We ride the feeder portion of the D&R along the Delaware every year and are very familiar with its riding surface. I had recently heard that the main canal from Trenton to New Brunswick had been resurfaced, so we decided to drive to New Brunswick and give it a try. We rode from the Landing Lane bridge (behind Rutgers stadium) about 6 miles west past Bound Brook before giving up and heading back, the trail surface is rough and unpleasant. There are a lot of debris from the recent Irene flooding so maybe the alleged "new" surface was washed away I don't know but we encountered a variety of surfaces, including fist sized railroad ballast that required us to walk the bike. We were running 70x32 tires on a hybrid which are fine on the feeder canal, but not for this portion of the main canal.

The bridge over the D&R Canal at Crosswicks Creek is now open and the trail has connected to the RiverLINE Rail Bridge over to Bordentown near the Yacht Club at 2nd and Bank Street

On August 22rd I did the Main Canal form Kingston to New Brunswick and back. Again this trail is very well maintained just like the feeder Canal. If I was going to do it again I would start at Rocky Hill as there is a spillway between Kingston and Rocky Hill that would be a challenge for a family. There is lots of shade and a lot of picnic tables along the total length of the trail. It took me almost an hour longer coming back as I stopped and read most of the historic marker, this is a trip back in history. It is just unbelievable that this trail runs though the middle of a highly populated area. I was on my trusted old Mt bike and you could do it on a cross over but I am not sure that a road bike would be a good choice. This is a family friendly ride. The only draw back on this ride are a number of spillways, they very on how tough they are, some better then others. The State of NJ has done a great job of maintains. There are great views of the Raritan river and there are a lot of wild life. I just do not give out five stars but this ride is close.

I did this trail 8/16/11 and had a great ride. I started at Washington's Crossing and rode all the way to Frenchtown NJ. round trip was 46.5 miles. the only part of the trip that was not up to my high standards was a 2 or 3 mile section between Lambertville and the route 202 under pass. One other minor issue is the trail marking just south of Lamberville where the trail takes a sharp right turn. The NJ.DNR. has done a great job of maintenance. It was raining when I got to Washington's Crossing and had and hour rain delay, but the trail was in great shape just a few spots of standing water but on my return trip about 4 hours later most of it was gone. Delaware & Raritan trail has a great web site it is www. dandrcanal.com and is a must when you are planning your trip. Most of the trail has a great canape and would be a great ride on a hot sunny day, it is family friendly and could be done on a road bike but a Hybrid or a Mt bike would work better. Great views of the Delaware River end to end and quite a few of historical markers. There are mile markers every half mile but they just read .5 miles, but there are still quite a few old RR. mile markers. There are picnic tables and park benches from end to end and Port A Potty along the way. I just do not give five stars out but this trail comes close. Great maintenance and lack of grade makes this one great ride. I do have plans to do the main canal trail in the next week or two

My 9 year old daughter and I rode the eastern section from New Brunswick for about 8-10 miles on a hot mid June day. It is a very well maintained cinder trail with great views across the Raritan river and the canal simultaneously as the trail is sandwiched between them. This makes for a very peaceful ride and in places the trail is all that is between the river and the canal, which is an unusual experience. In places it widens out and it feels like a forest trail too. We saw herons and egrets fishing by the river and plenty of other bird life. Also, if you're an industrial history geek (I am) the disused locks and spillways are fascinating; from a time when the canal was dug by hand and everything built using labour and very few machines.

The trail is also very shady as tree cover is probably 80-90% on the section we rode so it's a great bike ride even on a hot day. The riding is easy as the trail is almost perfectly flat and there's plenty of points of history en route.

GREAT TRAIL
Started at Washington crossing St. Park rode 7miles to Lambertville then to New Hope ...had Lunch..shopped..the rode back...Great day....a lot of fun...

40 minute ride from Manhattan (exit 9 NJ turnpike), plenty of parking at the New Brunswick trailhead.

Rode the eastern segment from New Brunswick to Trenton - 73 miles total. Wonderful trail and is in great condition. 85% - 90% of trail smooth and level; however, must transverse several stone work spillover structures ... a disaster for skinny tire bikes but no problem for wide tire mountain hybrids. Scenery and surroundings are beautiful as the trail follows along a canal/river system. However, was a little unsettling in Trenton. Some homeless individuals live in makeshift housing alongside the trail, neighborhoods not the greatest and also ran into a flock of "rude" geese camping under an overpass. Best to stop at about the 4-mile marker (near Lawrence NJ).

Bring plenty of water and nourishment cause not many places to get food and drink. Also be sure to have spare tubes in the event of flats..help is not readily available/ All-in-all a great day!

Will have to try the western segment from Trenton to Frenchtown.

I enjoyed a 90 minute run on this trail on June 5, 2011 and saw a large white swan and a couple deer. There were also people fishing at different points on the canal. I parked at South Bound Brook and I think I ran in the direction of Edison. Wish it had been a longer run. It would have been better if there was a single track off the main path but there might have been at times. Glad I found this gem not too far from Newark.

I parked in the South Bound Brook parking lot, the rode to just south of the Rte 1 overpass to the Hamilton NJ Transit location, took a train to New Brunswick, then rode back to Bound Brook - 37 miles. The trail has been resurfaced with a crushed red stone (slate?) that makes for a really nice smooth ride from New Brunswick to mile marker 18. Even going south on the older surface was not bad - the condition varied from good to very good.

I found a nice Deli on Market Street in East Millstone, just south of Amwell Ave (a 2 min bike ride off the trail). South of Bound Brook, this is the most convenient place I've found for food and drink.

I had heard that the trail condition south of Princeton was not so great, but it was not bad and some nice scenery (my first time South of Princeton).

If you like Indian food, there is a fantastic restaurant Hoysala at the north-westcorner of the Easton Ave / JFK Parkway intersection. There is a bridge about a mile north of that intersection that allows you to cross the canal. [There is a diner there also, on the eastern side.]

The New Jersey Transit connections make this ride do-able from NYC or really anywhere you can get to NJ Transit, and you could do either or both sections (the Bound-Brook to New Brunswick ride took me about an hour as it took a while for me to get to the trail from the station.

On Wednesday Sept. 22 Patty and I parked in Kingston NJ,and took the trail north. The trail was in good shape a couple of bumpy parts but not bad at all. About 1 mile north of Griggtown the trail was resurfaced with brown crushed stone.It was leveled and one of the best surfaces I have biked over. We rode for about another two miles and realized that the sun was sinking and turned around. We do not know how far north the resurfaced trail goes. We are going back this weekend and ride further north.What we did notice from Kingston north to Griggstown a survey has been taking place so maybe they will be resurfacing all the way south to Kingston. By the way stop and have dinner at Eno Terra,its right on the trail,see their web site below.
http://www.enoterra.com/

We Rode this trail on 7/22/10 on our hybrid bikes. We started the trail at Bulls Island State Park (plenty of parking) and rode to Washington's Crossing State Park, about 13 miles each way. The crushed stone trail was in excellent condition, in spite of heavy rains the night before. Path was nicely shaded, so it was relatively cool even though the outside temps were in the low 90s. The path goes between the Delaware River and the Canal. People were trout fishing, canoeing, tubing, etc in the water. We spotted one deer having lunch in a field off to the side; one turtle floating in the canal; 2 very large swans floating and eating in the canal; and multiple butterflies, squirrels, geese, birds and ducks. Variety of trees, ferns, plants and flowers on both sides of the trail (but mostly on the river side). Trail is interesting as you near Lambertville--seems to almost go down an alley (tho one in good shape) and you can easily view the backyards of houses and businesses that border the canal. One of the best, most enjoyable rail trails we've done in the last year or two. Did notice, though, that the trail looks to be a bit rougher beyond Washington's Crossing SP.

On 6/4 started out to do a 10 - 15 mile section from So Bound Brook trailhead heading south towards Princeton. Lasted to spillway 19 about 5 miles. We have hybrids and the ride was really rough. I guess because of all the rain/flooding the trail is being rebuilt. Big stone has been dumped. All the holes are not filled and the stone is not packed. The result is a very jarring ride. If you do this section have fat tires and shocks. The best part of yesterday was Reggie's hot dog stand at the parking area. Very good, very cheap. Two other notes - lots of litter near Zarepath, Somerset Christian College and scattered litter from fishermen. The one road I crossed was not marked on the path nor was there a crosswalk on the road.

On 5/20 did a section from Basin Road over the Rt 1 overpass to Alexander Road. this section is good for all types of bikes and is a very good peaceful ride. Many turtles and birds, not much foot or bike traffic . On weekends the trail does attract crowds. This section can use some maintenance, the Rt 1 overpass is overgrown with weeks and the porta potties at Alexander Road are yucky. Quaker Rd crossing is dangerous, again no signs warning bikers or cars.

Over the years we've done the entire trip in sections except thru the city of Trenton. Those people who did it are brave and made it safely. Wouldn't take a chance. The rest of the path from Frenchtown to New Brunswick is really great. However because of the rains and floods you'll never know the conditions until you get on the towpath.

Having grown up in Somerville in the '70s, it was a dream come true for me to return to NJ just to ride the canal. This review is a bit late, since I took this trip on Columbus Day weekend in 2008. The weather was clear and sunny, middle 70's, and autumn colors were fantastic both days.

My riding companion and I (good to have one when you get to Trenton) set out at the River Road landing in New Brunswick at about 9AM with our mountain and hybrid bikes. The first historic spillway is a very rough crossing, but after that everything was smooth sailing. The path was mostly pea-size gravel and compaced sand/clay. It was level, but constant pedling to keep moving. There is little relief as far as coasting goes, but it's not that bad.

The first day we rode from New Brunswick to Trenton on the Main Canal, from 9:00AM until around 4:30 PM. We stopped at every gatehouse, lock, bridgekeeper's house, and spillway, took lots of autumn color photos -- about every two or three miles. We also detoured from the trail to break for lunch in downtown Princeton. But things do get a bit seedly around Lawrenceville and tricky when the canal goes "underground" at the northeast side of post-industrial Trenton. Here, it's a very good idea to map your route ahead of time and keep moving. We spent the night at the Marriott hotel downtown -- a bit pricey, but reasonably safe and close to the canal trails.

The next day we set out around 8:00AM, found the feeder canal and headed toward the Delaware River. Here, the path is along the former Belvidere & Delaware railroad right-of-way. It's better to go through West Trenton in the morning, and we had no problems. It was espeially fun when the canal crosses two aquaducts with city streets beneath. (A third aquaduct is south of Princeton where the canal crosses the river.) Once we got to NJ Hwy 29 the scenery along the feeder canal and Delaware River improved dramatically. We spent about an hour hob-nobbing around Washington Crossing Parks (both sides), and made it to New Hope and Lambertville for lunch. (Yes, they are touristy, crowded, pricey, and altogether wonderful towns to spend some time.) We then continued on a slightly upward grade, pausing and taking pictures everywhere and seeing everything until we made it to Frenchtown by 3:00 PM. We even found an ice cream shop for our end-of-ride reward.

Yes, I would dop this ride again in a heart beat. We were dog-tired by the end, having done 40 miles on Day 1 and 39 miles on Day 2, but still excited to talk about it. If you don't want to arrange for a drop-off and pick-up like we did, I'd recommend the New Hope-to-Washington Crossing loop.

Used the trail on 11 Apr 2010. We loved it! Started at Griggstown, NJ. I have a recumbent trike (good for bad backs and balance impaired) and only came across one place that I had to get off and walk it over the washed out path.

The towpath has been washed out in many segments north of Alexander Rd and as of 04/11/10 was only filled in part with railroad ballast sized rock. It was downright brutal north of Rte 27, but here many spots were filled with .5"-.75" stones similar to what one would find at the Jersey Shore. I only rode from US1 to Little Valley. On the return trip I used Canal Rd and then the Rocky Hill Branch Rail Trail on the east side of the canal. This cut a half-hour off my time coming back.
The Canal's website has a caveat about the damage, but it is not detailed.
The Feeder Canal trail is in very good condition from Scudders Falls to Frenchtown.

I ride this almost daily in the spring to fall season. It follows the Raritan river and Delaware and Raritan canal from New Brunswick until it picks up the Millstone river which flows into the Raritan near Bridgewater and Manville. The path then runs next to the canal and Millstone river all the way to Princeton where the trail runs next to the lake in Princeton. It is a very flat ride with many areas of newly installed crushed stone sand mix which is very easy to ride. During the week you almost have the trail to yourself but occasionally you will come upon a jogger or two and occasionally folks with their dogs. On the weekends the trail is more crowded but still not overcrowded. During the summer the trail is 90 % shaded. I sometimes find it hard to believe that I am riding in the center of the most populated state.
At the New Brunswick end of the trail you cross the Raritan River on the Landing lane bridge and it drops you off in Johnson Park in Piscataway. You can ride through the park all the way to the Albany street bridge in New Brunswick.There are plenty of places to park to pick up the trail you can park in Johnson park and take the Landing lane bridge and head to Princeton or you can park in South Bound Brook or East Millstone or Griggstown . In Griggstown they have toilet facilities as they also have in Johnson Park.

Just to clarify the previous review. Horses ARE allowed on the main canal trail. They are not allowed on the feeder canal trail. This is stated in the trail website under related links to the right of this review.

We traveled 40 miles with two horses in tow only to find that Horseback Riding is not permitted on this trail. The description on this site specifically designates this Trail as Horseback Riding Permitted. The trail looked beautiful, unfortunately we were not able to enjoy it.

We have traveled this trail a number of times this year. We have taken tours from Frenchtown to Lambertville and back. Frenchtown to Washington Crossing and below. The trail is very well kept for 95 percent of the way. We wouldn't recommend riding into Trenton though. Several miles out you start to see some trash, and the trail starts to look unkempt. Further down we ran into transients hanging out along the trail, this right by a police station. We didn't waste much time back-tracking toward Washington Crossing. Lots of places to stop along the way, snack, take pictures and just enjoy the day. Lots to see in Lambetville, Stockton and Frenchtown as side trips. the surface is really nicely packed gravel for the most part and is a great place to bring kids. We plan on taking my grandson next year for his first bike tour on this trail. The only caution I give is to watch out for folks with dogs. Some folks don't have their dogs on a leash and We've had several near misses. I almost hit a small dog that walked right in front of me just south of Lambertville. Luckily I always use caution around kids and dogs along the trail. This is a small portion of dog owners that can't read the leash your dog signs. So far my favorite time of the year on the trail is autumn, spring and summer are great, but autumn is the best.

I rode from Lambertville to Frenchtown on a nice sunny day, about 32 miles roundtrip. Just to update the earlier reviews, I can say that the trail is still wide, flat, smooth, shaded, and in excellent shape on the NJ side. Lambertville is fairly large and attractive, but touristy. Restrooms are hard to find here and along the entire section I rode. No fast food places or gas stations with open facilities. Stockton and Frenchtown are small, but clean and attractive with a few trendy places to get food and drinks. This is an awesome ride and I look forward to doing it again. BTW, New Hope is very touristy, pricey, and overrun with Harley riders and loud motorcycles on weekends. I would avoid it, although there are more decent restaurants there.

Patty and I rode the trail yesterday Sunday august 30th. The weather was perfect after the storms on Saturday. The trail was dry all the way to Stockton. About a 12 mile ride. Then we crossed into PA and rode the trail south to New Hope, again trail clear a bit wet in spots so be careful but no dangerous. Its is a great little trip about 24 miles total. We stopped for dinner at Karlas and people watched. We headed out of New Hope around 7pm and got caught in the dark. Got back to Washington Crossing at about 8pm. I would rate this trip A-plus

I'll start off by saying I do this for exercise, not sight-seeing. But the sight seeing is very nice most of the time, especially in the fall. I'm 63 and do the best I can !!!

I use these two trails because your are in the shade over 90% of the time. This is a plus on hot summer mornings.

For the last 7 years I have done one of these two "Saturday Morning Rides" virtually every Saturday morning April thru Sept.

Stockton to Frenchtown:

Just a tad over 12 miles each way. I start and end at Stockton. The first 4 miles or so are reasonably flat. The last 3 miles approaching Frenchtown are flat. The middle 5 miles are a constant uphill grade. My guess is 2-4%, depending on the stretch. When you get to Frenchtown, drive around the town for a mile or so, then head back south (and downhill) to Stockton. When you finish, you will have completed 25 miles. Typically, it takes me 2 hr 15-20min to do the ride. This does not include my 10-15 minute break when I get to Frenchtown.

Once back at Stockton you can check out Meal's Restaurant. Excellent food. Tho after my 25 mikes, all I want is one of their Dried Cherry scones and an ice tea.

Stockton to Lambertville:

OK, stick with me here. Head north on the trail until you get to trail mile marker #41, then turn around and head straight back south. Continue past Stockton where you got onto the trail. Keep heading south toward Lambertville.

Do be a bit careful about 3-4 miles south of Stockton. After you pass under a highway overpass and some power transmission towers the trail makes a sharp left turn and then an almost immediate right turn.
Keep going into Lambertville. A great little town to walk and ride thru and find some decent "fast food."

When you return to Stockton, you will have ridden about 25 miles. This entire ride is pretty flat. Ride time about 2 H 10 Min.

Enjoy,
Mark R.

I have been riding on the canal trail since 1998. With exception of the section from the falls by the I-95 bridge in Trenton to the area south of Princeton, I have riden the entire trail. When my wife and I were training for our 100 mile Leukemia and Lymphoma ride in 2003, we used the trail for our 40 and 50 mile rides. I have taken my Grandchildren on their 20" bikes on the canal for a 12 and a 13 mile rides. Unfortunately in March of 2007 there was a tremendous flood which actually washed out sections of the tow path. There were sections where the flood water was six feet higher than the tow path. It has been a hugh task for the state with its financial problems to make all the repairs to bring the trial back to its former excellant condition. As of 1 May 2008 I believe they have finally succeeded.

I was on the trail this past Saturday (accessed it via the Weston Causeway.) It looks like they laid some new gravel, or better said, a lot of little rocks, on the trail.

Because of this, it made the trail quite slippery, and traction was difficult as well. I'm sure that as the gravel settles and is packed into place, the trail will be much more pleasant, but for now, it can be quite a challenge. It's rideable, as long as you keep spinning those wheels and no sudden turns!

It's going to be a great summer ...

"In the past year or so, a new bridge has been built that takes you over Route 1 in the Lawrenceville area, so you can ride the canal from Trenton up to Princeton without having to cross Route 1.

Really nice ride -- very smooth trail and pretty scenery even being so close to major roads."

"Rode the section from Millstone up until northern end in New Brunswick last Sunday (8/5/07). Many sections of the trail have cracked bluestone. NOT GOOD FOR INEXPERIENCED RIDERS OR CHILDREN. I was surprised how much bluestone there was. Some sections had about 50' or longer lengths of rock that were tricky even for my mountain bike tires. First couple of miles o.k., but after that be prepared for some challenges (unless you get off your bike and walk these sections). This section, like other sections of the D&R Canal, has spillways which are like large cobblestone roads. Skinny tires need not apply, as these sections are also about 50-100' long. Go slow and watch where you aim your tires so you don't get caught in a groove between two rocks. Near the end where it crosses Grove St(?), the trail turns into single track dirt with lots of poison ivy around you and the weeds have grown over the path. I elected to turn around here. Total distance round trip was 23 miles. There are some steep hills also with loose bluestone, and one that leads to a large concrete pad. BE CAREFUL. Do not overestimate your biking skills. I would rate this section as ok for more experienced riders. Pretty views of both the Millstone River on one side and the D&R Canal on the other. Lots of shade, so was cool enough on this hot sunny day."

I have traveled the Delaware River Feeder Trail many times. This was the first time I biked the Raritan Main canal trail, and it was a very pleasant experience. Carnegie Lake was beautiful on this clear fall day, and the Crew competition by Princeton was in full swing. The trail surface varied from dirt track to some gravel, and was muddy in spots due to the recent rain, but the going was pretty smooth. The canal widens just south of Carnegie Lake, and is very picturesque with the fall colors. I would recommend this trail to all. I will be returning to experience the northern section soon.

"We rode this section April 07, and I'm happy to say that the trail surface has survived the floods. There is some damage along the route, but the trail surface is still good. We didn't ride south of Lambertville, but looking from our car along route 29 the surface looks good also."

One more thing. It can get pretty bumpy after Lambertville for about a mile. The rail ties are visible through the ballast and the gravel becomes jagged stone that is quite jarring and annoying. Ride the grass where it's passable.

"I rode the whole trail from Frenchtown to Trenton over the course of a few days. I was biking from Port Jervis to Trenton and had a stayover in New Hope, Lambertville, and Tyler State Park in Newtown (Bucks County).

The trail actually starts a little south of Milford, NJ and a little north of Frenchtown so you have to backtrack. Milford is not so great and has half a main street to see. The trail is great here and Frenchtown is touristy but nice and small. The breeze from the Delaware is nice and so are the historical markers, but they do repeat in each town. There are some side roads further south near (Titusville) where you can hit a boat launch and take a swim. Stockton was small and had nice historic buildings with a wedding at the mill.

Lambertville and New Hope were tourist traps, but they were nice. Each village has great neighborhoods, establishments and little alleyways with the trails going under bridges and roads and through the town. The towns are basically 18th century settlements with Lambertville being bigger and more spread out and flat. New Hope is traditionally more touristy and mountainy but there are some great non-touristy real places to hang out at.

The locals talked about the flood waters that had just receded and it was the 3rd flood in 22 months. The river was high in many places and they had just reopened their shops, and the newspapers were still talking about it. The locals also talked about how the trail on the Pennsylvania side and Route 32 was basically still flooded, and was since a year ago but the trail maintenance still hadn't happened and they were quite angry.

South of Lambertville, it goes through Washington's Crossing, but about 2 miles or so before that, you can turn off the trail to a dirt road that follows the water and becomes a paved road with great houses and parallels the trail to end at Washington Crossing State Park. A great restaurant/liquor store is here on the road near the bridge. South of here is West Trenton and the population grows. The trail is spotless until you get to West Trenton and there is more and more trash everywhere. In Trenton, folks inhabit the right of way. I heard stories of crack dealers and prostitutes and people stealing bikes. I saw nice people who were basically drifters, but towards the end of the day, prostitutes were walking the trail. Just be yourself and keep moving.

In Trenton, you'll see a wooden bridge (double tracked) with a fork. If you take the left, you'll end up eventually at Southard and Brunswick Avenue in a weird, dilapidated part of town. Trenton is very poor, even near the Capitol, but the locals are nice with getting you on the lost trail through the city. The trail ends at a little park, but you can still go forward. Look for the traditional red gates with the D and R logo. If you backtrack to the fork and go right it ends, sort of at Calhoun Street and there's a really old canal house at the bridge. The Capitol is down the street. The canal is visible and there's tilework on the bridge. They make it easy to follow as there's a brick outline in the street between the canal segments that are cut off by the pavement. You go to the right of Calhoun St and it continues through properties and ends near Green Street near the capitol at another old house from way back in history, tucked behind an old neighborhood. You can follow this across the street behind houses and across town where it eventually gets lost around Route 1. This took a few hours but I kept retracing and you have to be a little adventurous when tracing history. Don't just end where you think it ends. Continue. The canal does go through the city.

I was told you can pick it up at Whitehead Road in Lawrenceville, on the Trenton/Lawrenceville border."

"I rode this trail Memorial Day weekend. I rented the bike at the gym on Union Street on the South side of Lambertville by the trail. From Lambertville to Stockton, 4 miles, nice views of homes and canal and large waterfall(partly artificial due to canal). An historic mill with another waterfall near Stockton, with art lessons going on. No views of river until Stockton. North of Stockton, many views of river, although limited by trees. At Bulls Island State Park, there is a pedestrian bridge across the Delaware. I rode through the campground to see where the canal comes out of the river-it was a feeder source of water for the Raritan Canal in Trenton. Water and restrooms at Bulls Island. North of Stockton, foothills of Appalachians begin. I ate lunch at old station in Stockton. The old rail line is not actually followed from Lambertville until just south of Stockton, so you can see the old tracks in many places on the opposite side of the canal. The trail goes under a train bridge that was for an industrial siding."

"I'm pleased to report that the flood damage of 2005 has been repaired. There is a new surfae from Washingtons Crossing to Lambertville, and spot repairs from Lamberville to Bull Island."

"This part of the trail is now in great shape, smooth surface all the way. Bull Head campground is, however, closed for season because of April flood damage. Pesestrian bridge across Delaware is open, but trail on Pennsylvania side remains washed out for much of its length. Ranger at Bulls Head said NJ trail going South from Bulls Head to Lambertville is also in generally good shape, with a few soft spots. Link to D&R site with infor and maps is http://www.dandrcanal.com/park_index.html"

"We walked a little from the Princeton parking lot and found it to be a beautiful canalway trail even in December! I could see riding bikes from one end to the other, and staying at the Hyatt in Princeton, and/or somewhere in Raritan.
no hills to speak of, not paved, which I prefer."

"Good, packed trail and YES, you can use a hybrid bike on this trail with no problem whatsoever. Basically a straight trail with lots of shade until you get past Stockton going into Lambertsville. I found the scenery got boring from Frenchtown down to Stockton. How many views of the river can you see before getting tired of it. Stockton to Lambertville is a totally different story. There are many remodeled homes from the turn of the century and there is a restaurant right on the trail at Stockton. It's the old Stockton rail station that has been modified. Stockton to Lambertsville is only 4 miles and if you like an upscale town with lots of nice restaurants you will definitely like Lambertsville but good luck finding pizza or a burger there! The Lambertsville Station restaurant is really nice and the back side of it looks like trains pulling into the station (hard to explain...must see). Basically a nice day out with a nice straight, shaded trail that starts in Frenchtown that gets boring quick until you hit Stockton. I usually ride the PA side which is totally wiped out from Hurrican Ivan and is so badly destroyed who knows when it will be back to its glory but the Jersey side is perfect because of the higher elevation from the river and the levees that exist along side it."

"As of Sept. 22, 2004, call to check on the trail conditions before going. The area has been flooded and there is possible trail damage that needs to be ascertained."

"Where have you been all my life, this was a great up and down ride, I am surprised no one has reviewed this in conjunction with the Pa. Canal Trail. Nine miles each way over the best surface, some nice views. Nice restaurants on return. Great Day!"

"This is a very nice, peaceful ride along the river. There are numerous crossover bridges along the way to head over to Pennsylvania to continue the ride on that side of the river, although most of the trail in Pennsylvania is further in from the river.

Make sure you stop in New Hope or Lambertville! Two warnings: first of all, you might be well advised to turn around or cross over to Pennsylvania BEFORE YOU HIT TRENTON! The trail literally goes through south central. I'm talking dealers, hookers and homeless camped out on the trail. No kidding. Not to mention loads of trash. It seems to just sort of end in the worst part of Trenton, and I'm not sure how to connect to the main canal from there.

I high-tailed it out of there and across the Calhoun Street Bridge as quickly as I could. Your best bet is either Washington's Crossing or at the furthest the Cadwalder footbridge before the Trenton city limits.

Secondly, be aware of geese, particulary on the Pennsylvania side. They are plentiful, and they do not quickly move out of the way. I learned that lesson after three bruises and a banged up bike. Thank goodness a good samaritan passed on by and helped me clean up and get on my way again.

Anyone know anything about the northern parts of both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania trails?"

The canal does not cross Route 1 so you have to go to the Port Mercer section to continue the ride from Trenton to Princeton.

"This was our fifth time returning to this trail and still we have enjoyed it like it was our first. This time we started from Rockyhill and headed north toward the most northeastern part of this grand trail. The nice weather complimented the nature enjoyed from a shaded riding-way that is stretched for miles. The smooth terrain with occasional small ups and downs made the ride the more interesting. However, there was a very short segment where the riding surface was composed of rocks that made the ride rough, but this only adds to the character of this unique trail. We saw a fair number of joggers, hikers, kayakers and other bikers along the way. About 15miles later, we found a nifty hotdog / ice cream / gift shop that was not too far off from the trail. After rejuvenating our energy, we started to head back. I am serious, there should be a triathlon race for married couples consisting of rollerblading, biking, and kayaking. On our way back, we could not resist the kayak/canoe rental and checked out a twin otter kayak. We paid a mere $14 for one hour of ride and that clearly was enough kayaking for us. After completely working out our legs, arms, shoulders, exhausting our strength, we were incredibly happy to see our car waiting for us when we got back.

-Yi-"

"This trail had almost everything to make the ride smooth and the scenery was fantastic.

We parked our car at Frenchtown where there is plenty of parking available and headed toward Lambertville. The trail follows the prominent Delaware river and had nice hard, smooth riding terraine for most of the 18 miles we traveled. Comparatively, we saw significantly more bikers than what we usually see on other north NJ trails.

This well kept trail had several pleasant surprises along the way which made the ride more interesting. This includes portable comfort rooms to a restaurant/lounge along side of the trail. One of the most interesting thing about this particular trail is the towns' architecture. We felt as if we were riding through some european suburban area. The trail map and mileage table can be downloaded from the homepage or available at Bull's Island park office.

We are definitely looking forward to continuing on to Trenton next week. "

"We went from Scudder's Ferry to Bull's Island and back. It was a great ride, but there are a few rough spots that caused a pretty bumpy ride for the trailer. There are short streches though. Also, a few miles before Bull Island there is a wodden bridge that you MUST have help with if you have a trailer. The right angle turns can't be made without lifting the trailer and sliding it around the corner. Still and all, a great ride."

"Great scenery and a well maintained hard pack surface. Trails mostly flat. Great for family rides. Bring food and drink, as there are no places to buy. Some crossings have bathroom facilities."

" This trail is almost 70 miles long, which is amazing for New Jersey. It is essentially two connected (actually disconnected) trails. The section along the Delaware River from above Frenchtown to downtown Trenton is a rail trail that picks up and follows the canal from Bull's Island south. The section from Trenton to New Brunswick lies on the towpath for the canal.
The first section is quiet and lies between the river and Rte 29. Once the canal begins, there are more artifacts to see such as locks, mills and increasing towns. Towns such as Stockton, Lambertville, and Titusville are picturesque and provide places to sightsee and to eat. There are bridges to Pennsylvania at a number of points, including a footbridge at Bull's Island. In the upper areas, groups of rafters can often be seen on the river. Lower down there are rapids, dams and falls. Washington Crossing State park provides many activities and facilities. As the canal reaches West Trenton, it has become elevated above the surrounding land. Roads pass through tunnels under the canal. As the canal goes deeper into Trenton, urban decay is evident, but the canal remains intact and wends it's way through parking lots, past tenaments and high rise buildings. This section ends when the canal disappears beneath Rte 1 for just over a mile.
The second section from northern Trenton on gradually leaves the industrial area of Trenton behind and enters suburban, then rural areas. The section in Princeton is quite heavily used, but the trail becomes less busy and more rural from here on. There are many locks in place along this canal and fishermen can always be found along the banks. The largest frogs in the state in large numbers make their home in the canal. The entire canal is used as a water supply system. As the canal approaches South Bound Brook, the Raritan River comes alongside. The canal follows the river until it disappears into the river in New Brunswick.
The rail trail along the Delaware is finely crushed and compacted stone. Walking, jogging and biking are allowed. Fishing and small boat use is allowed along the whole canal. The towpath from Trenton north is natural surface, in various conditions, all suitable for hiking and biking, and horseback riding is allowed here also.
This trail is a gem! It was preserved early by the state after it's prior uses had been abandoned. Enjoy the state's foresight!

Rates a 9 out of 10!

Fred"

"I biked the main trail from New Brunswick to Route 1 in Lawrenceville on 11/10/01. Round trip distance for this stretch is about 58.5 miles.

It was my first time on the trail and I was very impressed by its cleanliness and upkeep. Although the peak fall season had ended, there were still many splended views of nearby farms, fields, the Canal itself, and lakes.

I saw many families with young children biking and hiking but the trail was not crowded at all. There were several sections of this route where I was the only individual in sight. However, the sections near New Brunswick and Princeton Township were very populated with people.

I parked off of Easton Avenue in Franklin Township but there are many on-off points along this route. There are several street crossings; the busiest has a tunnel under Route 27. Caution should be exercised with young children.

Unlike many rail trails I've ridden, this route does not pass directly through any business districts. So, carry your own food & drink to save taking a long side trip off of the path. There are many benches along the route to stop for a rest, drink, or snack.

I traveled one hour by car to get here and was not disappointed at all.

"

"This trail should only be taken during the colder climate. We ate more bugs than lunch. It is beautiful and easy access to towns,mostly flat,a bugmans #1"

"I like the feeder trail for biking because of its many accesses and cross-overs to a similar trail in Pennsylvania. There are many access points where we get on the trail, cross a bridge over the river and come back on the PA side. Makes for a nice round trip without having to turn around and go back the same way we came. It has a good flat service, mostly dirt and cinders. Most of the time we go 20-30 miles but shorter trips are possible.

The main trail is different. I have ridden it from Kingston south. It passes through populated areas and crossing the roads can be tricky."