miles off-route, quieter and more secluded)
    • Primitive campgrounds with outhouses and water pumps. Godfrey Bridge’s water pump is a short distance away from the campground, near the Godfrey Bridge and Mullica river beach. Both have river access.
    • Both Godfrey Bridge and Hawkin Bridge do not have picnic tables or any other seating at the sites. Consider bringing a lightweight chair.
  • 128 miles: Belleplain State Forest Campground (on route). Two-night minimum if booking ahead (see below)
    • Huge, developed campground(s) with bathrooms, showers, playgrounds, swimming lake
    • Fourteen enclosed lean-tos are available. Propane heaters are available November-March.
    • Several “shelters” (cabins, BYO bedding) are available. They are heated by wood stoves, but no firewood is available to buy at the campground.

The suggested itinerary is to ride to Godfrey or Hawkin Bridge (74-76 miles) the first day, and Belleplain (53 miles) the second day.

In between the state forest campgrounds are some privately-owned RV parks where bikepackers could camp, but they won’t be the peaceful escape to nature that you’re probably looking for, and they’re more expensive.

Another possibility, some distance off the route from mile 108, is Estell Manor Park, which has one group camping area that can be reserved online. Since there is only one site, you must plan ahead and reserve in advance if you are thinking of camping there.

Byrne/Belleplain Camping Reservations

Brendan Byrne and Belleplain State Forest Campgrounds have a two-night minimum if booking ahead of time, a deeply annoying policy found at many campgrounds nowadays. If booking the same day or at the time of arrival, you may reserve for only one night. The website may not let you book one night even day-of; in this case call the forest offices.

The good news—the Belleplain campground is huge, and according to state forest staff, it’s highly unlikely that it will be filled to capacity other than perhaps on Saturdays in July, or Memorial Day/Labor Day weekends. Thus, you’re most likely fine to just roll in and find an empty spot without booking ahead. Or, look online for spots to reserve on the day of arrival.

Campfires

Wildfire is an extremely serious risk in the Pine Barrens, and fire bans are often in effect. Read and follow all fire regulations with extreme care, and do not even consider having a campfire at any place or time where it is not explicitly allowed.

Other Accommodation

Several privately-owned campgrounds are marked on the route map and offer a camping experience with more amenities, but with less natural peace and quiet (being surrounded by RVs) and a higher price tag.

Motels and other accommodations are too many to list in Trenton and along the shore. There is also a cluster of motels near Fort Dix military base. The more remote northern half of the route has no other accommodations nearby, while the southern half is closer to shore towns that usually have some options.

A handful of BnB/cabin options are marked on the route map. Hammonton and Egg Harbor City also have motels some distance off the route, as an emergency option if terrible weather hits.

These would all require substantial detours. The route is generally not conducive to staying in indoor accommodations.

Transportation

Train Connections

The endpoints of the route (Trenton and Atlantic City) are two train stations connected to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station by SEPTA and New Jersey Transit. Trenton also has a NJT train connection to Manhattan.

These trains do not run extremely frequently, so look up schedules and plan ahead!

On both lines, large groups (>5) of bikepackers may present an unusual issue, and there might not be space for large numbers of bikes.

On both lines, you may need to carry your bike the full length of a train car (in the narrow aisle) to get it to the area designated for bikes. This can be difficult if you’re using panniers and you may need to remove them, so allow time to go back and forth more than once.

Note that SEPTA and NJT are separate transit agencies and use their own payment systems. You can buy tickets at any time on the NJT mobile app, but you must buy SEPTA tickets at the train stations unless you have a SEPTA key card.

SEPTA

SEPTA’s Trenton Line (Regional Rail) accepts bikes outside of peak hours

  • (6-9:30 am for trains into Philadelphia, 4-6:30pm for trains outbound to Trenton).
  • Plan carefully to ensure you’ll be allowed to use the trains at the time you need to!
  • Also be aware that some train conductors may deny access to bikes even before 4pm on busy days. It’s best to board the train for Trenton in the morning or early afternoon.

If taking SEPTA from Trenton into 30th Street Station, bring your ticket (or SEPTA key card) with you, as you need to present it to exit through the turnstiles.

SEPTA charges an extra fee if buying a ticket on the train, so buy ahead at the automated kiosks or ticket counters at 30th Street, or at the ticket counter in Trenton.

New Jersey Transit

New Jersey Transit’s Atlantic City Line accepts bikes at all times, as long as there is room. 

The route also passes across the NJT Atlantic City line near Hammonton. This is very useful if you wish to split the route in half.

NJT does have a system of buses serving many communities in the area, and these generally have bike racks on the front of the bus. These racks may have issues fitting fat-tired bikes.

From Further Away

If coming from New York City by transit, you can begin in Trenton (take the NJT’s Northeast Corridor from Penn Station). At the end, take the Atlantic City Line to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and take SEPTA or NJT to Trenton to catch the train back to Manhattan. You may also take Amtrak direct from 30th Street to Penn Station.

You can reach the route by Amtrak from New York, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, and other cities. Philadelphia 30th Street Station and Trenton Transit Center are both Amtrak stations. Be sure to check that your bike’s tires are narrow enough to fit in their roll-on bike storage areas. Normal mountain bikes up to ~2.4″ may be possible to squeeze in if tires are deflated, but fatbikes will not fit.

Driving, Etc.

If you’re driving, check the website for Trenton’s train station for information on parking options. Atlantic City’s rail terminal is located in the Convention Center which also has parking options. Philadelphia’s 30th St. Station has parking available as well.

Unless you are arranging a two-car shuttle, parking at 30th Street is likely the most logistically simple option, since reaching either end of the route by transit will involve passing through either Philadelphia, or else Camden (a short ride over the bridge from Philadelphia).

If you are particularly averse to pavement riding, you may consider beginning the route near Whitesbog to cut out the road miles from Trenton, and concluding the ride in Dennisville. However, you’re on your own for figuring out multi-day parking in nearby towns.

Resupply

Food

The northern portion of the route stays away from any towns or resupply points after Trenton (other than Bordentown). Bring enough food from Trenton to last you until Mullica. On the suggested 3-day itinerary, this means carrying lunch and dinner for Day 1, breakfast for Day 2, plus snacks.

In the southern half of the route, you’ll pass a few towns—Mullica, Corbin City/Tuckahoe, and South Dennis—before reaching the beach, which is entirely built up. Resupply is no problem here.

At any point on the route besides the heart of Wharton State Forest, you are never very far from resupply or civilization if you do need to make a detour.

Check the Route Map for locations of food resupply points.

Water

Check the Route Map for locations of water resupply points.

The longest stretch between reliable water resupplies is from Pakim Pond to Godfrey Bridge. Plan on carrying enough water to cover this almost 40-mile stretch.

The two non-natural water sources in between are Cedar Bridge Tavern and Lucille’s Luncheonette. Cedar Bridge Tavern is only open on certain days and is often closed even during stated opening hours. Lucille’s closes at 2pm, so most riders starting in Trenton will not make it there before closing time.

Natural Water Sources

The creeks of the Pinelands are famously clean, since it is located on top of a watershed: water flows out of the Pines to the Delaware and the Atlantic, and nothing flows in. Despite the tannin-dark color of the streams, the water in many places is remarkably free of pollution.

Nevertheless, we always strongly recommend treating or filtering your drinking water if you must use natural sources—many water sources are downstream from built-up areas of some kind. Because of this, it’s better not to rely on drinking from natural water sources at all.

Suggested Itinerary & Route Overview

Day 1: Trenton to Godfrey Bridge, 74mi

Trenton to Whitesbog

The first 27 miles of the route are almost all paved, with the exception of a few miles on the Delaware and Raritan Trail. This chunk of pavement is necessary to begin the ride at Trenton Transit Center. While you’ll be on paved roads, there are very few supply/food options after leaving Trenton.

The porch of Whitesbog General Store is one of the best rest stops on the route. If time allows, a walk around the trails gives you a glimpse into the history of this farming village, the birthplace of the modern blueberry.

Whitesbog to Godfrey Bridge

The rest of the stretch to Godfrey Bridge is predominantly unpaved. This beautiful portion of the JDH shows off the heart of the Pine Barrens wilderness, with only occasional glimpses of civilization.

Sandy conditions on this part of the route mean you will move slower than you’re used to, particularly if riding a gravel bike without extra-wide tires.

Supplies are very sparse here.

  • Soft drinks and very light snacks can be bought at Whitesbog General Store, if open.
  • Lucille’s Luncheonette at mile 61 is only open from from 8am-2pm, so most riders will miss it.
  • The campground store at Wading Pines Camping Resort, just before Godfrey Bridge, is the only other supply option, offering snacks and the like (also firewood if you have a way to move it the ~0.4 miles to camp).

Water refills are available at:

  • Whitesbog (if open)
  • Pakim Pond
  • Brendan T. Byrne Campground (half a mile off-route)
  • Cedar Bridge Tavern historic site (closes 4pm, closed many days and may be closed even during posted open hours)
  • Godfrey Bridge beach area (close to the campground, which has no water pump of its own)
  • Hawkin Bridge campground (2 miles off-route)

There are no other campgrounds or accommodations, public or private, on or near the route between Brendan T. Byrne (off-route, mile 35) and Godfrey Bridge (mile 74).

For a slightly more secluded campground, consider Hawkin Bridge, about 2 miles north of Godfrey Bridge.

Day 2: Godfrey Bridge to Belleplain, 54 miles

Godfrey Bridge to Batsto

This segment travels through Wharton State Forest and passes the sites of two long-gone 18th-19th century towns: Washington and Mount. From Mount, the JDH follows the Penn Branch singletrack into Batsto, which has a visitors’ center, recreated historic village, bathrooms, and water (9am-4pm daily).

Batsto to Makepeace Lake

After Batsto comes a less enjoyable part of the route—the unavoidable road stretch along Elwood Road. It should be over with in under an hour of riding!

Your first proper resupply option is also here, in Mullica. Elwood Deli, on route, offers lunch food (massive portions) and a convenience store, and a Dollar General just off-route is the most convenient grocery option you’ll get until closer to the end.

Makepeace Lake to May’s Landing

This short stretch is roughly half unpaved. The short pavement ride along Black Horse Pike is made more amenable by a wide shoulder.

Use caution when exiting Black Horse Pike onto NJ-50! The off-ramp is a blind turn for cars and has no shoulder. The safest way to cross is to wait for a lull in traffic, then cross to the grassy median and walk up to NJ-50, where there’s a shoulder again.

May’s Landing has a number of lunch options as well as a Wawa and another Dollar General.

May’s Landing to Belleplain

This segment, comprising the second half of Day 2 in the suggested itinerary, contains some of the most varied and unique riding on the Jersey Devil Hunt! Maple Lake is the quintessential quiet Pine Barrens lake, and Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area brings you into a coastal marsh environment unlike anything else on the trail. While you’ll pass more towns and residential areas than in the northern half of the route, you’ll still be constantly exposed to nature.

There are several private campgrounds (RV parks) along this stretch, and several small towns with some resupply/water refill options.

The only bike shop along the route (until a few in the shore towns) is also found in Tuckahoe.

Belleplain State Forest Campground is the only public-land camping option on the southern half of the route. There are bathhouses and lake access nearby. The town of Woodbine is several miles off-route for supplies and restaurants.

Day 3: Belleplain to Atlantic City, 43 miles

The final 43 miles can be done in a half-day for quick riders, or taken at a leisurely pace to enjoy the beach.

Belleplain to Sea Isle City

From Belleplain to Dennisville, savor the last of the Pine Barrens forest riding before transitioning to the coastal region. After Dennisville, you’ll be in developed areas for the rest of the ride with regular access to water refills and supplies.

Several private campgrounds/RV parks are available closer to the shore if you’re inclined.

Sea Isle to Atlantic City: Beach Riding!

The final stretch of the route, from Sea Isle City to Atlantic City, is unique—an opportunity to ride on the seashore for the better part of 23 miles! However, this is only doable for fatbikes or plus bikes.

The route has been drawn assuming that you won’t do this, since most people don’t own fatbikes. But if you do have one, go ahead and increase the “unpaved %” figure of the route considerably!

If you aren’t riding the beach, your best option is usually to follow the official route, and ride the residential streets parallel to it. Outside of summer, these streets tend to be pretty low-traffic.

You can also ride the boardwalks where they exist in Ocean City and Atlantic City, but be aware that when there’s heavy pedestrian traffic, you will not be able (or allowed) to move faster than about 5mph, if that. Bikes are banned from the boardwalks at certain busy times, generally after noon during the summer season.

Spring, fall, and winter are usually quiet enough that riding the boardwalks is a good option. In summer, forget it.

Don’t forget to check the schedules of the NJT Atlantic City Line in advance to make sure you don’t miss your train. Trains run every 2 hours or less.

Other Itinerary Options

Two or Four Day Rides

Remember that itinerary options are limited by the availability of campgrounds, since wild camping is not allowed anywhere on the route.

Four Days

The simplest way to ride the Jersey Devil Hunt in four days is to use the three-day suggested itinerary above but split the first day.

This will result in two quite short days – 35 miles from Trenton to Brendan T. Byrne campground on Day 1, then 39 miles from Belleplain to Godfrey Bridge on Day 2. This allows lots of time to see the sights and enjoy nature along the way.

After that, continue with the remaining two days as described in the three-day itinerary.

Two Days

For those who love riding long distances, there are two main options to make a two-day trip of the complete Jersey Devil Hunt:

  • Day 1 from Trenton to Belleplain (128 miles), Day 2 from Belleplain to Atlantic City (43 miles)
  • Day 1 from Trenton to Godfrey Bridge (74 miles), Day 2 from Godfrey Bridge to Atlantic City (97 miles)
  • You might also credit-card it, staying at a motel in Hammonton (5 miles off route) or the Budget Inn at mile 97. I make no guarantees as to the quality of any of these.

However, most people will prefer to split the route in half (see below).

Splitting the Route

It’s easy to split the Jersey Devil Hunt into two halves! The Hammonton station on the New Jersey Transit line to Atlantic City is about 5 miles from the midpoint of the route, and the Egg Harbor City station on the same line is just slightly further.

You can do the entire route over two weekends if you can’t take a day off work, or just get a taste of Pine Barrens bikepacking by doing only one half.

The Northern Half

There are two main options to ride the northern half of the Jersey Devil Hunt by itself. The northern half is much more wild and remote. It’s also much more sandy, so allow time for a slower pace than you’re used to.

If you’re doing the northern half of the route, I recommend doing in the northbound direction (Hammtonton to Trenton):

  • Day 1: Ride from Hammonton to Brendan T. Byrne campground (~58 miles). This is a fairly long day given that all the sandiest sections of the route are included.
    • From Hammonton, ride via Route 683 and Nesco Road to Batsto to connect with the route.
  • Day 2: Ride from Brendan T. Byrne to Trenton (35 miles, mostly paved). This is a quicker day, and since the train from Trenton to Philadelphia runs roughly every hour, you have lots of flexibility in when you finish.

If you want to do the northern half in the southbound direction (Trenton to Hammonton):

  • Day 1, ride from Trenton to Brendan T. Byrne campground (35 miles). On Day 2, continue to Batsto and then on to the junction of Nesco Road and Route 683 (mile 82.9 on the route).
    • From there, it’s just under 10 miles to Hammonton, so your second day will be around 58 miles, including the sandiest/slowest parts of the route.
    • Keep in mind the Atlantic City Line runs only every ~2 hours, so you’ll need to plan carefully for when to arrive at Hammonton.
  • Another option: Day 1, ride from Trenton to Godfrey Bridge (74 miles). Day 2, ride from Godfrey Bridge to Batsto and exit the route at mile 82.9 to ride to Hammonton.
    • This will mean your first day is long and includes the sandiest parts of the trail, but it will make your second day only about 19 miles.

The Southern Half

There’s one main option to ride the southern half of the Jersey Devil Hunt by itself. The southern half passes more towns and is not quite as remote, but has much more ecological and scenic variety.

  • Finish the day at Belleplain State Forest Campground. On Day 2, complete the last 43 miles to Atlantic City.
  • From Hammonton train station, ride south to South Chew Road, then turn left to head southeast on South 2nd Road. Continue (including an unpaved section) until you rejoin the route at mile 90.3.
    • Alternately, if you need to visit Mullica, use Reading Avenue to get there from Hammonton.
  • If you wish to do this in reverse, there’s no reason not to. The Atlantic City Line runs every ~2 hours, so whichever direction you ride, plan carefully for when to make it to the train station.

Avoiding Pavement via Car

While the Jersey Devil Hunt is easily accessible by train, this comes at the cost of some pavement riding toward the beginning and end. If you really want to avoid as much pavement riding as possible, you can do the route from Whitesbog or Pakim Pond to Sea Isle City and cut out the bulk of the pavement.

This requires using multiple cars or else being picked up by someone driving.

If you have two cars and two drivers, you may choose to park one car near Whitesbog (or Pakim Pond) and the other in Sea Isle City. The driver of one car can then bring everyone and their bikes to the starting point and leave the car there until you return with the second car.

Cutting this amount of distance off the route would make it fairly easy to do in two days, with a shorter (just under 50 mile) day from Whitesbog to Godfrey Bridge, and a longer (~75 mile) day from Godfrey Bridge to Sea Isle City.

At this time, I have not researched overnight parking options near Whitesbog or Pakim Pond and nearby areas, or parking regulations in Sea Isle City. Do your own research, and if you find helpful info, please share it with info@jerseydevilhunt.com!