Bridge across the Delaware River from Centre Bridge, Pa., to Stockton, N.J., seen from the Pennsvylania side.
It's a typical morning in Lumberville, Pa., where the Delaware River and its companion canal run side by side past a tiny, mostly Victorian town beloved by tourists. Sunlight flashes from the river as it ripples over a low dam, pedestrians on the bridge watch as fishermen cast their lines in the shallows, and a family sets off on a leisurely bicycle ride on the canal towpath, sending nearby geese honking and scrambling into the water for safety.
The Delaware Canal and its path are part of a narrow state park that parallels the Delaware River and has long been popular with walkers and equestrians, who treasure its scenic beauty and its feeling of peaceful solitude not far from bustling little towns like Lumberville and New Hope, Pa.
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Best of all, five bridges across the river provide a connection with the Delaware and Raritan Canal, a similar state park on the New Jersey side of the river, where a canal-side path was resurfaced in crushed gray stone several years ago. Together, they make it possible for cyclists looking for an easy ride away from traffic to make loop rides ranging in length from roughly six to 60 miles. The route is flat, smooth and free of traffic, and it rolls through varied countryside. Just south of Lambertville, N.J., the Delaware and Raritan Canal rises above the river and provides some striking views of river rapids. Farther north, it moves inland a bit and takes a route through a leafy tunnel of trees. In Pennsylvania, the Delaware Canal runs through similar wooded areas south of New Hope but passes right through the middle of that popular tourist town, and a few shops are actually located right on the towpath. Farther north, near Lumberville, the path becomes a sort of catwalk suspended between the river to the east and the canal on the other side.
Both of these canals were built over a period of several years in the 1830s, with Irish immigrants providing most of the labor. They were originally constructed for the utilitarian function of moving coal from mine to market in the 19th century, a purpose they served for about a century. Supplanted as a transportation system by the national rail network, they were closed in the 1930s and turned into state parks.
On the Pennsylvania side, the Delaware Canal runs from Bristol, which is just north of Philadelphia, to Easton, about 60 miles north. It is accessible from Route 32, which follows the course of the Delaware River. The Delaware and Raritan Canal in New Jersey has two parts: the feeder canal, which extends from Trenton, N.J., northwest along the Delaware River, and the main canal, which runs northeast from Trenton to New Brunswick, N.J., and continues to serve as a source of drinking water for several municipalities along the way. The feeder canal is paved with crushed gravel from West Trenton to Milford, N.J., a distance of about 30 miles. It is accessible from Route 29, which also follows the river.
Though a 60-mile ride is possible, most cyclists will choose a shorter route. Several interesting loops are possible. The ride through New Hope and Lambertville, N.J., up to Centre Bridge, Pa., and Stockton, N.J., and back is roughly a six-mile ride, a distance that can easily be accomplished by casual riders in an hour or less. Of course, stopping to visit the shops or enjoy lunch or a bit of refreshment in one of the towns can extend it to a longer outing. New Hope became popular in the 1930s as an artists' haven, and its unusual stores, galleries and restaurants attract many visitors. In recent years, Lambertville has seen a boom that has brought more restaurants and a respectable cluster of antique shops. On summer weekends, the bridge between the two rivers is busy with tourists going back and forth to explore the two towns. In addition, for those who are interested in the history of the Delaware Canal, the Lock Tender's House Visitor Center in New Hope provides some descriptive material, and a mule-drawn canal-boat ride is based there during the warmer months.
The loop ride from Centre Bridge, Pa., and Stockton, N.J., to Lumberville, Pa., and New Jersey's Bull's Island Recreation Area is about the same distance. Although Stockton and Lumberville are much smaller towns than Lambertville or New Hope, both do have establishments where weary cyclists can rest and buy food and drink. Frenchtown is about nine miles north of Bull's Island, and the shoulder along this section of Route 29 is wide and smooth, so some cyclists will make a loop riding north from the canal on the path and returning on Route 29. There are a number of places to leave your car while you ride; see the end of this article for some suggestions.
Both of the canal paths are multi-use trails, meaning you are likely to encounter walkers, runners, dogs, and even horses along the way. The section running through New Hope is always well-populated, and, especially on fair-weather weekends, the sections near the more popular access points such as Lumberville will see more traffic.
Bicycles should always give way to others. It's bad form to speed under the canal bridges when you can't see who or what might be coming toward you on the other side. Trail etiquette calls for cyclists coming up behind anyone on foot to ring a small bell or call out, "On your left!" to give warning that they are about to pass. When approaching horses, which can be startled by bikes, it's best to stop and ask the equestrians how they want to proceed. If they are coming toward you, for example, they may ask you to move off the trail and stop your bike while they go by. Cooperation among the different groups of users is essential if all are to enjoy these beautiful paths.
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A cyclist on the path just south of Centre Bridge, Pa.
Cyclists pass Prahlsville Mills in Stockton, N.J.
In some places the path goes right between the river and the canal, as in this view south of Lumberville, Pa.
Interpretive material at the lock in Lumberville, Pa.
A cyclist on the path just north of Stockton in New Jersey.
Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park (N.J.): 609-397-2040
Delaware Canal State Park (PA): 610-982-5560
The two canals that parallel the Delaware River are accessible from Route 32 in Pennsylvania and from Route 29 in New Jersey. There are many places where you can access the canal paths, and quite a few of them have space to leave a car. Although on-street parking in New Hope or Lambertville might seem like a good choice because it makes it easy to enjoy a walk around these popular towns after your ride, they do tend to be crowded on weekends and most parking is metered. You might want to consider these alternatives:
Washington Crossing State Park, Routes 29 & 546, Washington Crossing N.J.
There's a parking area next to the river just north of the bridge to Pennsylvania. Cross the bridge over the canal and pick up the towpath there.
Washington Crossing Historic Park, Routes 32 & 532, Washington Crossing, Pa.
There's parking here, too, but you have to pay to use it. Bring four quarters if you're sure this is where you want to be.
Holcombe Jimison Farmstead Museum, Route 29, Lambertville, N.J.
This living-history museum just south of Route 202 has plenty of free parking. To reach it from Route 29, turn at the sign for the museum, drive past the farm buildings on your left and continue down to the large parking area next to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. From here it's less than a mile south on the canal path to the center of Lambertville.
Virginia Forrest recreation area, Route 32 north of Centre Bridge,Pa.
Located between the canal and the river; has bathrooms and picnic tables as well as parking.
Prahlsville Mills, Route 29, Stockton, N.J.
About a mile north of the center of town on Route 29, right next to the canal. The canal park has an office here, and there's ample parking.
Bull's Island Recreation Area, 2185 Daniel Bray Highway (Route 29) Stockton, N.J.
There's plenty of free parking in this state park located about three miles north of the center of Stockton. A pedestrian bridge crosses the Delaware River to Lumberville, Pa., where there is also a very limited amount of parking next to the canal.
Kingwood Access Area, Route 29, Frenchtown, N.J.
Located between Route 29 and the Delaware and Raritan Canal path about a mile south of the center of Frenchtown. It has plenty of parking and offers access to the Delaware River for boaters and anglers.
Frenchtown, N.J.
There's a small parking area located off Bridge Street just south of the bridge that crosses the Delaware River to Uhlerstown, Pa.
- If you don't have a bike or don't want to bring your own, a number of establishments offer bike rentals (it's a good idea to call ahead to make sure they will be open on the day you want to ride):
New Hope Cyclery, 186 Old York Rd., New Hope, Pa., 215-862-6888
New Hope Canal Boat Company, 149 S. Main St., New Hope, Pa. 18938, 215-862-0758
Freeman's Bicycle Shop, 52 Bridge St., Frenchtown, N.J., 908-996-7712
Mountain River Outfitters, 287 S. Main St., Lambertville, N.J. 609-397-3366
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Catherine D. Kerr, the author of The Back Roads Bike Book and Back Roads Bicycling in Bucks County, Pa., has been cycling the back roads near the Delaware River since 1970 looking for the perfect ride. She is a writer and editor who has worked for magazines and newspapers including Newsday, The Time of Trenton, and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
For more books for bicyclists visit FREEWHEELING PRESS.
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