In which U.S. state are the Pine Barrens located in The Sopranos?

The Pine Barrens in The Sopranos are located in New Jersey. Also called the New Jersey Pine Barrens, this large forested region covers much of the southern part of the state and is known for sandy soil, pine forests, wetlands, and sparse development. In the series, the area becomes the setting for the acclaimed third-season episode “Pine Barrens.”

The episode follows Christopher Moltisanti and Paulie Gualtieri after a routine debt collection involving the Russian Valery spirals out of control. They attempt to dispose of him in the woods, lose track of him, and then become stranded in the snow. The storyline is famous for its dark comedy and deliberately unresolved ending.

A common behind-the-scenes mix-up is that the episode was not actually filmed in New Jersey's Pine Barrens. Production filmed the forest scenes at Harriman State Park in New York after the crew was denied a permit at South Mountain Reservation. The fictional setting, however, remains the New Jersey Pine Barrens.