Recreational Resources

Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath Bicycle Ride Map

Other NJ Bicycle Ride Maps

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park

The 70-mile Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park is one of central New Jersey's most popular recreational corridors for canoeing, jogging, hiking, bicycling, fishing and horseback riding. The canal and the park are part of the National Recreation Trail System. This linear park is also a valuable wildlife corridor connecting fields and forests. A recent bird survey conducted in the park revealed 160 species of birds, almost 90 of which nested in the park

With its wooden bridges and 19th century bridge tender houses, remnants of locks, cobblestone spillways and hand-built stone-arched culverts, the canal is a tremendous attraction for history lovers. The upper portion of the feeder canal follows the Delaware River through historic New Jersey towns such as Frenchtown, Stockton and Lambertville. The main canal passes the Port Mercer bridge tender's house, through the charming villages of Kingston and Griggstown to Blackwells Mills, ending up in New Brunswick.

New Jersey Conservation Foundation

New Jersey Conservation Foundation 's preserved lands are open to the public and offer beautiful locations for hiking, bird-watching, bicycling, picnicking, nature photography and outdoor fun with the family. Some preserves have spots for fishing, kayaking, canoeing and other non-motorized water sports. .

Delaware River Scenic Byway

New Jersey Route 29 is located on the east side of the Delaware River. It runs parallel to the Delaware and Raritan Feeder Canal for most of the length of the byway. The Prallsville Mills and the rest of the Delaware River Scenic Byway runs along a section of the Delaware River that is a federally protected Wild and Scenic River. It offers spectacular views of the Delaware River and travels through the historic riverside towns of Titusville, Lambertville, Stockton, Prallsville, and Raven Rock ending at the southern edge of Frenchtown. Historically significant stops are plentiful on the Byway, including the The Prallsville Mills. The Prallsville Mills complex is a perfect example of how our historic sites can remain an active asset to the community today, while preserving and explaining or country’s story of economic growth in relation our natural resources, transportation development and technology.

The Delaware River Scenic Byway is part of the New Jersey Scenic Byway System and in 2009 became part of the federal National Scenic Byways Program. The national program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States.

The East Coast Greenway in New Jersey

The New Jersey portion of the East Coast Greenway covers 94 miles between Pennsylvania and New York. It passes through bustling urban areas — Trenton, Princeton, New Brunswick, Newark, and Jersey City — as well as quiet suburban settings and more rural landscapes than one might expect. The route is currently 48% on traffic-free paths and has the second highest percent of completed trail in any Greenway state. The route includes the ECG’s longest completed trail segment – the D&R Canal Towpath, which is 34.3 miles long.

Between the end of the D&R Canal Towpath and the northern end of the New Jersey route in Jersey City, travelers alternate between park paths and interim on-road sections. Trail users currently take a NJ Transit train (bikes allowed) between Newark and Jersey City, but plans are in place to develop trail between these cities. The New Jersey route is bound on either side by rivers. A ferry is used to cross the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York, and the bike/ped friendly Calhoun Street Bridge crosses the Delaware River between NJ and PA.