Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park [NJ]
The Delaware and Raritan Canal was built in the early 19th century as an effective means of transportation between Philadelphia and New York, facilitating connections to the rest of world. Once completed, it became one of America's busiest navigational canals. In 1871, its busiest year, total tonnage shipped surpassed the longer and more famous Erie Canal.
The park is in the shape of a lazy "V," as the feeder canal parallels the Delaware River [for about 30 miles] and then the main canal extends from Trenton to New Brunswick [for 34 miles]. Unfortunately there is a gap where the canal crosses US 1 outside Trenton.
- The entire length, both main and feeder trails, are ADA accessible. Most of the pathway is surfaced with light gravel; very little is paved, however.
- A four-mile loop hike is possible between Kingston and Rocky Hill by following the towpath in one direction and an abandoned rail bed in the other direction.
- Loop hikes are also possible along the feeder canal by crossing over the Delaware River to Delaware Canal State Park in Pennsylvania.
- Public transportation is available. You can take the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line to the Bound Brook station, from where the canal (in South Bound Brook) is a half-mile walk. From the NJ Transit Princeton station (take the Northeast Corridor Line to Princeton Junction and transfer to the one-car "dinky" for the ride to Princeton), the canal is about one mile away. The distance from Bound Brook to Princeton is 20 miles, which can be covered in a (long) day, with both ends accessible by train.
- Click for a set of maps, including a mileage table and distance charts. Use the Web Map link on this site for a map of the canal.
Click to view GPS coordinates for parking areas – listed alphabetically
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/docs/DnR_GPS_ParkingCoord_6-09.pdf