D&R Canal Ride

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larkin42

New Member
On Saturday morning, a couple of us are going to take a ride down the Toe Path and I had a few questions.

1. Any suggested parking lots to start from?
2. Are there places along the trail to get water or should we load up on the bike?
3. Does the trail pass through small towns that you can easily get off the trail to grab a bite to eat?

Any info/ help would be great.
 
Huckleberry

Huckleberry

Member
Look at map on there website

Depending on where you live will determine where you start. Look into the newhope/lambertville area. great place to stop and walk around. Also up to french town. There is a winery there

Huck
 
anrothar

anrothar

entirely thrilled
passes through alot of small towns. it'll be over sooner than you expect(it's really not that long, and essentially flat). it got sketchy when i got to trenton. not people sketchy, just 'where'd the trail go' sketchy. really nice path. i've never ridden the delaware part on the nj side, but the canal paths from easton to philly, or to allentown(and then up through jim thorpe) are both very enjoyable. touring via rail trail is great. so relaxing. i was dropped off by someone who worked near the start, so i don't know where would be a good place to park. be sure to post photos!

actually, a really good, enjoyable ride is to book a hotel room out by trexlertown, to coincide with some of the races at LVV, and ride to and from. it's almost all back country roads and rail/canal trail from north jersey. last time i did it, i took the paulinskill to the end, then down to belvidere on 46, down to easton along the river and out to allentown on the path. traffic can be super hectic in allentown at rush hour though, fair warning, so plan to arrive early.
 
BiknBen

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
Where are you located/coming from? What direction do you want to ride. The towpath is interrupted in Trenton which is about the half-way point. Most people tend to stay on one end or the other.

Places to eat?
Princeton (Although you have to go pretty far off the towpath to get to them)
Trenton
Lambertville
Stockton
Frenchtown

Most places where a major road crosses the canal there is a place to park.
 
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larkin42

New Member
I was thinking of parking in Bound Brook. That way we can get most of the trail in. This is going to be a "trial run" of a trip we are planning along the C&O path. I guess that runs from Pittsburgh to D.C.
 
warcricket

warcricket

Like a Jerk
larkin42 said:
I was thinking of parking in Bound Brook. That way we can get most of the trail in. This is going to be a "trial run" of a trip we are planning along the C&O path. I guess that runs from Pittsburgh to D.C.
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the section from bound brook to the manville causeway turns into a long sand section toward the end. consider starting from the manville entrance.
 
anrothar

anrothar

entirely thrilled
larkin42 said:
I was thinking of parking in Bound Brook. That way we can get most of the trail in. This is going to be a "trial run" of a trip we are planning along the C&O path. I guess that runs from Pittsburgh to D.C.
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now THAT is a great trail! i rode most of the PA part and it was killer. the scenery can't be touched east of the mississippi. plan to camp and spend a day in Ohiopyle visiting falling water and kentuck knob and checking out all the waterfalls!
 
S

seredyns

Member
If you are already thinking of parking in Bound Brook I would suggest just starting at the beginning in New Brunswick. You can park at Johnson park in Piscataway on River Road. Then just ride across Landing Lane bridge and you are at the start. There are maps and mileages charts here: http://www.dandrcanal.com/maps.html
Have fun looks like good weather!
 
M

montclairbobbyb

Member
anrothar said:
now THAT is a great trail! i rode most of the PA part and it was killer. the scenery can't be touched east of the mississippi. plan to camp and spend a day in Ohiopyle visiting falling water and kentuck knob and checking out all the waterfalls!
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Agree! I've ridden the Kentuck Knob and Ohiopyle / Yough Gorge sections... Beautiful country there...

As for the D&R, DO heed Warcricket's advice... The section from Bound Brook to Zarephath is SAND!!! Just awful riding... I would personally continue driving down Weston Canal Road, and park where WC Road bends and crosses the path (at Manville).

The ride from Manville down to Princeton and back is an excellent ride with good rolling conditions. In fact, my favorite stopover IS Princeton (albeit a bit off-path)... Awesome sandwiches at the Whole Earth healthfood store up Harrison Street to Nassau... Also, great variety in downtown Princeton by the university....can't miss.

If you happen to be rolling back towards late afternoon, stop in at the Rocky Hill Inn for a nice Ommegang on tap (located 1/4 mile from the canal up towards 206 along Route 518).

Other decent rides:

From Lambertville up to Frenchtown along the towpath. The rolling is FAST, but personally I found it tedious and boring (except passing through Stockton and Frenchtown).

I also enjoy riding the Columbia Trail from Schooley's Mountain down to the Lockwood Gorge, with a lunch stop at Rambo's Deli in Califon.

The Sussex Branch Trail from Branchville to Waterloo Road/Allamuchy... Stop in Newton and Andover for lunch/breaks at a few places. Interesting, and varied terrain.

The Paulinskill Trail from Sparta Junction to Blairstown (or even further to the Del River). Stop at the DogHouse in Blairstown for killer sandwiches.

But preparing for a ride on the C&O (lucky you!), I'd stick with the Manville to Princeton ride at least for an initial warmup....

Peace,
BB
 
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THATmanMANNY

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Your gang, you and I made the path way more packed then it should be on a friday morn. Play day Friday is definitely catching on
 
rlb

rlb

Well-Known Member
montclairbobbyb said:
As for the D&R, DO heed Warcricket's advice... The section from Bound Brook to Zarephath is SAND!!! Just awful riding... I would personally continue driving down Weston Canal Road, and park where WC Road bends and crosses the path (at Manville).
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I rode through here last Saturday and it was hard packed, not sandy. It was nice to actually get off of the damn gravel by riding through this section!
 
mtbiskool

mtbiskool

New Member
rlb said:
I rode through here last Saturday and it was hard packed, not sandy. It was nice to actually get off of the damn gravel by riding through this section!
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Yeah, I agree. Some spots had deep ruts in them from all the constrution vehicles driving down the path. The ruts are only here and there for about 3-4 miles.
 
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