USFWS · New Jersey

Brigantine Wilderness

The Brigantine Wilderness is a tidal wetland and shallow bay habitat, and is on one of the most active flyways for migratory waterbirds in North America. Birdwatchers, binoculars in hand, have zoomed in on close to 300 species, including Atlantic brant and American black duck. The Wilderness protects Holgate and Little Beaches, two of the few remaining barrier beaches in New Jersey. Grasses on these shores stabilize the fragile dunes and safeguard the rare piping plover, black skimmer, and least tern. The Wilderness also preserves the original site of one of the many life-saving stations found along the Atlantic coast which predated the creation of the Coast Guard.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness6,681 acresUSFWSNJDesignated 1975
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Brigantine Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateNew Jersey
Size6,681 acres
Designated1975, by Congress
Center point39.54° N, 74.43° W
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 35)

Boundary map

8 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Brigantine Wilderness30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.38 inches of precipitation, 5.7 inches of snowFebruary: 3.23 inches of precipitation, 5.9 inches of snowMarch: 4.52 inches of precipitation, 2.2 inches of snowApril: 3.32 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowMay: 3.34 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.58 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.47 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 4.59 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.55 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.14 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.37 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 4.47 inches of precipitation, 3.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.1°F averageFebruary: 36.0°F averageMarch: 42.6°F averageApril: 52.5°F averageMay: 61.9°F averageJune: 71.4°F averageJuly: 76.9°F averageAugust: 75.0°F averageSeptember: 68.4°F averageOctober: 57.1°F averageNovember: 46.8°F averageDecember: 38.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Atlantic City Intl AP, 9 miles from the center point at 60 feet, station USW00093730 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 46 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 17 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
Park Unit · 17 mi
Great Egg Harbor River
National Reserve · 28 mi
New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve
National Register listings within 15 miles · 32 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Guidebooks for New Jersey

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • AMC's Best Day Hikes in New Jersey
    Priscilla Estes, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Appalachian Trail Guide to New York-New Jersey
    Daniel D. Chazin, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 50 Hikes in the Upper Hudson Valley
    Derek Dellinger, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Easy Day Hikes Camden
    Greg Westrich, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Brigantine Wilderness?

6,681 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Brigantine Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Brigantine Wilderness in?

New Jersey.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Brigantine Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1975.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Brigantine Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 39.536° N, 74.433° W. Great Egg Harbor River is 17 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Which national parks are near Brigantine Wilderness?

Great Egg Harbor River (17 mi) and New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Brigantine Wilderness?

The National Register has 32 listings within 15 miles, including Smithville Apothecary and Converse Cottage.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.