Touring - Trenton NJ to Central Park, NYC

Hello,

First post here :thumb:

I'm thinking of biking from NJ to NYC with a 1970's Schwinn Sprint... not really a touring bike..but that's besides the point

I'm not sure if anyone has done a similar route, from central NJ to NYC?

I was thinking of riding the D&R canal up to Elizabeth, take the Goenthals Bridge, then the Bayonne Bridge, then ride up through Jersey City and cross the GW Bridge, then ride back down on south on the NYC side to Central Park.

I'm not sure if there is a better way to do it... for some reason Google Maps does not like me going over the Goenthals Bridge on a bike... but there is a sidewalk, yes?

If anyone has any experience with rides from NJ to NYC, could you please give me some pointers and tips?

Thanks so much :)

Goethals bridge is no longer an option. Ride to Newark and take Path to New York City. The bike path they are building to cross Newark into Jersey City will be complete later this year.

Thanks for the reply.

Just out of curiosity, why is the Goenthals bridge a no-go?

Also, that new bike path you talked about, is there a website that tracks the progress of the construction? Is there a name for that trail?

Thanks

Thanks for the reply.

Just out of curiosity, why is the Goenthals bridge a no-go?

Also, that new bike path you talked about, is there a website that tracks the progress of the construction? Is there a name for that trail?

Thanks

You can also go into Hoboken and ride one of the ferries to NYC:

http://www.nywaterway.com/

Nicer views than PATH. Note that the only weekend service from Hoboken is from the 14th St. dock to Midtown. You can then ride the path along the Hudson if you so desire.

I can give you a link to a route from New Hope, PA/Lambertville, NJ to Hoboken if you would like. It's about 90 miles. It can only be ridden on a weekend because it goes through the Port of Elizabeth & Newark. If you are intent on ride from Trenton, you could take the D&R Canal Path from Trenton to Lambertville. Alternatively, you could register for the New Hope-Brooklyn ride run by the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia. It's the Sunday before Labor Day and uses the route mentioned above:

http://phillybikeclub.org/newbcp/events/nycride2011/nycridemain.html

I was thinking of riding the D&R canal up to Elizabeth...

The D&R Canal will only get you as far as New Brunswick, where it reaches the Raritan River. You could take Route 27 North from there, as I did 29 years ago to finish a 6-week tour that had included New England, eastern Canada, and upstate New York. It's not scenic, and there's a lot of traffic, but it will get you where you are going, and I don't know of a good cycling route through that area. The alternative is to get county maps for Middlesex, Union, and perhaps Essex and Hudson Counties, and choose whichever secondary roads look interesting to you. For the most part, they will be lined with housing developments, retail stores, and here and there with manufacturing plants.

Thanks for the reply.

Just out of curiosity, why is the Goenthals bridge a no-go?

Also, that new bike path you talked about, is there a website that tracks the progress of the construction? Is there a name for that trail?

Thanks

The Goethals bike path has been closed for years and will not open. There is no way you can cross into Staten Island from New Jersey. I suppose you can hitch hike if the bike is a folder.

The new bike Path will not be complete and is only half finished. You can catch the path from Lincoln Park in Jersey city but it stops halfway. You still have to cross a very dangerous interchange with the NJ Turnpike! Forget the idea since it won't be completed until winter. PLease take the PATH train!

I did the reverse route, going from NYC to Philly via Trenton. Between Newark and Princeton we found the East Coast Greenway (http://www.greenway.org/index.shtml) (ECG) to be, for the most part, well-marked, and it took us on nice, quiet roads. There were a few exceptions with missing signs and interim routes on busy roads, but it was quite nice. Take some maps and cue sheets and you'll be set. (Not to mention better prepared...we had no cue sheets and just one iPhone. Whoops! :eek:)

Trenton to Princeton along the canal is great, and you should be fine on your Schwinn as long as you're not gunning it and giving yourself plenty of time.

PATH from Newark is a very good option, but it *is* possible to go from Newark up to the GWB if you're really determined. It'll get a bit hilly on that section.

How about cross-state to the Henry Hudson trail out of Freehold? The Henry will take you all the way up to Atlantic Highlands where you can catch a ferry to NYC. Unlike the D&R the Henry Hudson trail is paved so you won't get dusty.

There is no way you can cross into Staten Island from New Jersey.

Minor quibble, the Bayonne Bridge has an open walkway. Could be interesting to get there, but you can cross into Staten Island, bike to St. George, and take the Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan.

If it were me, though, I'd bike to Atlantic Highlands and take the ferry from there. The biking's nicer when you get away from the US 1 corridor.

Bike to Highlands and take the ferry to Manhattan and you get to avid the North Jersey traffic and road side debris.