Great Swamp Wilderness Area

Great Swamp Wilderness Area is a 3,611-acre federally protected wilderness in New Jersey, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The landscape is primitive backcountry where motorized vehicles, mechanized travel, and roads are prohibited—this is genuine wilderness where you experience the land on foot and in its natural state.

Hiking and backpacking are the primary ways to explore this area. The wilderness offers solitude and a chance to move through undeveloped terrain without the infrastructure or crowds found in more developed recreation sites. Visitors should expect remote conditions and come prepared for self-sufficiency.

Wilderness rules are strict and non-negotiable. All travel must be non-motorized; no bicycles, ATVs, or other mechanical equipment are allowed. Leave No Trace principles are essential—pack out everything you pack in, stay on established routes where they exist, and camp only where permitted. This is untrammeled backcountry, and visiting means accepting the responsibility to keep it that way.