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New Jersey | Wharton State Forest / Pine Barrens

Wading RiverHawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge

A named Wading River water-trail section from Hawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge in Wharton State Forest.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 5.5 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical time3–6 hours depending on level
ShuttleCar shuttle
A Pine Barrens river channel in the New Jersey Pinelands.
Route photoPine Barrens river context for the Wading River water trailPhoto by U.S. National Park Service via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 5.5 river milesHawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge
DifficultymoderateThe named source describes recreational moving water. Shallow sections, current, strainers, bridges, cold water, and access restrictions remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Godfrey Bridge, confirm campground/parking status, and shuttle to Hawkin Bridge. Do not assume every bridge or forest road is a legal access point.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow Wharton State Forest hours, vehicle/parking rules, posted closures, New Jersey boating/PFD requirements, and the water-trail guide’s canoe/kayak-only posture.
CampingOptions nearbyGodfrey Bridge and other named Wharton campgrounds are separate reservations/permit locations. Camping is not implied at every river mile or bridge.
SeasonMar-NovSpring through fall is the practical planning season. Check current flow, recent rain, debris, water temperature, daylight, and park alerts before every launch.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A named Wading River water-trail section from Hawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge in Wharton State Forest.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

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Start

Put-in

Hawkin Bridge
Open mapDirections to put-in

The NJDEP map is the route/access authority; coordinates are bridge-area anchors and require current parking, carry, and wetted-edge confirmation.

Finish

Take-out

Godfrey Bridge
Open mapDirections to take-out

Campsites are controlled facilities, not general shoreline camping. Reserve and verify before relying on an overnight plan.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The NJDEP map is the route/access authority; coordinates are bridge-area anchors and require current parking, carry, and wetted-edge confirmation.
  • Campsites are controlled facilities, not general shoreline camping. Reserve and verify before relying on an overnight plan.
  • Do not use an unnamed forest-road crossing as an alternate take-out.

Watch for

  • USGS Wading/West Branch station and actual level at Hawkin Bridge and Godfrey Bridge
  • shallow bends, underwater obstacles, strainers, cold water, recent rain, and thunderstorms
  • forest-road conditions, parking, campground reservations, closures, and daylight

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

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Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

A Pine Barrens river channel in the New Jersey Pinelands.
Pine Barrens river context for the Wading River water trailPhoto by U.S. National Park Service via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: public domain

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named moving-water corridorNJDEP Wading River water trail, Hawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge

    The official NJDEP guide names the marked water trail, access/campground landmarks, canoe/kayak-only posture, and shallow/obstacle warnings.

    Source

  • Public endpoint postureHawkin Bridge and Godfrey Bridge are named map access boundaries; exact carry and waterline require field confirmation

    No private shoreline or bridge shoulder is treated as a fallback.

    Source

  • Proxy flow guidanceUSGS 01409810 West Branch Wading River near Jenkins, clearly labeled route-context proxy

    Use the station and current river levels as context, not as a transferred numeric cutoff.

    Source

  • Camping postureEndpoint campground option subject to Wharton reservation and closure status

    The guide marks campgrounds but does not grant unreserved shoreline camping.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01409810, West Branch Wading River near Jenkins, NJ

    Clearly labeled proxy station: use current trend as regional planning context only; it does not establish a route-specific safe-flow cutoff.

    Source

  • Approved route imageryRights-cleared same-river or same-water-trail context image

    Same-water-family Pine Barrens Mullica River context image; it does not represent current Wading River level, access, or hazards.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

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Photos

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in New Jersey

All 33 routes
New Jersey route guideBrowse every tracked New Jersey route.Wharton State Forest / Pine BarrensJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Oswego RiverHarrisville and marked Oswego River water trail · about 4 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 5 miles round tripBatsto RiverLower Forge to Batsto Village · about 6 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 7 river milesMullica RiverBatsto Village canoe/kayak access to Pleasant Mills canoe/kayak facility · about 7 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 4.5 river milesGreat Egg Harbor RiverWeymouth Furnace Park canoe/kayak access to Lake Lenape Park West wild-and-scenic access · about 18 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 11 river miles

Quick answers

Wading River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Hawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge route on the Wading River?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Hawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge route on the Wading River start and end?

This route starts at Hawkin Bridge and ends at Godfrey Bridge, Approximately 5.5 river miles on the water.

Is the Hawkin Bridge to Godfrey Bridge route on the Wading River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

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