Apple Pie Hill, Mountain and fire tower in Tabernacle Township, New Jersey.
Apple Pie Hill is a rise in Tabernacle Township located within the New Jersey Pine Barrens, topped with a fire observation tower. The structure provides views across vast forested terrain and the sandy, sparsely vegetated landscape that defines this region.
The 60-foot fire tower on the summit was closed to public access by the Department of Environmental Protection on September 10, 2016, after vandalism, with a fence erected around it. It now opens only when staff are present or by appointment.
The name's origin is not documented in the sources; what visitors encounter today is the 60-foot fire tower on the 205-foot summit, reached along the Batona Trail in Wharton State Forest. Since September 10, 2016, a fence has surrounded the tower after vandalism, and entry is allowed only when staff are present or by appointment.
Access to the summit follows marked hiking trails that wind through the Pine Barrens landscape, with the Batona Trail being a popular route. Sturdy footwear and plenty of water are recommended since the sandy terrain and lack of shade make conditions exposed and dry.
On exceptionally clear days, visitors can spot the skylines of both Philadelphia and Atlantic City from the tower, separated by the vast Pine Barrens between them. This rare sight connects two distant cities across one of New Jersey's most remote natural areas.
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