Belleplain State Forest

{{Short description|State forest in New Jersey}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox park

| name = {{#property:name}}

| image = {{#property:image}}

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| image_caption =

| map = USA New Jersey#USA

| map_caption = Location in New Jersey##Location in United States

| map_width =

| type =

| location = Cape May County

| nearest_city =

| coords = {{WikidataCoord|display=title,inline}}

| coords_ref = {{#property:official website}}

| area = {{convert|21320|acre|km2|adj=on}}

| created =

| operator = {{#property:operator}}

| visitation_num =

| status =

| designation =

| opened = {{#property:inception}}

| website = {{Official website}}

}}

Belleplain State Forest is a {{convert|21320|acre|km2|adj=on}} New Jersey State Forest in northern Cape May County and eastern Cumberland County. It has many young pine, oak and Atlantic white cedar trees, having better soil than the northern Pine Barrens. It was established in 1928 and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camps in 1933, and converted Meisle Cranberry Bog into Lake Nummy, and constructed the original forest headquarters, maintenance building, a road system, bridges, and dams.

The forest includes recreational facilities for picnicking, boating, camping, hunting and fishing, swimming, and over {{convert|40|mi|km}} of walking trails. A fee is charged for camping and picnicking.

On June 7, 2002, the Green Acres Program added {{convert|230|acre|km2}} of privately owned land to Belleplain. Donated by the Brewer family, the property comprises approximately {{convert|200|acre|km2}} of woodlands - including Atlantic white cedar trees - surrounding {{convert|30|acre|km2|adj=on}} Cedar Lake (also known as Hands Mill Pond) on West Creek in Maurice River Township, Cumberland County.

Former Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Ed King resided on a Property within the Forest.