Places to explore · Work and conservation

Bass River’s CCC camp along the orange trail

Documented camp · Marked public trail

At New Jersey’s first state forest, a walk past stone foundations connects the Depression-era workers’ camp with the park landscape they helped make.

Two groups of men, one long-running camp

The Civilian Conservation Corps opened Camp No. 7, later called S-55, at Bass River in June 1933. NJDEP’s forest history identifies Company 225 as the camp’s first contingent, serving through 1937. A veterans’ company, 2201-V, followed until 1942. About 200 men ordinarily lived at the camp. Their work included roads, trails, bridges, picnic areas, cabins, lookout towers and other facilities used to make the forest accessible.

They made the lake, too

The most conspicuous product of their work is Lake Absegami. NJDEP credits the CCC with creating the 67-acre lake by damming two streams. That large public recreation landscape can make the older labor easy to overlook. The camp’s surviving stone foundations, however, make a more direct encounter possible. The forest office holds artifacts and a list of camp members, according to the park guide.

A walk from the day-use lot

The state’s official trail guide describes the orange-blazed CCC Trail as a four-mile, easy-to-moderate route. It starts at the trail kiosk at the south end of Lake Absegami’s day-use parking lot, follows sandy paths and roads, and passes a series of 1930s camp foundations near East Greenbush Road before reaching the forest’s Firefighters Memorial. The state trail map shows the route; carry it, since the foundation area is only one part of the loop. The day-use area is open dawn to dusk. NJDEP lists seasonal entrance fees, so check the current park information before visiting.

Sources and research limits

NJDEP, Bass River State Forest — camp dates, companies, work, Lake Absegami, surviving foundations, access and fees.
New Jersey State Park Service, Trails of Bass River State Forest — orange CCC Trail, four-mile length, trailhead and foundation route.
New Jersey State Park Service, Bass River trail map — route and visitor facilities.

The park sources describe company assignments and camp infrastructure but do not provide individual workers’ stories or identify the purpose of each visible foundation. Treat the remains as protected historic resources and leave them undisturbed.