Number Two In South Jersey’s Top Five Places To Walk Your Dog… Go Back In Time At Batsto

Where are the best places in our part of South Jersey to walk your dog?  Every dog owner has looked for  new and different spots to get your doggy, and yourself, some exercise.  The daily walk around the neighborhood gets boring for both of you after awhile, and when you have the chance to explore something new, it’s handy to have some ideas of where to go. But if you do an internet search for “good places for dog walk in New Jersey”, you’ll get pages of information and ideas for wonderful spots to …walk ‘ol Rover, and almost all of it will be for central and northern New Jersey.

As the owner of a ten-month old puppy (or,  is she really the one in charge?), I’ve wondered about this myself. It seemed like a good idea to try to compile five excellent places in Atlantic and Cape May Counties,  well within driving distance,  for you to try out when the opportunity presents itself.

This is not to say these are the only great places locally to walk your dog.  You may know of one in your town that’s not included.  If so, feel free to list it in the comments section below, along with any observations or experiences you’ve had walking your dog at any of my top five places.

Most, but not all, of the spots on the list require on-leash walking and some are only available seasonally.  Most are free, but some charge and insist on pet registration.  I’ll try to make that clear with each of the five listings.   Every place on the list has particular rules and regulations concerning walking your dog, and you should make yourself familiar with them before using any of the places for doggy exercise!

So, here they are….”Eddie’s Top Five Places to walk your dog in South Jersey”…..

Number Two: Historic Batsto Village, 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton (609) 561-0024.  Free (but you may have to pay a small parking fee on summer weekends )

This historic village, in the heart of Wharton State Forest, spilling over in to Atlantic, Burlington and Camden Counties, is a perfect, out in the country,  walking place with your dog, and a history lesson all in one!

Batsto, part of the first pinelands reserve of its kind in the country protected by Congress, dates back to the 1700's, when it was a  site of a glass and iron works.  The town has a museum, a mansion, living quarters and a gift shop.

There are several nature trails for your walk, including a scenic walk along Batsto Lake.  Bring a picnic lunch if you plan to stay for awhile; you won't find any fast food joints out here!

One relatively short trail is a three-mile loop that takes you along Batsto River, through the oak tree woodlands, and into the heart of historic Batsto Village.

My caution: you will see "tick warning" signs  and you should take them seriously!  The mild winter has made this a bad spring for those little blood suckers.

Leave me your comments about good places for a dog walk or Batsto Village below.  Tomorrow, the Number One spot on my list of Great Places for a Dog Walk  in South Jersey!